Actually, I believe that this strange effect results from the conflict between the normal image recognition pathway and the part of the brain that recognizes faces, which in this case strongly feels that this is a face (assigning high weight to its own output), but then predictably fails to match patterns and stuff, literally yielding FAIL out loud.
Yeah, although the eyes alone seem to be the big problem. The mouth and even the facial properties as a whole sorta land on the obscure side, it terms of automatical attraction.
I disagree a bit, because, albeit dramatically lower, I still get a pretty significant amount of the effect by looking just at the lower half of her face (just scroll your browser window).
and, to faceted_jacinth: that is actually a very good explanation. I know nothing about neuroscience and can't say anything about its validity, but your theory sounds very probable!
I just set up a projector in front of the front door to the office, so that whoever walks in, sees a very large and quite scary asian woman looking at them. lovely.
also, sometimes it tracks people with it's eyes as they walk past it.
Given the depth and breadth with which you trawl these intarwebs I find it difficult to believe that you haven't heard of this already, but I didn't see it immediately in a search of your archives (google: xeyes site:jwz.livejournal.com) and it seems like the kind of thing you might get a kick out of, so here it is: a port of xeyes to "reallife." http://hunz.geekheim.de/?p=47
Yeah, I saw that, and I thought it was kind of crappy.
I do remember seeing something where there was some art installation shaped like actual eyeballs-in-sockets that tracked your motion, but I can't find that now.
Out of the uncanny valley and into who knows what.
...until she smiles, then it's right back into the valley.
positively frightening. Xeyes never suddenly looked right at me before.
I am reminded of Black Hole Sun for some reason.
Fire up Winamp. Start off a Motorhead/GnR/Iron Maiden track. Move the mouse up and down the screen.
DOOD! SHE'S HEADBANGING! *grin*
It's beyond the UV until she smiles--then it's just creepy.
I keep expecting her to turn inside-out a la the dog at the beginning of "The Thing".
I believe that if or when someone crossbreeds it with this pic:
... then our brainz would be fried for real.
(don't know the original source, caption reads like "stoned again bastard" in Russian).
Thanks for the Russian sighttest; our eyes will remain skewed throughout the rest of the show now.
Taking Your idea further; how about a device that simulates how flies see, (or any other >2-eyed cretin?)
Best effect if seeing from 'the inside-out,' and completely covering your field of vision much like a VR device or full-facial goggle.
I'd buy one.
Actually, I believe that this strange effect results from the conflict between the normal image recognition pathway and the part of the brain that recognizes faces, which in this case strongly feels that this is a face (assigning high weight to its own output), but then predictably fails to match patterns and stuff, literally yielding FAIL out loud.
Yeah, although the eyes alone seem to be the big problem. The mouth and even the facial properties as a whole sorta land on the obscure side, it terms of automatical attraction.
I disagree a bit, because, albeit dramatically lower, I still get a pretty significant amount of the effect by looking just at the lower half of her face (just scroll your browser window).
and, to faceted_jacinth: that is actually a very good explanation. I know nothing about neuroscience and can't say anything about its validity, but your theory sounds very probable!
Sorry, you're right. By cutting the image just above the nose-bridge, the mouth will produce the same effect, right on. :)
I'd suggest Visine, but I don't think it would make her zombie eyes any less freaky.
When I first saw this I was disappointed she wouldn't go crosseyed.
Service Temporarily Unavailable
Someone post the file from their cache?
For some reason, it reminds me of my Mum. I am not sure what that could possibly mean.
I just set up a projector in front of the front door to the office, so that whoever walks in, sees a very large and quite scary asian woman looking at them. lovely.
also, sometimes it tracks people with it's eyes as they walk past it.
god I love the internet!
also, sometimes it tracks people with it's eyes as they walk past it.
There's got to be a way to rig it to track nearby motion. Oh man that would be excellent. The paintings really are watching you.
Given the depth and breadth with which you trawl these intarwebs I find it difficult to believe that you haven't heard of this already, but I didn't see it immediately in a search of your archives (google: xeyes site:jwz.livejournal.com) and it seems like the kind of thing you might get a kick out of, so here it is: a port of xeyes to "reallife."
http://hunz.geekheim.de/?p=47
Yeah, I saw that, and I thought it was kind of crappy.
I do remember seeing something where there was some art installation shaped like actual eyeballs-in-sockets that tracked your motion, but I can't find that now.
Perhaps it was the interior part of the (unlinkable?) installation "and all watched over by machines of loving grace"? The impact of which comes mostly from the scale of those eyeballs.
(the xeyes part is the second half of the video btw)
Smack in the middle of uncanny valley. gah.