Facial Asymmetry in Unicoronal Craniosynostosis: Automated Three-Dimensional Quantification of Surgical Outcomes. F Bielevelt, S Tekinerdogan, N Chargi, HHK Delye, et al.
The human head is one of the most clinically significant anatomical structures to monitor, measure, and quantify over time as it too includes facial movement, expression, function, and speech, which are the most demanding to capture and reconstruct with near ground truth 3D-shape accuracy. The 3dMDhead system series was purpose-built for exactly that challenge.
With 3dMD’s latest generation dynamic 3D/4D capture systems, clinical teams are no longer limited to taking one 3D image at a time… ensuring the patient’s head position and facial expression were perfect in that single instance. 3dMDhead systems enable clinical teams to capture a progressive sequence of dense-surface images over a period of time… selecting the optimal image from the sequence rather than relying on a single snap image. The advantage is immediate and practical… think traditional 2D video versus a single 2D photograph. Particularly valuable when imaging restless toddlers and young children who cannot remain still. Single-snap static 3D capture was the starting point in the early 2000s. The dynamic-3D/4D 3dMDhead system is where the technology is today in 2026.
Capturing 360-degree full head and face coverage dynamically in 3D/4D, the 3dMDhead delivers real-world dense-surface head data at the anatomical fidelity that the most demanding applications require. In addition to assessing and measuring morphological facial change, 3dMDhead data supports clinical teams in monitoring and measuring cranial morphology change throughout complex pediatric treatment cycles… from craniosynostosis, plagiocephaly, and brachycephaly through to craniofacial and reconstructive surgery. Beyond healthcare, the same near ground truth head geometry powers AI and Machine Learning morphable head model development, Computer Vision training… human factors and fit design for head-worn devices including AR and VR headsets, helmets, eyewear, and hearables… and real-world 3D/4D digital human head development for AR|VR|XR environments.
Wearable design traditionally relies on static 3D scans… optimising fit for a head shape that is standing still. But people move. They talk, chew, turn, look down, and express. A device that fits perfectly on a static 3D scan can shift, pinch, or lose optical alignment during natural daily use. 3dMDhead’s dynamic-3D/4D capture capability enables design teams to evaluate fit, stability, and comfort throughout real subject movement. Capturing subjects wearing and not wearing a device with the same system platform enables direct comparison of contact areas, interference points, and as-worn position across users.
3dMDhead system configurations range from the baseline 5 MCUs for general head geometry through to 12 MCUs for teams requiring dedicated coverage of complex anatomy such as the ear region, eye region when capturing with a device on the head, and other areas of interest. Leading AR companies such as Magic Leap and many others use 3dMD’s anthropometric data as the foundation of their device design process… capturing thousands of subjects across age, gender, and ethnic background to design devices around real human variability rather than a single average fit model.
Every 3dMD head scan is a permanent, re-harvestable data asset. Dense-surface 3D meshes can be re-analysed, re-measured, and re-harvested as research evolves, AI models develop, and new product questions emerge. The value of the data grows over time.
Whatever the application or use case, 3dMDhead systems capture and reconstruct it… in full 3D/4D dense-surface detail.
