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Exploring art at a stroke

The 'Repentir' smart phone and iPad app uses computer vision algorithms to reveal the multiple hidden stages of a painting. Users can explore the artist's creative process by rubbing away layers or scrolling through sequence images.

Improving 3-D image capture in real time

A team of researchers from the Public University of Navarre has developed a new algorithm for improving the real-time capture of 3-D images, enabling applications in fields like 3-D video recording and intelligent systems. The technique uses stereoscopic vision to compare pairs of images and yields better results than previous algorithms.

SourceElhuyar Fundazioa·JournalIEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence·DateNov 23, 2012

Ready for your close-up?

A new Caltech study found that facial photos taken at close range influence perception, making subjects appear less trustworthy, competent, and attractive. Researchers used digital warping to manipulate images, confirming the effect. The findings may have implications for computer vision and social judgments.

Taking nothing at face value

Research reveals that an image of a person can look strikingly different from one image to the next, making it difficult for unfamiliar viewers to identify them. However, familiar viewers find it easier to recognize individuals across various images. The study also found that variability within a person is greater than between people w...

Megapixel camera? Try gigapixel

Researchers at Duke University and the University of Arizona developed a gigapixel camera that captures unprecedented detail by synchronizing 98 tiny cameras. The camera's resolution is five times better than 20/20 human vision over a 120-degree horizontal field, with potential applications in surveillance, inspection, and photography.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature·DateJun 20, 2012

Your left side is your best side

Researchers found that images of the left side of the face are rated as more pleasant than those of the right side, possibly due to increased emotion intensity. The study also showed a strong preference for left-sided portraits in real-life photographs and confirmation from pupil size measurements.

SourceSpringer·JournalExperimental Brain Research·DateApr 20, 2012

Understanding emotions without language

Researchers found that Yucatec Maya speakers and German speakers performed similarly when identifying mixed-emotion faces. The study suggests that emotions have evolved as basic human mechanisms, unaffected by language. This discovery challenges the idea that language plays a crucial role in understanding emotions.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalEmotion·DateNov 2, 2011

New smartphone app automatically tags photos

A new cell phone application called TagSense can accurately tag photographs with information about people, locations and activities. The system uses the multiple sensors on a mobile phone and those of other phones in the vicinity to provide more detailed tagging, making it easier to search and retrieve desired pictures.

National Geographic honors 4 at inaugural 'Evening of Exploration' celebration

Environmental anthropologist Kenny Broad and underwater photographer Wes Skiles were named Explorers of the Year for their work documenting Blue Holes in the Bahamas. Musician Jack Johnson received the Arts Ambassador for the Environment Award, while IBM was recognized for its research partnership with National Geographic.

What's in a simple line drawing? Quite a lot, our brains say

A new study using brain scans reveals that simple line drawings can activate similar patterns of brain activity as color photographs when viewing natural scenes. This suggests that the brain uses abstract representations to categorize scenes and doesn't need features like texture and color to tell a beach from a street scene.

SourceOhio State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 16, 2011

Monkeys, too, can recollect what they've seen

Rhesus monkeys demonstrated flexible recall of simple shapes from memory, similar to humans, and showed ability to transfer memory skill to novel shapes. This finding suggests that the ability to recollect may have been present in our common ancestor 30 million years ago.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateApr 28, 2011

Look at me!

Researchers investigated how older women feel about their representation in media and society, finding complex emotions and transformative experiences. The project encouraged women to create alternative images using photography, art therapy, and video techniques, leading to increased confidence and self-acceptance among participants.

New technology to predict future appearance

A Concordia researcher has developed a highly effective computer program to age photographic images of people's faces, improving the accuracy of age-estimation for missing-child investigations and national security. The technique combines active appearance models and support vector regression to predict future facial appearance.

Wellcome Image Awards 2011

The Wellcome Image Awards 2011 highlight the diversity of images available through the Wellcome Library's image repository. The winners use various techniques to capture the wonder of medicine and the life sciences.

Darwin's family tree rediscovered

A Galton-Darwin-Wedgwood pedigree has been found in the archives of Truman State University, revealing new insights into Charles Darwin's family life. The discovery, made by Professor Tim Berra, provides a unique window into the personal life of the famous scientist.

SourceWiley·JournalBiological Journal of the Linnean Society·DateAug 24, 2010

Solving art's mysteries

A team of researchers used advanced imaging technology to colorize a black-and-white photograph of Matisse's 'Bathers by a River', revealing the artist's innovative methods and palette changes. The resulting image shows how Matisse transformed his work from vibrant colors to somber grays, offering insights into his artistic evolution.

Reversible watermarking for digital images

Researchers developed a reversible watermarking system to verify the authenticity of digital images without modifying them. The system uses a Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC) to embed and extract watermark bits, allowing for lossless data integrity verification.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Signal and Imaging Systems Engineering·DateJul 6, 2010

UBC researcher decodes Rembrandt's 'magic'

A UBC researcher has discovered what makes Rembrandt's portraits so captivating by recreating four of the artist's most famous works using computer-rendering programs. The study found that viewers fixated on specific areas of the face, such as the eyes, and preferred portraits with 'eye guiding narrative' techniques.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalLeonardo·DateMay 28, 2010

Unique close-up of the dynamics of photosynthesis

Scientists at the University of Gothenburg have successfully photographed the movement of atoms during photosynthesis, revealing a temporary storage of light energy before chemical bonds form. The breakthrough could lead to more efficient solar panels by mimicking photosynthesis' sophisticated energy conversion process.

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalScience·DateMay 9, 2010

Securities analysts' reports new technology slow adoption, warns study in INFORMS journal

A new study in Organization Science journal suggests that securities analysts' reluctance to recommend investment in new technologies can harm veteran companies. The researchers found that analysts prefer strategies that extend existing technologies over those that directly respond to new technology, with negative implications for mana...