Virtual testing model for use in simulated aerodynamic testing

A method for developing a virtual testing model of a subject for use in simulated aerodynamic testing using one or more computers, comprising:

• using a computer to generate a simulation environment in which a generic 3D mesh of the subject is calculated;
• receiving an input via the computer identifying a dimension of the subject and at least one reference point on the subject;
• receiving an input via the computer of point cloud data developed from imaging the subject with an image scanner and representing at least the subject's outer surface in the simulation environment;
• using the computer to adapt the generic 3D mesh to the subject by modifying the generic 3D mesh to have a corresponding dimension and at least one corresponding reference point, the corresponding dimension being calculated or numerically sampled to correspond to the identified dimension of the subject and the at least one corresponding reference point being calculated or numerically sampled to correspond to the identified at least one reference point of the subject;
• and
• using the computer to modify the generic 3D mesh further by applying at least a portion of the point cloud data from the imaged subject's outer surface at selected locations to scale the generic 3D mesh to have the subject's actual circumference at corresponding locations, thereby developing the virtual testing model specific to the subject and suitable for computational fluid dynamics analysis.

A method for developing a virtual testing model of a human subject for use in simulated testing using one or more computers, comprising:

• using a computer to generate a simulation environment for a user in which a generic 3D mesh of the human subject is calculated;
• receiving a computer input identifying a height of the human subject and at least one reference point on the human subject;
• receiving a computer input of point cloud data developed from imaging the human subject with an image scanner;
• receiving a computer input of skeletal structure and joint locations;
• representing at least the human subject's outer surface in the user in the simulation environment;
• using the computer to adapt the generic 3D mesh to the human subject by modifying the generic 3D mesh to have a corresponding height and at least one corresponding reference point, the corresponding height being calculated or numerically sampled to correspond to the identified height of the subject and the at least one corresponding reference point being calculated or numerically sampled to correspond to the identified at least one reference point of the subject;
• using the computer to modify the generic 3D mesh further by applying at least a portion of the point cloud data from the imaged subject's outer surface at selected locations to scale the generic 3D mesh to correspond to the subject, wherein modifying the generic 3D mesh comprises iteratively:
• correlating a thin segment of point cloud data defined to extend perpendicular to a desired axis with a corresponding location in the generic 3D mesh,
• identifying valid data points in the thin segment of point cloud data with two-coordinate references in a plane extending perpendicular to the desired axis, using the two-coordinate references of the valid data points to calculate a circumference among the valid data points within the thin segment;
• discarding all data points and retaining the calculated circumference, at the corresponding location in the generic 3D mesh, resizing the generic 3D mesh to have the calculated circumference,
• wherein if no valid point cloud data exists for any thin segment and a circumference cannot be calculated, then a generic circumference at the corresponding location in the generic 3D mesh is retained,
• wherein a resulting modified generic 3D mesh having calculated circumferences at corresponding locations more closely corresponds to the human subjects actual outer surface than the generic 3D mesh, the modified generic 3D mesh thereby defining a virtual testing model specific to the human subject that provides increased accuracy in testing.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program product, the computer program product including instructions, the instructions when executed, instructing one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

• receiving an input via a computer of motion capture data of a human subject in motion in a motion capture session using a generic 3D mesh of the human subject;
• concurrent with the motion capture session, imaging at least a portion of the human subject with point cloud data of the human subject;
• and
• in real time, adapting the generic 3D mesh to match the human subject more closely by correlating thin segments of the point cloud data along a desired axis to corresponding locations in the generic 3D mesh and applying valid point cloud data from the segments to selectively resize the generic 3D mesh to more closely match the human subject at locations where valid point cloud data is present, and if no valid point cloud data exists for a specific segment, then retaining dimensions of the generic mesh at a location corresponding to the specific segment;
• and
• displaying an image of the human subject in simulated aerodynamic testing showing a drag weight per pixel.