Numerical visualisation of physical values during human swallowing using a three-dimensional swallowing simulator ‘Swallow Vision®’ based on the moving particle simulation method

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study is to visualise changes in physical values of food bolus during swallowing to correlate the movement of human organs and bolus flow configuration using Swallow Vision®, a three-dimensional human swallowing simulator. Swallow Vision was developed using realistic human organ models, food bolus models, and the meshless three-dimensional moving particle simulation (MPS) method. The human organ model used to create Swallow Vision was reconstructed using computed tomography and video-fluorography images of a healthy volunteer. The extracted physical values, such as velocity, shear rate and viscosity were correlated with the movement of human organs and bolus flow configuration. The velocity and the shear rate were in good agreement with other researchers’ results, and the simulation results are hence considered adequate. Swallow Vision will be helpful for understanding swallowing biomechanics, as well as for identifying appropriate foods for people with swallowing difficulties or dysphagia.