The Chinese University of Hong Kong has made breakthrough advancements in virtual human research by accomplishing 3D reconstruction and real-time visualization of the world highest resolution virtual human. The research work makes possible for the first time on PC platform to achieve highly interactive photo-realistic visualization of virtual human reconstructed from gigantic digital human dataset. These state-of-the-art real-time rendering and imaging techniques are essential core technologies to support optimal and practical applications of these high quality digital human data sets in anatomy teaching, virtual endoscopy simulation, surgical training and all sorts of human-related simulation.

　　Led by Professor Jack Cheng Chun-yiu, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, CUHK and Professor Heng Pheng Ann, Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, CUHK, the University Designated Strategic Research Area in Computer Assisted Medicine was formed in 2000 and consists of over 30 faculty members. Its mission is to enhance medical diagnosis, treatment and education through original research, innovative application and intelligent integration of new advances in computing and engineering.

　　Virtual Human is a 3D human structure built in the computer. To obtain digital human data, a cadaver will be dissected into many very thin layers, scientists will then take digital color photo of the dissected layers. Data of each layer will be put together using advanced imaging technology to reconstruct a virtual human body, which consists of exactly the same anatomical structures as a real human. The most refined Visible Human dataset collected by the US National Library of Medicine, is a female dataset consists of 5,189 digital axial anatomical images obtained at 0.33-mm intervals, it is 39 GB in size. Within the last year, CUHK has completed the processing of five Chinese Visible Human datasets originally collected by the Third Military Medical University and the First Military Medical University of the PRC separately. The highest resolution dataset collected by TMMU is a male dataset consists of 18,200 digital axial anatomical images obtained at 0.01-mm intervals, and it is 1,143GB in size. By innovative processing of these ultra-high resolution digital human datasets, extremely fine anatomical details can be interactively visualized in 3D.

　　CUHK has completed the reconstruction and 3D visualization of 7 virtual human (5 Chinese and 2 American), and now processed the largest digital human database in the world. The team is also the first to use the Chinese visible human datasets in the development of virtual anatomy, virtual acupuncture and virtual arthroscopy.

　　"Our team has proved an outstanding example in computer-assisted medicine. The reconstruction of these digital human data sets of Chinese origin provides excellent resources for medical education and life science research. Our strong collaborative research effort and clinical strength can maximize the impact and utilization of advanced computing and engineering technology in modern healthcare and medical education," said Professor Cheng.

　　"We have been working closely with our Mainland collaborators in building up a comprehensive Chinese visible human database. We also work closely with colleagues from the Faculty of Science and the Institute of Chinese Medicine of CUHK and participate actively in several major funded projects in applied genomics, nanotechnology, biosensor, telemedicine and traditional Chinese medicine. These breakthrough achievements certainly strengthen Hong Kong R&D in computer-assisted medicine," Professor Heng added.

The first 3D Chinese Virtual Human

Virtual Acupuncture

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