NVIDIA, maker of fine computer graphic cards, is proud of the work being done by Dang Orthopedics that utilizes the company’s graphic technology in its spinal simulation project.
From NVIDIA:
Dang Orthopedics developed a computational model of cervical spine fusion using Toyota’s Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) technology. Originally developed to simulate the effect of automotive accidents on the body, THUMS is one of the most sophisticated “whole human” finite element models in use today, with over 91,000 individual elements. Dang Orthopedics is the first orthopedic research lab in the United States to receive an academic license for THUMS and to adapt the automotive engineering tool to general orthopedic research.
Once Dr. Dang had the cervical spine model complete, he used LS-DYNA, an advanced multipurpose simulation tool, to isolate the biomechanical effects of single- and two-level cervical spine fusion. LS-DYNA was originally developed by the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for nuclear weapons development and certification.
Working with these sophisticated tools requires high-precision, scientific visualization and a complex software development environment throughout the entire development process, from conception to post-simulation data analysis. The size and number of the models that needed to be loaded simultaneously, the computational burden, and the need to view the final results on multiple, high-resolution monitors meant that Dang Orthopedics needed a high-end, professional graphics solution for its systems. The choice was NVIDIA professional graphics technology and NVIDIA multi-display technology, the solution that provided the graphics horsepower, stability, and visual fidelity.
NVIDIA press release…
Dang Orthopaedics computational science page…
