Computer Vision and the Modeling and Reverse Engineering of Biological Systems

Modeling and reverse engineering of complex biological systems is a major focus of current research in bioengineering, biomedicine and computational biology. The key issue of system identification, i.e., determining the transfer function(s) and feedback function(s) from observations of input, output and state variables, is essentially a problem in reconstruction. Computer vision offers a means to observe and model complex biological systems and processes in a non-contact, non-destructive, minimally invasive manner while also improving system observability. This talk will focus on two applications of computer vision in the field of biomedicine, i.e., reconstructive craniofacial surgery and modeling of the endocardial surface of the human heart. In the case of reconstructive craniofacial surgery, computer vision is shown to offer a tool for presurgical planning and simulation that reduces the time for actual surgery. In the case of endocardial surface modeling, computer vision is shown to offer a minimally invasive means for diagnosis of coronary artery disease.