Technology

Japanese company offers disturbingly-lifelike masks of clients' own faces

Japanese company offers disturbingly-lifelike masks of clients' own faces
Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
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Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
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Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
A 3D mask is priced at US$3,920 for the first one and US$780 for each additional copy, while the head's pricing starts at US$5,875, with US$1,960 for additional copies
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A 3D mask is priced at US$3,920 for the first one and US$780 for each additional copy, while the head's pricing starts at US$5,875, with US$1,960 for additional copies
REAL-f takes a number of pictures of the person's face (or head) from various angles and imprints them on a vinyl chloride resin spread over a mold
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REAL-f takes a number of pictures of the person's face (or head) from various angles and imprints them on a vinyl chloride resin spread over a mold
Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
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Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
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Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
The modeling technique reportedly allows for a very high level of realism, including detailed mapping of irises, blood vessels and pores
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The modeling technique reportedly allows for a very high level of realism, including detailed mapping of irises, blood vessels and pores
The modeling technique reportedly allows for a very high level of realism, including detailed mapping of irises, blood vessels and pores
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The modeling technique reportedly allows for a very high level of realism, including detailed mapping of irises, blood vessels and pores
The modeling technique reportedly allows for a very high level of realism, including detailed mapping of irises, blood vessels and pores
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The modeling technique reportedly allows for a very high level of realism, including detailed mapping of irises, blood vessels and pores
Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
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Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
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Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
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Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
View gallery - 11 images

It appears that there's a number of customers willing to pay a lot to be in possession of a lifelike replica of their face or even their whole head ... or at least, REAL-f hopes so. The Japanese company offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads made using vinyl chloride resin, based on its own technique called 3DPFs (3 Dimension Photo Forms).

In order to create the mask, REAL-f takes a number of pictures of the person's face (or head) from various angles and imprints them on a vinyl chloride resin spread over a mold. The modeling technique reportedly allows for a very high level of realism, including detailed mapping of irises, blood vessels and pores, while the lifelike mask is also water-resistant and colorfast. It's possible to order just a mask, or a 3D mannequin-like human head.

These lifelike replicas are quite expensive, however. A 3D mask is priced at US$3,920 for the first one and US$780 for each additional copy, while the pricing of heads starts at US$5,875 for one, with US$1,960 for additional copies. Orders are now being taken by REAL-f. It takes around two weeks to become the proud owner of one's facial replica in 3D, or three weeks to obtain the head model.

Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads
Japanese company REAL-f offers extremely realistic 3D models of human faces and heads

The idea is actually not as unique as it might seem. America's ThatsMyFace.com lets clients order 3D sculptures of faces based on uploaded or mailed pictures. The so-called "LifeMasks" are way cheaper, but also appear to be less realistic than REAL-f's offerings.

Source: TechCrunch

View gallery - 11 images
10 comments
10 comments
Slowburn
I can see several uses for this not all of them illegal.
Womp
Looks good but the price is way to high for something so frivilous.
I\'ll be watching for when somebody for comes up with a DIY version using something like a kinect combined with a makerbot.
Michael Douglas
Being John Malkovich just got moer fun.
Ed
This would make the best flashmob ever!
Forrest
This would be a fun tool to trip up the surveillance cameras that law enforcement use with facial recognition :-) Imagine their frustration.
Slowburn
re; Forrest
+100
Gabriel Grove
Rob Dyrdek would love this news...
Mik Os
Imagine asking your wife to wear your ex-girlfriends mask while... Oooh I just heard someone getting slapped!
Mark Newman
Good for persons with facial disfigurements. they can wear their original face and don\'t get that weird look that humans do when a person has a disfigurement. and other look away because they don\'t wanna seem rude
linar
In future you will need biometrics to pass through immigration, and all other areas which require facial identity.