King cre-old

Scientists have created an image of how Elvis Presley would have looked today if he was still alive, using the latest in computer technology.

The psychologists and computer scientists at the University of St Andrews have created the computer- generated image, which shows the King as a greying 68 year old. The singer died aged 43 twenty-six years ago last week.

Professor David Perrett and Dr Bernard Tiddeman used ‘ageing’ software to reproduce the natural effects of aging, taking into account changes in skin texture, hairline and hair colour. They used an image of him aged in his early 20s as a starting point.

Professor Perrett specialises in how the visual system recognises facial attributes and previous research has examined facial symmetry and attractiveness. He is head of the Perception Laboratory which develops software to manipulate facial images.

Dr Tiddeman developed the software while working in the Perception Laboratory and is now a lecturer in the School of Computer Science specialising in computer graphics.

The team have previously created aged images of Hollywood stars Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, who both suddenly died at a young age.

The ageing software first produces average faces by blending together face images from many individuals. The average of a young group and another of the old group are used to define an ageing transform which can be applied to an individual face. The same software can also change the face in other ways such as changing the apparent sex, race or even perceived personality attributes and can also produce artificial art using blends of portraits.

The ageing software could be used for assisting with missing person enquiries, particularly those who have been missing for many years and will look considerably different.

Those interested in seeing how they will look in the future, can use simplified software to transform their own image at the Perception Lab’s webpage: http://www.perceptionlab.com

ENDS

NOTE TO PICTURE EDITORS:

A JPEG OF THE AGED ELVIS IS AVAILABLE FROM GAYLE COOK – CONTACT DETAILS BELOW.

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews Contact Gayle Cook on 01334 467227, mobile 07900 050 103, or email [email protected] Ref: Elvis pr 280803 View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk