Dwyane Wade’s head has no competition

Though it’s too good for video games, a super-realistic rendering of Dwyane Wade’s head is getting kid’s attention is a big way.

George Borshukov, the director of creative research and development at gamemaker EA Sports, couldn't figure out what to do with his creation, which was digitally created two years ago as part of a planned one-on-one sequence in a video game. The magic of the stunningly realistic image of Wade is found in how the software imitates how light scatters under human skin—giving Wade's skin the softness we recognize as human, according to Borshukov. But he couldn't make the ultra-realistic rendering work with the comparative crudeness of the background images in the game.

Now the young basketball superstar's head looms large in a round LED television kiosk, where, in the kiosk's public debut, he implores visitors to Wired NextFest (Chicago Millenium Park through Oct. 12) to try to sink a jump shot. Little kids seem to love the head the most. After walking up, Wade's eyes seem to register your presence and then he suggests that you try taking a jump shot.

Wade's eyes look up as if following the shot, then judges it, including one dismissive deadpan, "That was lucky".

Borshukov, who won a technical Oscar for the technology used in the famous The Matrix fight scene sequences, designed the kiosks' 3-D camera to register the position of someone's face, hands and jump height. Once the technology improves, the camera could replace controllers that currently have to be held or strapped to the body.

More information and a video available here http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/10/shoot-hoops-wit.html

SOURCE: Wired Magazine

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