13 Nov Are you ready for selfie revolution? Here comes the 3D selfie
Using artificial intelligence scientists have recently created so-called 3D selfie, program that maps a 3D version of the face on the basis of only one photo.
The team used a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to train the computer system using a database of 80,000 2D images and corresponding 3D models. The information allows the CNN to reconstruct facial geometry from a single image – even making a good guess at non-visible parts of the face based on what it has learned.
The novelty of their work was the simplicity of the approach, according to Dr Yorgos Tzimiropoulos, from the University of Nottingham, which he said had allowed the team to bypass the complex pipelines typically used by other techniques.
We give the system a certain amount of data and it then learns in a similar way to how we process seemingly unconnected information – allowing it to draw conclusions for what a flat image of a person’s face would look like in three dimensions.
This technology could be used for security purposes, where a still image of a face could be quickly scanned and a 3D image created that could help identify people in crowds from different angles. It could also be used in animated films and for special effects in movies, as well as various medical applications.