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A Method for Economical Smartphone-Based Clinical 3D Facial Scanning
Renee Christine Nightingale1,2, Maureen Therese Ross1,2, Mark Colin Allenby1,2
1Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Summary
Smartphone 3D facial scanning offers an accurate, reliable, and economical method for capturing patient morphological data. Even inexperienced operators can achieve consistent results after brief training, facilitating clinical applications.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Biotechnology
- Digital Health
Background:
- Three-dimensional (3D) facial scanning is an emerging clinical tool for quantitative assessment and treatment.
- External anatomical features require precise capture for various clinical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate an economical, rapid 3D facial scanning method using smartphone cameras and photogrammetry.
- To assess the feasibility of using novice operators for clinical 3D facial data acquisition.
Main Methods:
- Smartphone cameras and photogrammetry software were utilized to create a 3D facial scanning technique.
- Five novice operators were trained via an instructional video before scanning 20 healthy adults.
Main Results:
- The smartphone photogrammetry approach achieved 1.3 mm (±0.3 mm) accuracy compared to a gold standard device.
- Scans were 88% (±14%) complete, with no significant differences observed between novice operators.
- Moderate to strong intrarater reliability indicated consistent scan capture by inexperienced operators.
Conclusions:
- Smartphone photogrammetry presents a rapid, noninvasive, and economical method for capturing patient morphological data.
- Inexperienced operators can effectively utilize this technique for accurate and reliable facial scans, supporting clinical translation.
- This method is valuable for clinical assessment and personalized device manufacturing.
