Yesterday I stumbled across an interesting article about an artist combining projection mapping and real-time face tracking. This is demonstrated in a new video called Omote by artist Nobumichi Asai, where, as the model’s face moves around, her face changes dramatically. It changes, adding dramatic eyeliner, blush and lipstick, and then morphs into less human textures, including a face that looks like liquid metal, then plastic, and then… machine. Watch the video below to see for yourself:

OMOTE / REAL-TIME FACE TRACKING & PROJECTION MAPPING. from something wonderful on Vimeo.

Nobumichi Asai is a Japanese artist that uses projection mapping and other light-based technology as his medium. There are examples on his website used in commercials and on buildings if you want to see more of his work.

Projection mapping on faces and bodies has been done before, though this is the first time I’ve seen it combined with face tracking, allowing at least some limited movement. A still person allows for some particularly unique content. An excellent examples of this is embedded below.

The above video was commissioned by Samsung in Portugal for a new phone launch.

Here’s another example of projection mapping on a moving object, though a box, not a person:

This is a lo-fi example using a simple business projector and hand-made props in this hugely creative music video from indie band Pomplamoose.