Chinese scientists have created the first Chinese male digital dummy, based on data about young a deceased male, to facilitate medical research and research in many other fields.

"Before operating on the patients, the doctor may first operate on the digital dummy to observe the effects. The doctor may also make the dummy take pills first before prescribing them to the patients," said Zhong Shizhen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and head of the Chinese male dummy research team.

The research program is based in the First Military Medical University in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, which also hosted the research on the first Chinese female digital dummy several years ago.

Zhong, known as the father of China's clinical anatomy, said the digital dummy is visible and adjustable on computer screens. Even blood vessels of the dummy can be seen distinctly, making the dummy superior to its counterparts in the United States and the Republic of Korea.

The technology is useful for research in medicine, space technology, garment making and the military, he said.

The dummy is modeled on a male who died at the age of 28 of no infectious disease or metabolic disorder.

China created the first Chinese female digital dummy in 2003 in the First Military Medical University, making it the third country in the world to have created digital dummies modeled on their own people after the United States and the Republic of Korea. 
So far, China has created 10 digital dummies.

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2005)