Face image mining to analyze body mass index in the therapeutic context

• Grant number: 13/25633-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: July 22, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computing Methodologies and Techniques
• Principal Investigator: Marcela Xavier Ribeiro
• Grantee: Nicole Zafalon Kovacs
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Obesity is one of the major public health problems in Brazil and worldwide. One of the measures to estimate a person adiposity is the Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI calculation involves the use of the person's height and weight. However, in many Web therapeutic systems, physical instruments of measure are not always present. In this case, an automatic analysis of digital photos taken by cameras to access the person BMI is needed. In this sense, this project aims to develop an algorithm that calculates BMI from the person face images. The developed method will be used to tailor a therapeutic web game to the player (patient) in order to treat obesity.