Groundbreaking: Injecting Synthetic Objects into Existing Photos

A team of researchers from Urbana Champaign University will present the results of a groundbreaking research in a technology conference held next month in Hong Kong. The new technology will allow photographers and graphic designers to integrate Synthetic objects into existing images in a simple, yet breathtakingly realistic way.

The days where images where considered true representations of reality are long gone, but the new technology developed by a team of computer researchers scheduled to make a debut in SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 next month, will challenge our most basic understanding of what counts as a picture and our ability to distinguish between real and unreal.

The simple input procedure – notice the objects on the table (Credit: Kevin Karsch/UC)

The Urbana Champaign researchers developed a series of algorithms capable of accurately depicting the way light interacts with complex synthetic objects injected by the user inside existing images. In a demonstration video created by the team, different synthetic objects are placed in various environments inside existing images and shown to behave just as real life objects even in complex lighting  conditions.

Complex lighting – watch the synthetic sphere and statue and mirror relaxation (Credit: Kevin Karsch/UC)

It's not clear at this point when will we see practical applications of this technology on the market but given its enormous potential and simple nature you can be sure it won't be long.

A video demonstration showing the technology in action

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/28962540[/vimeo]

More info can be found on the research team original article (high-res PDF).