Some 250 measurement points were taken into account and once formulated, researchers developed an algorithm that could let them apply some of the desired elements of attractiveness - as mathematical equations - to a fresh image.The article mentions that one practical application of the software could be for plastic surgeons. Any other commercial applications you can think of?
(Source: Marginal Revolution)
4 comments:
Wow, a computer software program that can make anyone beautiful? This is weird. I think that part of beauty is the fact that it is unique and one-of-a-kind. Beauty often lies in the flaws. I think that a program that enhances beauty will end up with everyone with a lot of the same features. I guess this program will help plastic surgeons and modeling photographers, but my problems lies in the idea of this feature being on every digital camera. Taking a picture and altering it to a "better beauty" is like changing yourself. This software could be useful, but I feel like it should be used in moderation. Excessive, available use will make people try to change who they are. I guess we will see how this software hits the market. So far, the talk seems like it's going to be big.
-Morgan Hale
I wouldn't ever buy a software that could do this in all my pictures. I think this is really strange and that our society is alreay way too obsessed with the physical appearance. I also think that it really depends on what you define beauty to be. I disagree when he said that this is similar to the red eye button on our computers because red eye isn't actually a part of us and we aren't actually changing ourselves; whereas with this program you can adjust your nose size..chin width etc. I think it's crazy. Despite this though, I'm sure that many people would buy the software given the society that we live in, the emphasis on physical appearance and the growing popularity of plastic surgery. -Alex Whitcomb
Expanding upon a concept Alex mentioned, such a program could encounter problems simply in trying to “define” (or perhaps a better word would be “restrict”) beauty to just one idea, which it would have to do in order for this algorithm to be successful. Not everyone believes that someone is considered beautiful if they fulfill specific, narrow characteristics; each person in the world is unique, and serving a special purpose. Changing one’s image to fit the ideal of beauty as defined by current society’s whims may make them feel more self-confident in some ways, but can make them feel conformist and worthless in others. Beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder; it would be a far more worthwhile use of time to try to make all types of beauty feel accepted, rather than figuring out how to make one conception of it universally applicable. Therefore, I don’t think that this program really has any particularly “useful” applications at all. (Though I agree with Morgan’s and Alex’s prediction that, regardless, it probably would be wildly popular with the majority of people).
-Nicole O.
hey yall. it sounds like a pretty cool program, but it leaves a big half of beauty. there used to be a show on Fox called "hot or not", and they rated people not only on their face but also on their bodies (they rated them on a third category called the wow factor). Not just the writers for Fox think the body is a component of beauty. Most of us will agree that a hot bod contributes to beauty. By not taking the body into account the program is inherently flawed and will not give accurate results.
-jacob hormes
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