Algorithms Can Make You Pretty 288
caffeinemessiah writes "The New York Times has an interesting story on a new algorithm by researchers from Tel Aviv University that modifies a facial picture of a person to conform to standards of attractiveness. Based on a digital library of pictures of people who have been judged 'attractive,' the algorithm finds the nearest match and modifies an input picture so it conforms to the 'attractive' person's proportions. The trick, however, is that the resultant pictures are still recognizable as the original person. Here's a quick link to a representative picture of the process. Note that this is a machine-learning approach to picture modification, not a characterization of beauty, and could just as easily be used to make a person less attractive." Note: As reader Trent Waddington points out, the underlying research was mentioned in an earlier story as well.
See what happens when you put Hillary Clinton's (Score:1, Funny)
Picture into the machine
--
I bet it crashes !
I wonder... (Score:5, Funny)
Ok, I'm sold (Score:5, Funny)
Now, which port on this computer do I stuff my wife in?
Re:See what happens when you put Hillary Clinton's (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Funny)
..how this would handle a goatse pic.
About the same as 20 gallons of Preparation H.
Well... (Score:4, Funny)
The one on the right was hotter, so I guess it works.
I put my picture in and nothing changed.
Re:Ok, I'm sold (Score:5, Funny)
Funny, she was just asked which port she is supposed to stuff her husband into...
Re:Oh great, just what the world needs. (Score:5, Funny)
Apparently you've never heard of the MySpace Angles [officialda...source.com].
Just as easy, huh? (Score:3, Funny)
Note that this is a machine-learning approach to picture modification, not a characterization of beauty, and could just as easily be used to make a person less attractive.
Pfft, obviously this thing hasn't had to chew on my picture. It'd be a damn good algorithm that could find it's way out of this local attractiveness minimum.
Hulk not ugly! Hulk rugged! (Score:5, Funny)
I agree with Dr. Banner, and not just because I don't want to make him angry.
Photoshop or Gimp Plugin? (Score:1, Funny)
I smell a new plugin for Photoshop and Gimp!
Re:Oh great, just what the world needs. (Score:2, Funny)
So, like, anyone got a link for the download?
links as requested (Score:5, Funny)
I am not sure about Hillary (you could've provided a link)
Hillary Clinton was a candidate in the U.S. Presidential election; here is some information about her [wikipedia.org] and here is her website [hillaryclinton.com]. She was also married to a former president of the U.S. Let me know if you need links or information about him too.
Re:duped... (Score:5, Funny)
Yes it was duped but this new version is much better because it was fed through the algorithm. Good job slashdot!
Re:I actually think (Score:5, Funny)
She looks like she would be interested in shopping and hairstyles. The world would be very boring if everyone looked like that.
WHY DO YOU HATE AMERICA?!
I have a better algorythm, (Score:4, Funny)
It does much the same, but leaves the face alone and photoshops it onto an image taken from a fashion magazine.
It's still recognizable as the same person, but they look a lot better.
This technique is so powerful, that if you choose the right magazine (eg, Playboy, Hustler etc) that the test subjects don't even notice if you cut the original face out badly.
Three out of Four test subjects said "What Face" when asked about this irregularity and two left the test early with the new pictures, no doubt impressed by the quality of my algorythm.
GrpA
Machine learning... (Score:3, Funny)
Obviously that's not needed around here.
What About the Traditional Way? (Score:3, Funny)
Just gather massive amounts of wealth, and you're *always* attractive.
Except for the "gathering" part, it's so simple!
Re:It's inherantly flawed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Well... (Score:5, Funny)
I put my picture in and nothing changed.
Don't worry, it's just that it's still working on it.
My head just exploded. (Score:5, Funny)
"Before and after of Alison Bruce. The software program is based on the responses of 68 men and women, age 25 to 40, from Israel and Germany, who viewed photographs of white male and female faces and picked the most attractive ones."
So a bunch of Germans and Jews got together and sorted through a bunch of people to determine which ones were better?
Wow. Just wow.
Re:I'm Already Pretty (Score:5, Funny)
"Agreed, not all of us want our women to look like bobbleheaded dolls."
Performance, OTOH...
Re:Ok, I'm sold (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Oh great, just what the world needs. (Score:5, Funny)
My favorite line:
"A few inches maybe"?! How big are these faces? Jesus Christ, a few inches and I'd be able to sniff my eyelids.
Re:Fuck Israel (Score:5, Funny)
Re:How to look better *without* a computer (Score:3, Funny)
So that explains why I am smitten with The Joker!
Re:The question is... (Score:5, Funny)
I propose a contest, put goatse man and one of those women in a thunderdome, the winner is the one that leaves with the loser stuffed inside them
Re:Maybe I'm just weird... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I'm Already Pretty (Score:3, Funny)
Beauty by committee.
If one doesn't believe that our finding markers of (relative) fertility beautiful is due to evolutionary pressures, this might be... wait for it...
Intelligent Design by Comittee.
Re:Ok, I'm sold (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Machine learning... (Score:3, Funny)
Quite. The algorithm round here involves growing beards and buying all your tshirts from thinkgeek..
Re:I'm Already Pretty (Score:1, Funny)
The research team tried to put a picture of yo mama trough the algorithm, but it core-dumped.
Re:I'm Already Pretty (Score:4, Funny)
I find uniqueness to be very cute and sexy on women. Big noses and glasses in particular ;)
I prefer big glasses and cat ears. Nyaaaaaaa! =^_^=