Computerized Reconstruction of Fragmentary Skeletal Remains

The framework uses the power of statistical bone atlases to create 3D templates for bone matching and to interpolate missing anatomy for full bone reconstruction. The developed tool has improved features that enable the user to visualize, review, and scale all scanned skeletal remains within a 3D statistical template, merging accepted registered elements to provide a fully reconstructed bone. A three-stage validation was performed on Fragmento. Stages I and II used simulated fragmentary data which was compared to full bones with an error less than 3 mm. Stage III compared output from geographic information system (GIS) software with comparable results. This validation process demonstrates the robustness and utility of Fragmento as a tool for 3D fragmentary bone matching and full bone reconstruction. (Publisher abstract modified)