Every day, we all make spontaneous personality judgements about strangers within seconds based on the appearance of their faces. Attributes such as strength, conscientiousness, intelligence and confidence can be read between the lines of a smile and the angle of an eyelid. Between 2009 and 2019, researchers from the Psychology, Mathematics and Computer Science departments at the University of Basel conducted a study to determine whether these snap interpretations are accurate. Based on this research, they developed the Basel Face Model—a 3D morphable face model that can make any portrait in a photograph appear more or less trustworthy, confident, etc.
In 2023, OFS collaborated with Shapemeans, a swiss startup in Basel, to test this tool on an engraved portrait. Shapemeans works across AI research, software development, statistical shape modelling, and facial analysis. Their founding members were part of the research team at the University of Basel that developed the Basel Face Model.
OFS provided Shapemeans with a production-ready, engraved portrait and a list of traits to enhance or minimize. The resulting, enhanced portraits were compelling and required minimal retouching before going into production. Unlike other AI tools that only use photographs as input, the Basel Face Model can handle both photographs and engravings.
In addition to the impact on design, OFS is researching the authentication of banknotes with a smartphone and the creation of digital twins for analogue security documents. At the Security Designers Forum, OFS revealed glimpses of research on a brand-new smartphone feature that allows the public to check the authenticity of their banknotes via an app. The feature was developed and adapted for the use on banknotes. The feature was designed in parallel with the storyline research and how the two were ultimately closely linked to tell a story. The feature will be unveiled during spring 2025.
How much can we enhance or minimize a trait before an engraving loses its character? Where is the limit? OFS tested 20 levels of intensity, from -10 to + 10. The picture below shows three resulting engravings. In the middle is the original engraving. Confidence has been reduced in the portrait on the left and increased in the portrait on the right.
