Subject specific modeling of the muscle activation: Application to the facial mimics

Abstract

Facial muscle activation information is of interest for the simulation of the facial mimics. In the present study, three positions (smile, pronunciation of sound ‘Pou’ and ‘O’) describing specific motions of the facial mimics were acquired using MRI. Finite element (FE) simulations of these three facial muscle activation behaviors were performed on a specific muscle zygomaticus major (ZM) one of the most relevant in facial mimics. Numerical results were compared qualitatively and quantitatively with those derived from MRI images. The MRI-based average displacements of the ZM muscle are 4 ± 2mm, 4.5 ± 1.4 mm and 6 ± 3mm for ‘Smile’, ‘Pou’ and ‘O’ positions respectively. The FE-based average displacements of the ZM muscle are 1.9 ± 0.8 mm 2 ± 1 mm and 2.8 ± 1.1 mm for ‘Smile’, ‘Pou’ and ‘O’ positions respectively. This present study shows the development of a methodology for subject specific modeling with confrontation between experimental and numerical results for simulation of facial mimics.