

Inserting Artificial Objects into Photographs - ThomPete
http://www.cgchannel.com/2011/10/cool-tech-demo-match-3d-models-into-archive-photos/

======
jxcole
Read the linked paper, it's actually very good. It looks like they used good
science in testing this:

"From our study, we conclude that both our method and the light probe method
are highly realistic, but that users can tell a real image apart from a
synthetic image with probability higher than chance. However, even though
users had no time restrictions, they still could not differentiate real images
from both our method and the light probe method reliably."

------
sp332
This is a great example of using humans for what humans are good at
(interpreting photographs) and computers for what computers are good at (lots
of light modelling).

------
nhebb
Very realistic. My first thought was that if this can be done without leaving
detectable artifacts, then it will inevitably impact the admissibility of
photographs as evidence in trials.

~~~
SoftwareMaven
And eye-witness testimony should be made inadmissible (and I think may
eventually). DNA evidence has a 1 in 200 (ish) chance of being wrong[1]. Hard
time to be a lawyer.

1\. Source: The Drunkard's Walk. This is the estimated likelihood of a lab
error, which by far drowns out the 1 in a billion chances the DNA match is
wrong, but the numbers are not reported and not admissible as evidence.

~~~
ovi256
On average, you need 100 people to find two among them with one common
fingerprint. Now calculate how many you need to find one among them that has a
common fingerprint with a given person, i.e. you.

~~~
SoftwareMaven
But if you know the lab has a one in ten chance of screwing up the processing
of my print, how can I trust the one in a large number of a match. The screw
up may cause a one in five chance of matching with anybody.

Error rates are hugely important yet completely ignored in court.

~~~
anigbrowl
_Error rates are hugely important yet completely ignored in court._

Not actually true. This is not to say that courts get it right all the time,
but it's not particularly newsworthy when they do. Attacking the chain of
custody and alleging contamination or false positives are standard techniques
in challenging forensic testimony, both biological and digital.

The cases where the forensic evidence is legitimately challenged and those
challenges are ignored or overruled are often dramatic and newsworthy, but the
rate of miscarriages of justice is falling because courts today are much more
aware of these issues than the courts of (say) 20 years ago. Unfortunately
news reporting of trials and appeals is so utterly awful that people tend to
assume the exceptional is the norm.

I'm not saying that it isn't a problem, just that the courts are more
cognizant of the issue than more people appreciate.

~~~
daniel-cussen
"A technician in the NYPD's forensics lab has been suspended for allegedly
falsifying drug-test results, throwing into question "maybe thousands" of
criminal cases -- and prompting a panicked meeting yesterday between cops and
the city district attorneys."

[http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/lab_tech_wQIOPAcKY...](http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/lab_tech_wQIOPAcKYnI2rP1lQMEDqL)

~~~
anigbrowl
What's your point? If courts were not aware of such things, there wouldn't be
the potential for a large number of convictions to be overturned, would there?

~~~
daniel-cussen
I was giving a good example.

~~~
anigbrowl
Ah, I see. It was hard to tell without any comment of your own on the
grandparent.

------
Stasyan
Funny thing is that this was posted 3 days ago :
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3111258>

and it only got 5 points

And the link was to the page of one of the guys who did research.

???

~~~
anigbrowl
Happens all the time. The new and front pages are too busy so worthwhile
articles often get overlooked. But it is good to repost as you did, I will
usually look at the original and add an upvote.

~~~
6ren
Yes, e.g. the recent "Quantum Levitation" was submitted 5 times before the
successful one:
[http://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=Quantum+Lev...](http://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=Quantum+Levitation)

------
rmc
Can we please not use OTT descriptions like "Mind-Blowing". It sounds a bit...
tabloid-y

~~~
SoftwareMaven
The article linked to uses the title. Better would have been to link to the
paper itself (which also includes the video), but the OP was following title
submission rules.

~~~
phzbOx
The article was submitted days ago and received no attention at all. I guess
_Bind Blowing Titles_ work even on HN.

------
TechnoFou
That is very impressive. I used to do a lot of photorealistic modelling using
mental ray or vray in 3ds max, andt he level of precision of this is quite
frankly extraordinary. This could very be a game changer in the 3D industry.

~~~
5hoom
This is true.

Camera matching usually requires a lot of forethought and preparation of the
physical scene, involving thoroughly surveying the location & obtaining light-
probe data so that an accurate 3d model of the scene can be produced and the
inserted objects lit correctly.

This could make composing 3d/practical images a trivial exercise, very nice.

------
spydum
pretty cool... i can see this being used as a pretty slick "try before you
buy" feature for an online furniture/home goods store.

------
vsl2
As technology progresses, it seems like only a matter of time before all
photos and videos can be perfectly modified to suit whatever purpose. At some
point, perhaps movie stars will do no more than lend their likeness
(airbrushed of course) to productions.

~~~
anigbrowl
It will be a case of '3d killed the video star,' in many ways. We are already
approaching a point where the acting and the appearance are two different
things; actors like Andy Sirkis and Doug Jones are not very well known to the
general public, but have played starring roles as larger-than-life monsters of
the screen. Although it is not yet economical, it is already quite possible to
take one person with excellent acting ability and map on the appearance of
someone else who is more visually appropriate or attractive.

------
rbanffy
I love the extensive use of teapots. On a previous life, I had one (a physical
one) on my desk.

~~~
sp332
It's the standard Utah Teapot
<https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Utah_teapot> also the Stanford
Dragon makes several appearances
[https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Stanford_Drag...](https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Stanford_Dragon)

~~~
rbanffy
Never had a dragon, but I was very fond of my "teapotahedron"

------
defdac
I see they use Luxrender. Any one dares to take a guess at what algorithm they
used? The animations seems noise free so I guess particle/photon mapping? IGI
perhaps?

------
jQueryIsAwesome
Papers: <http://kevinkarsch.com/publications/sa11.pdf>

Looks like film makers and others will save a lot of money in decorating
scenarios.

~~~
icefox
Same thoughts here, it might make low budget special effects possible?

