Video: Sony's MotionPortrait turns photos into 3D animations with chilling effect

We don't pretend to understand the Japanese, we usually just nod graciously and smile when they dazzle us with their consumer electronics and robots. But Sony's MotionPortrait is different, SolidAlliance different. The technology creates 3D graphics from 2D stills of human faces. The 3D faces can then be animated semi-realistically using standard computer graphics. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised to find this tech in a CyberShot point-and-shoot in a few years out. Innocent enough until you see how it's demonstrated. Click through to see the results and feel free to laugh or scream at the end -- we did both in unison much to our surprise.

[SolarS @ Jun 4th 2009 6:08AM]

dear lord that is frightening

[000000 @ Jun 4th 2009 8:28AM]

They have a unique sense of humor for sure. It's refreshing in a way.

[hexydes @ Jun 4th 2009 9:34AM]

@000000: And terrifying, in another?

[donperry @ Jun 4th 2009 9:48AM]

Oh gosh, i 'm speechless....terrifically speechless!

[Steve Miller @ Jun 4th 2009 10:34AM]

Hmm...anyone else thinking....THE GRUDGE?!

[Robot @ Jun 4th 2009 11:07AM]

More like Black Hole Sun.

[hemmy @ Jun 4th 2009 12:07PM]

Ok that shit is scary. And I've seen over 9000 scary things that didn't bother me, but this takes the cake (is not a lie).

[Wwhat @ Jun 4th 2009 2:48PM]

Freaky enough to make a children's TV show from, almost as scary as that horrible thomas the tank engine, which still freaks me out.

[Precision @ Jun 4th 2009 6:15PM]

God, that was disturbing..
i really felt like stopping it before that smile(?) reached its climax.

i wasn't sure whether i was supposed to be scared or to find this hilarious.. i laughed for a solid 30 seconds *while avoiding eye contact with the demon lord*. ^^

[Pat Mc @ Jun 4th 2009 6:11AM]

Damn... and I was just going to go to bed. I'm going to have to sleep with the lights on now... (shudder)

[nerdtalker @ Jun 4th 2009 6:33AM]

That totally just killed my will to sleep. Seriously. What the hell?

[petrosdias @ Jun 4th 2009 7:48AM]

Holy sh*t, that's freaky!

[PrinceCloud35 @ Jun 4th 2009 1:03PM]

leave it up to the Japanese to find something they think is practical, but is ultmately the thing that will give us nightmares :(

[Wwhat @ Jun 4th 2009 7:27PM]

Reminded me a bit of that horror movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar, "the grudge", if you haven't seen it, and are awake anyway all night.. watch it to be freaked.

[Kei @ Jun 4th 2009 6:12AM]

That's some freakiness there.

[Mic2000 @ Jun 4th 2009 6:12AM]

WTF was that all about

[Barbaric @ Jun 4th 2009 10:16AM]

Apparently, the Japanese lady with the sword begins morphing into the Joker after cutting his tie... but then it ends suddenly. Just like The Sopranos. I don't get into these artsy college films either... Blair Witch sucked.

[BananaBoat @ Jun 4th 2009 11:01AM]

I think I speak for most when I say; WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!

[Shunnabunich @ Jun 4th 2009 6:18AM]

COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE.

[Str1ker @ Jun 4th 2009 7:42AM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mTCgIHpQXE#t=2m43s

[hexydes @ Jun 4th 2009 9:35AM]

I think I'd take my chances...

[LS @ Jun 4th 2009 6:19AM]

This'll be pretty awesome if they can introduce some facial expressions that aren't all variations of a "lunatic-psycho" theme. Even when the 3D character was trying to smile at the end (I presume that's what it was doing) it still looked like it was only a few seconds away from murdering a family of kittens

[rDub @ Jun 4th 2009 7:34AM]

Every time you animate a 3D shape created from a 2D image "something" kills a kitten...

[James @ Jun 4th 2009 8:26AM]

I think we have just seen that something...

[Aaron @ Jun 4th 2009 4:24PM]

@rDub
That'd be me.

[mirakutea @ Jun 4th 2009 6:19AM]

quite funny :).

[ravenslayer @ Jun 4th 2009 6:26AM]

i'm 12 and what is this?

[iacovosf @ Jun 4th 2009 6:37AM]

am 25 and i have no clue..

[Intrepid @ Jun 4th 2009 7:12AM]

LOL at the YouTube joke.

[plexyglazz @ Jun 4th 2009 7:35AM]

I'm 33 and also lost with this one ..

[Zane @ Jun 4th 2009 7:46AM]

You're probably too old to understand.

[ultimatepwnage @ Jun 4th 2009 6:22AM]

except for the mouth its... omg real virtual reality is here.

[str1f3 @ Jun 4th 2009 6:25AM]

That is creepy and not in a good way.

[JMac @ Jun 4th 2009 7:44AM]

Holy mother of God, thats disturbing!!

[Lyamshin @ Jun 4th 2009 6:39AM]

The text at the end says "office love prohibition" for those who are interested.

[Tres @ Jun 4th 2009 7:13AM]

The meaning is "office love IS prohibited" though.

[loopyoyo @ Jun 4th 2009 6:39AM]

im a pc and i kick apple's ass

[RedSpdr @ Jun 4th 2009 8:57AM]

Hi im a reader and i iz here to downz rank youz

[bearbear807 @ Jun 4th 2009 6:41AM]

ok now i can make more prank videos if i have it lol!

[ben @ Jun 4th 2009 6:41AM]

the thing at the end says: office love…
but wtf? :D

[ben @ Jun 4th 2009 6:43AM]

damn, didn't notice the kanji at the top. :D

[pablito @ Jun 4th 2009 6:59AM]

A perfect example for the "uncanny valley" definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

[Takashi @ Jun 4th 2009 7:01AM]

Actually, MotionPortrait has been around for a while, now - they have some Flash demos on their about page at motionportrait.com. In particular, the following one is absolutely fantastic to put on people's browsers while they're away (hit F11 for maximum effect)

http://www.motionportrait.com/about/TIminoriHair.swf

[Suggymoto @ Jun 7th 2009 5:59AM]

Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy

[Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Jun 4th 2009 7:18AM]

What the hell???

[jack @ Jun 4th 2009 10:13AM]

Dont worry, Its easy to change your avitar back to something less shocking

[Tom W @ Jun 4th 2009 8:58AM]

http://www.motionportrait.com/e/demo/
Go here, and then upload a photo of yourself to the top one, if you thought the video of the japanese sword-wielding weirdo was strange, just try having your own face twisted about!

[jeeps @ Jun 4th 2009 11:37AM]

Not to find that picture of my friends wife and some 'alone' time.....

[jeeps @ Jun 4th 2009 11:40AM]

err... Not = Now

[Evi1d33d @ Jun 4th 2009 6:13PM]

http://i40.tinypic.com/2qn4hev.jpg