The research objective of this Small Grant for Exploratory Research award is to perform initial, exploratory development of a new formulation of solid modeling to support computer-aided design with parts whose models are obtained via volumetric scanning technology such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR). Three dimensional scanning technologies have become ubiquitous, but inclusion of scanned objects in the computer-aided design (CAD) process has not become standard practice largely because the surface-based model representations which are used in CAD are totally distinct from the native point data representation of scan data. The research will explore a new modeling formulation consisting of a wavelet-based approximation to the signed distance function values which result from level set segmentation of the scan data.
Successful completion of the proposed research will form the basis for design tools that will benefit product design which is based on initially gathered volumetric scan data. Specifically, this new computer-aided design environment will greatly enhance the ability to design, test, and manufacture devices that are custom fit to specific patients or to a specific segment of the population based on scans of anatomy. Potential additional areas of impact include facilitating inspection of as-built part models for quality improvement and application to security systems employing multi-energy scans such as airport baggage screening. The results of this research will also have a significant educational impact through integration of these methods into departmental class offerings in computer-aided engineering and advanced modeling/manufacturing.
