OBJECTIVE: The digital human modeling combines information
technology with bioscience, applied to analog study from DNA molecule and
protein to cell and tissue, as well as organ. It has been widely implemented
in various fields such as aviation, national defense, film and television,
sports and medical treatment. This paper sorts relative research
achievements and progress in recent years and summarizes issues and
challenges of research work. The purpose of this paper is to provide
references for the development of Digital Human Modeling.
METHODS: Basing on the development plans proposed by Federation of
American Scientists (FAS) and current theories, we sorted academic
achievements and relative references since the beginning of the digital
human concept until 2014 into four aspects, which were named as Visible
Human, Virtual Physical Human, Virtual Physiological Human, and Intelligent
Virtual Human. We collected information of data acquisition, data analysis
and dataset establishment for Visible Human. We outlined the Virtual
Physical Human references in four physical categories, including radiation,
ultrasonic, electrics, and mechanics. For Virtual Physiological Human,
relative researches related to the physiological and biochemical changes of
human body were categorized in four aspects as gene molecules, cells, and
organs. Relative researches of Virtual Brain Human were mainly concentrated
on virtual human brain and virtual human control.
RESULTS: According to the differences in investigations and
applications requirements of Digital Human in all aspects, we classified,
analyzed and concluded extensive preference data. The overall plan of
Digital Human, as well as technical routes, work plans, present states,
goals, results and application value in each stage of research was
summarized. We discussed the technical issues existing in each aspect of
Digital Human, along with the urgent key technologies including data
collection, data processing, and modeling.
CONCLUSION: Analyzing the core technologies and the general
technical schemes in the field of Digital Human, this paper summarizes the
technical solutions, research results and technical problems of major
researchers. The future prospects of Digital Human are reviewed.
