Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Chinese developers have introduced an innovative device—a face mask capable of dynamically altering a person's appearance, Azernews reports.

The device can reproduce eight different facial templates and has the potential to bypass facial recognition systems. This multi-layered silicone mask completely covers the face and changes its appearance in real time. The top layer, which is equipped with heating elements and thermochromic microcapsules, allows the mask to change the skin color from light to dark.

The inner layers of the mask contain sealed chambers with gas produced by heating an ammonia solution. This mechanism allows the contours and structure of the face to change—making it appear wider, altering the shape of the nose, or enhancing the prominence of the cheekbones.

The mask includes eight different face templates, each created using 3D scanning of real people. It takes less than two minutes to alter your appearance, though changing the skin color requires more time.

Tests have confirmed that the mask is highly effective in significantly altering the appearance of the original face. The results of the study were published in the Science Advances journal.

The engineers plan to replace the ammonia solution with a safer alternative and modify the mask to enable it to mimic facial expressions.

This breakthrough could have wide-ranging implications, both positive and negative, depending on its use. On one hand, it could have practical applications in entertainment, where actors might use such masks for performances or special effects. On the other hand, it raises concerns about privacy and security, especially with regard to facial recognition technology. If these masks become widely available, they could potentially be used to evade identification systems, which might make it more challenging for authorities to track individuals in high-security environments.

Furthermore, as technology advances, there may be additional developments in facial manipulation devices that can not only change appearances but also simulate emotions in real-time, making them increasingly difficult to distinguish from a real human face. This opens up fascinating possibilities in the realms of virtual reality, gaming, and even artificial intelligence.

As with any new technology, the development of such devices will likely spark debate about the ethical and social implications of their use, especially in areas like privacy, identity, and security.