Allow me to introduce you to Alex. She looks like many other models you might see, gifted with the luck of genetics. Here's another photo of her from the front:
You can see that Alex is lucky to have many of the features that both men and women find physically attractive: Symmetry, physical features, hair length, and other chracteristics that tend to enhance attractiveness.
You all know, however, that I never make posts like this without a huge catch. The point here isn't to make social commentary or objectify, but to point out amazing technology. You may already know where this is going, but here's the big reveal:
She's not real. Alex is completely computer-animated. Artist Mao Lin-Liao, from Khitan Digital in the Netherlands and who has made many other amazing renders, breaks down the extensive considerations that had to be made to create this digital design.
This is, of course, not solely for the purposes of creating the ideal attractive specimen. This type of rendering and animation is used quite often in movies and games. Consider this image from Activision's facial animation engine, and the animation below that showing not just realistic facial creation but fully appropriate animation mapped on top of it.
This video is really something. It's around a year old but I feel it shows the future of the design of artificial people, at least digitally. I know that sounds like an odd thing to say, but creating believable, relatable digital humans has been one of the big hurdles in computer animation. Once we can overcome the Uncanny Valley (the point at which we're repulsed by artificial humans, and something we'll talk about later in the semester), it will be a watershed - and creepy - moment.
I think this is amazing but creepy at the same time. I don't know if it was because of the music playing in the background but it was scary. He dose look real except for his mouth. I didn't like the way it was moving while he was talking. Other than that, wow! I wonder what else I will get to see in my life time. I feel making these fake people are ok, unless they will take over the world. Haha
ReplyDeleteI think that it is pretty neat how realistic the design of artificial look. I do not see anything wrong with this; I think it is a great way to show how far technology has come. The guy kind of creeps me out to begin with and when he talks you know something is not 100% right. The way that the digital people look is very realistic but when it comes to the talking and making them move it shows me that they aren’t and that we still have a little ways to go.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Theobald
This video was very neat and I was really impressed at how real looking the man was. The teeth and mouth looked a little off but it was amazing how real the eyes looked! The facial expressions of the different emotions were so real. I agree with Bernice that the music selection in the background was a little creepy!
ReplyDeleteBridget Towery
That is crazy. I wonder if that will be the driving technology to function as the design of human-like robots. Could you imagine robots (just like the movie i-Robot), whose appearance takes the shape of models, or any type of human being? Uh oh...
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought it was an actual person. It is cool how far we've come, with technology we are able to make things look completely real. When he started talking you could see the voice was a little off, as well as the teeth and the inside of the mouth. It I amazing how video games look like a movie and after going to the game stop convention last year I can see that is the goal of the gaming companies.
ReplyDeleteI honestly did not know that artificial humans were created for movies. The first picture of the woman is tricking, as you’re right she does look like an every day model. I though she was beautiful. I even showed this picture to my boyfriend and he too also agreed she was beautiful. Then I explained to him that she was artificial and he didn’t believe me at first. I showed him the video and he was also extremely impressed with this technology. The last video of the male is interesting. Although you can somewhat tell this person is artificial, it still amazed me the facial movements it made, as it’s so similar to our facial expressions we do everyday. It is creepy to me that we can create artificial humans and they can look so similiar to a real human.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has gotten so advanced that now people can easily mistake artificial humans for real humans. The pictures you posted were proof of that, a perfect example! I just recently saw my brother playing one of those "war" video games, I believe it was "Call of Duty." I was amazed how the graphics looked so real! No wonder why guys get so into the game, I bet a lot of them feel like their actually there. Like a few others who commented on this post, in the videos, everything seems spot on except the mouth and the teeth. That is an easy fix though, do you think they will ever get it perfect to the point where no one would be able to tell the difference between a video of a real person and an artificial/digital person?
ReplyDeleteI find it crazy just how real and alive these artificial humans are. I couldn't tell at first if she was real or not from the pictures, but continued on reading and found it shocking that she was artificial. Graphics now have completely changed and have become surprisingly a little creepy at how real they have become. If you are familiar with the Sims PC game, the original graphics of the people were crap, but now you are able to control exactly how you want your Sim to look, thin or heavy, tall or short. If you are not familiar with this game you should take a look at how bad the graphics were for the original release of the game in 2000.
ReplyDelete-Shane Booth
It is amazing how life like the artificial humans have become. Our graphics have truly come a long way in becoming so real. Its almost scary that you can't even tell the difference between real and fake.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I thought atleast one of Alex's picture would be real. I thought the animation would be modeled from somebody. It is indeed creepy how advanced the technologies getting, and it's unimaginable how the future's going to look like.
ReplyDeleteI cant believe they are able to make a computer model of humans look so real. At first glance I thought the people were real. The new technology they have today makes everything come to life. The frown lines and expressions were very defined. I am amazed at the new imaging techniques that are out there.
ReplyDeleteIf you didn't state that Alex wasn't real, then I would of automatically assume she was. Wow this is amazing but also creepy. It is only a matter of time until we can make robots that have all the characteristics of humans. Some may like the idea at first, but it may not be what we assume. Great post though.
ReplyDelete