Stranger Vision: 3D Printing Portraits from DNA Information
0This may sound crazy, but what if we can 3D print portrait for someone from his or her DNA? Heather Dewey-Hagborg started her revolutionary project with simple two questions after finding a single hair sticked to a wall painting. Who does this hair belong to? And how does he or she look like? The answer for her questions brings to her the Stranger Vision project.
Heather Dewey-Hagborg took human hair, cigarettes, and gum from different locations, analyze the DNA results and use the information to predict the facial information for the DNA owner and 3D print it.
Heather uses polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to examine parts of the DNA called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), which is responsible on specific human information such as the genetic expressions.
Adding the extracted DNA cipher to her own software, she can learn information about the sample’s own hair color, eye colors, weight, bone structure, and more. Then, she sends these information to the 3D printer to create an estimated 3D printed portrait for the DNA ’s owner.
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In the video below, Heather describes the project in details and shows us how she took the DNA information and turned it to a 3D printed portrait.
The sample in the figure below includes the following DNA information:
MtDNA Haplogroup: H2a2a1 (Likely ancestry 25% Eastern European)
SRY Gene: present
Gender: Male
rs12913832: AA
Eye Color: Brown
rs4648379: CC
Typical nose size
rs6548238: CC
Typical odds for obesity
1381 Myrtle ave. Brooklyn, NY
Samples like the above are used to create 3D printed portraits such as the following examples. Under each 3D portrait is the information used to print it:
Heather Dewey-Hagborg’s self-portrait
Based on mtDNA, Ancestry Information Markers and 50 trait specific SNPs describing gender, eye color and detail, hair color/baldness, hair curliness, complexion, skin lightness/darkness, tendency to be overweight.
Manu Sporny
Based on mtDNA, y chromosome, Ancestry Information Markers and 50 trait specific SNPs describing gender, eye color and detail, hair color/baldness, hair curliness, complexion, skin lightness/darkness, tendency to be overweight
Orta
Based on mtDNA, y chromosome, Ancestry Information Markers and 50 trait specific SNPs describing gender, eye color and detail, hair color/baldness, hair curliness, complexion, skin lightness/darkness, tendency to be overweight
Heather Dewey-Hagborg’s project, Stranger Vision, is exhibited in different events and venues such a the New York Public Library, Ars Electronica, Eyebeam, Science Gallery Dublin, Washington Project for the Arts, University of Technology Gallery in Syndey, and more.
