This paper discusses how a boundary-based surface fitting approach can be utilised to smoothly reconstruct a given human face where the scan data corresponding to the face is provided. In particular, the paper discusses how a solution to the Biharmonic equation can be used to set up the corresponding boundary value problem. We show how a compact explicit solution method can be utilised for efficiently solving the chosen Biharmonic equation. Thus, given the raw scan data of a 3D face, we extract a series of profile curves from the data which can then be utilised as boundary conditions to solve the Biharmonic equation. The resulting solution provides us a continuous single surface patch describing the original face.

This paper discusses how a boundary-based surface fitting approach can be utilised to smoothly reconstruct a given human face where the scan data corresponding to the face is provided. In particular, the paper discusses how a solution to the Biharmonic equation can be used to set up the corresponding boundary value problem. We show how a compact explicit solution method can be utilised for efficiently solving the chosen Biharmonic equation. Thus, given the raw scan data of a 3D face, we extract a series of profile curves from the data which can then be utilised as boundary conditions to solve the Biharmonic equation. The resulting solution provides us a continuous single surface patch describing the original face.

This thesis discusses a novel method for modelling facial action units. It presents facial action units model based on boundary value problems for accurate representation of human facial expression in three-dimensions. In particular, a solution to a fourth order elliptic Partial Differential Equation (PDE) subject to suitable boundary conditions is utilized, where the chosen boundary curves are based on muscles movement defined by Facial Action Coding System (FACS). This study involved three stages: modelling faces, manipulating faces and application to simple facial animation. In the first stage, PDE method is used in modelling and generating a smooth 3D face. The PDE formulation using small sets of parameters contributes to the efficiency of human face representation. In the manipulation stage, a generic PDE face of neutral expression is manipulated to a face with expression using PDE descriptors that uniquely represents an action unit. A combination of the PDE descriptor results in a generic PDE face having an expression, which successfully modelled four basic expressions: happy, sad, fear and disgust. An example of application is given using simple animation technique called blendshapes. This technique uses generic PDE face in animating basic expressions.

This thesis discusses a novel method for modelling facial action units. It presents facial action units model based on boundary value problems for accurate representation of human facial expression in three-dimensions. In particular, a solution to a fourth order elliptic Partial Differential Equation (PDE) subject to suitable boundary conditions is utilized, where the chosen boundary curves are based on muscles movement defined by Facial Action Coding System (FACS). This study involved three stages: modelling faces, manipulating faces and application to simple facial animation. In the first stage, PDE method is used in modelling and generating a smooth 3D face. The PDE formulation using small sets of parameters contributes to the efficiency of human face representation. In the manipulation stage, a generic PDE face of neutral expression is manipulated to a face with expression using PDE descriptors that uniquely represents an action unit. A combination of the PDE descriptor results in a generic PDE face having an expression, which successfully modelled four basic expressions: happy, sad, fear and disgust. An example of application is given using simple animation technique called blendshapes. This technique uses generic PDE face in animating basic expressions. / Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu