Facial Ageing

It is possible using the difference between two facial prototypes derived from different age groups, to age an individual's face projectively (Burt & Perrett, 1995). This process is demonstrated below.

1. Facial prototypes capture age information.

Since composites of different age groups made by the prototyping process are perceived as being of different ages (see Figure 1. below), prototypes must preserve information related to age.

Fig.1
The face on the left is a composite of 12 Caucasian male faces aged 20-24, on the right is a face made from 12 male faces aged 50-54. Clicking on the diagram produces a (35k) mpeg movie sequence of the average changes in male faces ageing between 22 and 52 years.

2. Application of age changes to a face.

The change between two differently aged blends may be applied to a face resulting in a increase in perceived age (an example is given in Figure.2 below).

Fig.2
James Dean and Marilyn Monroe's faces before (left) and after (right) being aged with the process. (A feat Nature never managed.) The image is linked to a (88K) mpeg movie of M.M. and J.D. ageing. MPEG movies of just Monroe (35k) or Dean (39k) are also available.

For further information on this facial ageing and the computer process please see:

Burt D.M. & Perrett D.I. (1995) Perception of age in adult Caucasian male faces: computer graphic manipulation of shape and colour information. Proc. R. Soc. 259, 137-143. abstract and Acrobat pdf format.

Rowland D.R. & Perrett D.I. (1995) Manipulating Facial Appearance through Shape and Color. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications. 15, 5, 70-76. The paper is available in Acrobat pdf format.

Images and text Copyright 1995, The Perception Lab, University of St Andrews

Attractiveness / dmb@st-and.ac.uk

 

 

 

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