College of Arts & Sciences
Using Computer Models to Interpolate Skeletal Articulation of a Patagonian Titanosaur Past methods of studying skeletal articulation in large extinct animals have been challenging due to the size and weight of fossilized bones. In any skeletal recreation, muscle, tendon, and ligament attachment sites must be located on the bones; however, fossils are heavy and cumbersome, and frequent manipulation risks causing damage. Attempts to create small scale models rely on sculptors, who Em ma Fowle r inevitably introduce human error. Recently, a new technique using laser scanning technology has been PHC employed to produce accurate, three-dimensional CustomDesigned Major, computer models of fossils. These digitized bones Paleontology & can be arranged and manipulated with ease, allowing Paleo-Art studies of articulation to be conducted with much less hassle and error. Extensive reconstruction of even exceptionally large specimens such as an unnamed Patagonian Dr . K enne th titanosaur (MPM PV1156) can be accomplished Lacov ara using detailed computer models that allow the fossils Faculty Mentor Biology to be examined quickly and safely. Additionally, cartilage location and thickness estimations can be included in the digital model to properly space the joints, and modeling software can be used to approximate and reconstruct the dimensions of soft tissues after comparisons with related species and modern analogs. Life restoration in this manner attains a degree of accuracy unrivaled by traditional methods. Poster Session B
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