A Proposal of Utilizing a Facial Expression Synthesizing Tool Toward Introducing Facial Expression Training to Patients with Cleft Lip and/or Palate

Abstract

Cleft lip and/or palate is a congenital malformation at birth with the incidence of one in about 500 people in Japan. In this study, we have focused on a facial expression training for the patients with cleft lip and/or palate. For the purpose of motivating the patients to introduce a facial expression training, a framework has been proposed and it allows them to set up a facial expression. The patients can select a facial expression by themselves as they want to express using a facial expression synthesizing tool. A preliminary survey was conducted on 17 patients and a hypothesis was formed as a psychological process model for the patients with cleft lip and/or palate. An experiment was conducted on 20 patients to verify the hypothesis (patient psychological process model) and the hypothesis would possibly be appropriate.