US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Three-Dimensional Deformable Modeling of the Spine.

University Of Iowa, Iowa City IA

Investigators

Abstract

0001563 Abdel-Malek Description: This award is to support a collaborative project by Dr. Karim Abdel-Malek, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, and Dr. Ahmed Sameh Mohamed, Associate Professor, American University of Cairo, Cairo, Egypt. They plan to utilize existing data and medical images to develop a new method for spinal surgery simulation, including building a volumetric model of spinal movements. The physical model is based on the biomechanics of articulated bodies that approximately links the shape of the spine and the forces and torques associated with its movements. A real-time computation of the motion is possible due to the processing of elementary movements derived from a proposed Articulated Finite Element Method (AFEM). AFEM is an integrated effort at modeling tissue and motion of rigid bodies in an efficient manner (at or near real-time) while maintaining the accuracy inherent in finite element methods. The resulting deformable model will enable researchers, surgeons, and practitioners to better simulate surgical interventions and better visualize intricate spine anatomy, and is a first step towards achieving virtual reality force-feedback (haptic) sensation. Scope: The US investigator, Dr. Abdel-Malek and the Egyptian collaborator, Dr. Mohamed have, extensive experience in the specific aspects of this research, namely in mechanics of deformable bodies and rigid bodies, and in computer techniques. The topic is important and timely and is expected to be of benefit to the US and Egypt. A US graduate student at the University of Iowa is expected to participate in the research, thus gaining international experience. This proposal meets the INT objective of supporting collaborative research in areas of mutual interest. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.