TechCrunch: If you’ve ever dreamed of getting a super-realistic replica of your face for whatever reason, here’s your chance: a Japanese company called REAL-f [JP] is creating so-called 3DPFs (“3 Dimension Photo Forms”), copies of human faces “in 3D”.
Monday, October 10, 2011
3DPF: Japanese Company Creates Super-Realistic 3D Face Replicas
TechCrunch: If you’ve ever dreamed of getting a super-realistic replica of your face for whatever reason, here’s your chance: a Japanese company called REAL-f [JP] is creating so-called 3DPFs (“3 Dimension Photo Forms”), copies of human faces “in 3D”.
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This is really cool how realistic they look. I wish that the article would have had more information to expand upon though. I can completely see these masks being used in theatre. although a lower level theatre probably wouldn't buy them because of the cost, for a bigger theatre, the expense actually might be worth it depending on it's use. I wonder how well it stands up to the abuse that theatre tends to subject things to. I also wonder if you can solely just reproduce your face, or if there would be an option that would allow you to change features and/or combine features of two or more people. This technology could be a lot of fun to play around with.
So these are incredibly cool, and incredibly creepy. The fact that we can make masks that are this close to being replicas opens up the world of replication to an amazing degree. While the faces are cool, I would really like to see what else the same technology could be used to replicate, and if using the same technology you could use it to simulate what surgery or other physical changes could do to a person's face.
Agreeing with Tiffany here, the technology still seems out of the price range to have much theatrical application in the near future; especially given the nature of our industry, where exactly replicating the size of an iris may not be necessary due to the distance from the stage most of the audience sits. The rigidity of the masks also makes them less than helpful in a prosthetic application (i.e. becoming Abe Lincoln). However, I do see this technology incredibly useful in the costume/makeup world, since realistic replicas of a person could be made using the same imaging technology. In highly tailored shows, or shows with intricate costumes that have puppetry, electrical elements, or some sort of transformative element, building them off an exact replica of the actor would allow for an added level of precision.
I just find these creepy. It's amazing that the technology exists, but why? Why do we need to recreate our faces? Technology seems to becoming too advance to the point where it's unnecessary. Yeah, we can make these, but do we really need to? Everything is becoming very intense and I feel like we don't need or even want half the things that are made today. The reaction that I hear most about the technology that is available is why do we need this?
As cool as this seems and could be for the future of technology I just find this whole thing unsettling. It's just creepy how amazingly realistic these things are! And this article came out at a perfect time corresponding with one of my classes where we are talking about the future of robots in our reality. As cool as these things are they are unsettling and disturbing to many people and I'm not sure if this will go over well with the masses.
This is a really cool new technique but it also is quite creepy for those of us without identical twins it is wired to see such a similar if not the same face as our own staring back at us. Creep part aside these masks could become a very interesting too that the theatrical world can utilize. I wish that I knew a bit more about the amount of money and the amount of time it takes to create one reproduction. These masks could create a very interesting affect of making everyone look exactly the same.
I wonder, when the price comes down and these are more available to the general public (or smaller theatres) what kind of effect this will have on people who make their living making masks. If they can replicate a face, they could make thirty replica's of a ghoul mask needed for a show so that all the actors match, and it can be done in some ways much easier than having someone make each mask from hand. Obviously the cost is a big factor, but I don't think that will last for long.
These masks are really cool and really interesting. I definitely agree with Tiffany in that I wish that there was more information in this article, though. I think that these masks could definitely be used in theatre, although not in the way that they show them in this article. The technology is definitely something, though, that costume designers could use when to make a mask if they could edit the images. If other companies start using the same technology, then hopefully the price will go down and more theatre companies will be able to afford them!
Though I do find these incredibly creepy, I'm wondering what these masks can be used for? Maybe the technology can be used to help recreate facial features of those whose faces have been damaged in auto-mobile accidents or fires.
I can see these being used in theatre, though I still find them very creepy. Maybe that's a good thing though.
This. Is. So. Awkward.
Creepy aspects
I hope no one steals someone else's mask and then goes and commits a crime.
Can you picture having a little doll of yourself?
If anyone I knew got one of these, I would sneak into their house at night and place it so it would be right in front of their face when they woke up.
On a more serious note, the only theatrical aspect I see coming out of this is special effects. Vague body doubles could now show their 'face' in bright light, or a person could seem to impossibly be at 2 places at once, or move faster than possible.
These would be pretty useful in a magic show.
We were just having a conversation in My Favorite Class about the theory of the uncanny valley. The idea is that as something unhuman becomes more human in its characteristics, it becomes increasingly unsettling for the person observing the thing in question. For example, a robot that looks exactly like a human being would create an intense sense of discomfort for the person interacting with it if they were aware that they were speaking to a robot. On that same note, while these masks are beautifully crafted and incredibly lifelike, I would be curious to see where these faces fall in terms of audience discomfort and the uncanny valley.
I think these masks are slightly disturbing. It reminds me of how in My Favorite Class we were talking about making robots to human. I feel that is what these masks do they look a little to real. The technology is great but I feel it would be a little less creepy if it were a original face rather than a replica. Or if like others said changes could be made. Really realistic looking aliens or monsters for movies are great but replicating actors? I just don't see that catching on very fast.
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