FaceLab
Definition
The digital facial approximation software developed at the University of Manchester and extended at Liverpool John Moores University by Caroline Wilkinson's group. Applies the Manchester combined-anatomy protocol to three-dimensional skull scans.
- Institution origin
- University of Manchester, extended at Liverpool John Moores University
- Lead researcher
- Caroline Wilkinson's group
- Method
- Manchester combined-anatomy protocol
- Input data
- Three-dimensional skull scans
Common questions
What does the Manchester combined-anatomy protocol combine?+
It integrates anatomical soft-tissue depth data with muscle and feature-morphology rules derived from skull landmarks, rather than relying on tissue depth markers alone, which is intended to make the resulting facial approximation more anatomically grounded than older manual clay-based approaches.
Is a FaceLab facial approximation used for positive identification?+
No, facial approximation is an investigative aid meant to generate leads and public recognition when a skull is otherwise unidentified; it is not a means of positive identification, which still requires methods like DNA, dental, or fingerprint comparison.
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