Forensic facial reconstruction can be used to identify unknown human remains when other techniques fail. It is a way to recover facial morphology by restoring soft tissues based on unidentified skulls using the knowledge of anatomy, anthropology, and computer science. It is most often applied in forensic science, oral plastic surgery and archeology.

Studies carried out to assess the accuracy of facial reconstructions have produced variable results over the years. With the advancement in 3D technology, a rapid, efficient and cost effective computerized 3D forensic facial reconstruction methods have been developed that have brought down the degree of error previously encountered. Modern imaging techniques have allowed quantitative assessment by comparing the distances between the 3D surfaces of the forensic reconstruction with the 3D surface of the target soft tissue.

The aim of project is to utilise the data of live subjects from different geographical areas, various age and BMI and assess the accuracy of the three dimensional computerised facial reconstruction techniques. The next aim is evaluation of success rate of recognition of a reconstruction based on these techniques. Geometric morphometrics, multidimensional statistics and machine learning methods will be used for these analyzes.

 

Five relevant publications of the research group:

 

Drgáčová A, Dupej J, Velemínská J. (2016). Facial soft tissue thicknesses in the present Czech population. Forensic Sci Int 260:106.e1–106.e7.

Koudelová J, Hoffmannová E, Dupej J, Velemínská J. (2019). Simulation of facial growth based on longitudinal data: Age-progression and age-regression from 7 to 17 years using 3D surface data. PLOS ONE 14(2):e0212618.

Rmoutilová R, Gómez-Olivencia A, Brůžek J, Holliday T, Ledevin R, Couture-Veschambre Ch, Madelaine S, Džupa V, Velemínská J, Maureille B. (2020). A case of marked bilateral asymmetry in the sacral alae of the Neandertal specimen Regourdou 1 (Périgord, France). Am J Phys Antropol 171(2):242259.

Velemínská J. Fleischmannová N, Suchá B, Dupej J, Bejdová Š, Kotěrová A, Brůžek J. (2021). Age-related differences in cranial sexual dimorphism in contemporary Europe. Int J Legal Med 135(5) 20332044.

Zedníková Malá P, Krajíček V, Velemínská J. (2018). How tight is the relationship between skeletal and soft-tissue facial profile: Geometric morphometric analysis of facial outline. Forensic Sci Int 292:212223.

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