NEW CAD TECHNIQUES USED FOR VIRTUAL BONE MODELS APPLIED IN ORTHOPEDICS

Abstract

The paper presents some methods used to create and analyze human virtual bones. The cooperation between medical research team and the engineer research group give important tools for medical devices or implants design. To re-create anatomical 3D models it was used a CAD software which permits to define complex models. First, there were defined the "hard" parts as the main bone components and "soft" parts as ligaments or menisci using CT images. Also, using CAD methods, were created virtual models of human joints. In the last decade, a new concept called rapid prototyping, physical coating or without solid pre-form manufacturing, has become very popular.

Keywords

• computer graphics, orthopedics, virtual bones, rapid prototyping, virtual prototyping.