Posts tagged human face
Articles and news from the latest research reports.
What The Human Face Might Look Like 100,000 Years From Now
The human face might look very different in the future.
Artist and researcher Nickolay Lamm from U.K. discount site MyVoucherCodes.co.uk collaborated with a genomics expert to create pictures that show the evolution of the human face 20,000, 60,000, and 100,000 years from now.
In one possible future scenario, humans will have full control of human genome engineering. That is, they will be able to eliminate hereditary genetic disorders, or select desirable genetic traits like straight teeth and natural blonde hair.
Natural human evolution is still at work — the head will get bigger to make room for a larger brain — but most facial features will be molded to reflect what the majority of us perceive as attractive: big eyes, a straight nose, and facial symmetry.
Researchers have identified five of the genes that shape a person’s face, work that could help scientists better understand facial abnormalities like cleft palate and someday might even help forensic investigators determine what a criminal suspect looks like from crime-scene DNA.
Researchers previously knew that genetics played a large role in determining face shape, since identical twins share DNA. However, little was known about exactly which genes are involved. Three genes were thought to have roles in the arrangement of facial features, and the new research confirmed their involvement. It also identified two other genes.
"We are marking the beginning of understanding the genetic basis of the human face," said lead researcher Manfred Kayser, head of the forensic molecular biology department at Erasmus MC-University Medical Center Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The study is part of the work of the International Visible Trait Genetics (VisiGen) Consortium, a group of six researchers who want to understand the genetics behind visible human characteristics.
Face off: Disney scientists reveal technique to ‘clone’ a human face onto an animatronic head
Disney has revealed its scientists have perfected how to recreate a human face on a robot head.
The team at Disney’s Zurich research lab say the breakthrough could lead to a new generation of digital animatronic characters far more lifelike than those currently seen in its theme parks.
'We propose a complete process for designing, simulating and fabricating synthetic skin for an animatronics character that mimics the face of a given subject and expressions', Disney said in a researcher paper.
HOW IT WORKS:
- The multi-step process begins with a three-dimensional scan to capture every detail of the actor’s face.
- Measurements that catalog minute details such as facial hairs are taken and entered into a virtual rendering of the actor’s face.
- Scientists then take the image from virtual to physical, using a carefully developed synthetic skin made of silicone placed on an animatronic head to complete the model.
- During their experiments, researchers let the completed head sit for seven days at room temperature before installing the complex robotics inside.
Computer Scientists Present Smile Database
What exactly happens to your face when you smile spontaneously, and how does that affect how old you look? Computer scientists from the University of Amsterdam’s (UvA) Faculty of Science recorded the smiles of hundreds of visitors to the NEMO science centre in Amsterdam, thus creating the most comprehensive smile database ever. The results can be seen via the link below. The research was conducted as part of the project Science Live, sponsored by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NOW) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).
Smile Database: http://www.uva-nemo.org/