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Report: Apple Buys Motion-Capture Start-Up

Faceshift's technology was used in the upcoming "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" film.

By Stephanie Mlot
November 25, 2015
Faceshift

Apple has reportedly acquired motion-capture start-up Faceshift in a deal that's been rumored since September.

According to TechCrunch, several Faceshift employees are now working for Apple in Europe.

Neither Cupertino nor Faceshift immediately responded to PCMag's request for comment. But Apple provided its usual statement about acquisitions to TechCrunch: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

Founded in Zurich as a spin-off of the Computer Graphics and Geometry Laboratory at the Écold Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, Faceshift also has offices in San Francisco and London.

The start-up's technology has been used in gaming and movie experiences, most notably in the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens film.

By ditching wearable markers in favor of 3D sensors and depth cameras, the Swiss firm can capture "realistic and emotional" expressions in real-time. That means gaming avatars could be synced with the player's facial movements to make virtual characters more realistic.

And, as TechCrunch pointed out, the advanced facial-recognition technology could be integrated into Apple's security and identity protocols.

Cupertino is no stranger to facial recognition: The company previously snatched up software makers Polar Rose, PrimeSense (for a rumored $360 million), and Metaio. In August, Apple was also granted a patent that covers various facial-recognition techniques. In one case, the iDevice matches the faces in a group photo to friends in your contacts list, then automatically sends a copy of the picture to those people.

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About Stephanie Mlot

Contributor

Stephanie Mlot

B.A. in Journalism & Public Relations with minor in Communications Media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)

Reporter at The Frederick News-Post (2008-2012)

Reporter for PCMag and Geek.com (RIP) (2012-present)

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