Think of them as digital dummies. Or crash test avatars.

They’re computational human body models, anatomically accurate computer figures built from MRI, CT and other medical scanning techniques to simulate how the body’s bones, organs and connective tissues react to external objects and forces. Over the past decade, these virtual manikins have become valuable tools in injury biomechanics, the multidisciplinary study of how injuries are caused and how they can be prevented or mitigated.