The Fatal Flaw in Every Techno Show on TV

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The discussion centers around the humorous and unrealistic portrayal of image enhancement in movies and TV shows, particularly in "Blade Runner" and "CSI." Participants express amusement at the exaggerated techniques used, such as rotating images in three dimensions or rapidly matching DNA, which detracts from the seriousness of the narratives. There is a consensus that while these enhancements are entertaining, they often defy logic, leading to questions about their feasibility in real life. Some contributors share real-world examples of image processing and surveillance techniques, highlighting the contrast between fictional portrayals and actual technology. The conversation touches on the ambiguity of defining humanity in a technologically advanced world, as well as the potential for privacy invasions through modern surveillance methods. Overall, the thread blends humor with critical commentary on the depiction of forensic science in popular media.
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Let's Enhance!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vxq9yj2pVWk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vxq9yj2pVWk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>
 
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Physics news on Phys.org
hahahaha great clip fred :smile:
 
2hs42zo.jpg
 
OMG LEROY hahahahhahahaha that one nearly killed me.
 
http://img.moronail.net/img/1/8/2018.jpg
 
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Leroy, that one is really good too.
 
The ones that always got me were the ones where they would rotate the subjects of the picture in three dimensions or where they can see what is behind something or in someones pocket. I can't really take a show or movie very seriously after that.
 
Probably the weakest point in Bladerunner. That was a great movie in most respects, but the "enhancing" of imagery was a real low point.
 
turbo-1 said:
Probably the weakest point in Bladerunner. That was a great movie in most respects, but the "enhancing" of imagery was a real low point.

Its been years since I last watched it. I almost forgot about that bit. Didn't it seem to look 'around' an object in the picture?
 
  • #10
I like runswimsurf's one where they "zoom in" to the individual nucleotides best. :smile: The other thing I think is hilarious are the DNA matches done in minutes.
 
  • #11
Moonbear said:
I like runswimsurf's one where they "zoom in" to the individual nucleotides best. :smile: The other thing I think is hilarious are the DNA matches done in minutes.

Wow I've never laughed so hard :smile:
 
  • #12
"The eigenvalue is off."
"Lock on and enlarge the z-axis."

SIGH.........
 
  • #13
The eigenvalue is off is a personal favorite. I'm going to use that one at work for a while.
 
  • #14
turbo-1 said:
Probably the weakest point in Bladerunner.
But it was a sci-fi movie.
The real low point is that if detecting androids is so difficult, why not just print a serial number on their bum.
 
  • #15
OMG those are...being emailed as we speak. It really reminded me of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8w3fhYy6w4

p.s. I really thought this thread was going to involve the song Sandstorm in some respect or another.
 
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  • #16
mgb_phys said:
But it was a sci-fi movie.
The real low point is that if detecting androids is so difficult, why not just print a serial number on their bum.

I don't think movie ever made it clear they were totally robotic. The main point of the movie is about how ambiguous the definition of 'human' is in a world of cybernetics and genetic engineering.
 
  • #17
More of the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uoM5kfZIQ0
 
  • #18
Newai said:
More of the same.
Got to love those terrapixel CCTV cameras !
 
  • #19
Newai said:
More of the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uoM5kfZIQ0

How do they get an image of the front of the eye from a camera positioned above the woman?
 
  • #20
leroyjenkens said:
How do they get an image of the front of the eye from a camera positioned above the woman?

That's what I was wondering. It makes me think that the video has been edited I highly doubt the people creating CSI would be that dumb.
 
  • #21
leroyjenkens said:
How do they get an image of the front of the eye from a camera positioned above the woman?

By using a reflection off of airborne molecules located in front of her eye, of course!
 
  • #22
It's great how they use the reflection\enhance trick every other episode, but the detectives always act like they are being clever
 
  • #23
leroyjenkens said:
How do they get an image of the front of the eye from a camera positioned above the woman?
You use the optical aberations to solve for image rays coming from different sides of the lens.
Then you use this as a stereo image set to get a 3d model of the scene, rotate the model and look at the fornt of the women - it's easy when you have an infinite resolution camera !
 
  • #24
mgb_phys said:
You use the optical aberations to solve for image rays coming from different sides of the lens.
Then you use this as a stereo image set to get a 3d model of the scene, rotate the model and look at the fornt of the women - it's easy when you have an infinite resolution camera !

And an infinitely short exposure time!
 
  • #25
It's not the one-liners. :smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeeyWvo1rNg

Day or night!
 
  • #26
Newai said:
It's not the one-liners. :smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeeyWvo1rNg

Day or night!

:smile:
 
  • #27
Newai said:
It's not the one-liners. :smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeeyWvo1rNYOUTUBE]

Day or night!

Ok the first few I thought, "yeah that's pretty funny he does that." Then after about the tenth one I couldn't stop laughing. :smile:
 
  • #28
CSI Las Vegas used to be fairly realistic in this aspect. Miami and NY go off my plausibility scale.
 
  • #29
For some real world examples of real 'enhancement' techniques have a look http://www.maxent.co.uk/example_1.htm". They aren't as flashy (or ridiculous!) as those from CSI, but what can be done is none the less very impressive.

I don't know about the 3D rotation of a 2D image though...
 
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  • #30
Motion blur is a lot easier to remove - if you have enough signal to noise.
It's not the same as being able to enhance to a much higher resolution than the original.
 
  • #31
I was processing a picture from a wind tunnel test I did last year. I saw an image of a reflection in the picture. I zoomed in on it and I could see myself talking to the tunnel engineer. I kid you not. It was hilarious.
 
  • #32
Just yesterday I read a sci-am article about stealing information without internet. Its not very hard too, and some are very shocking.

It is possible to get pictures reflected off your eye(glass, white board... round and shiny objects) from a very far distance. (Though small telescopes are used.)

They can get information for your modem flashing.

They can get information from your printer printing sound.

They can see you type into your keyboard just by looking at your wrist.

Also is very easy to get to your webcam and see everything...

I don't know about the shows since I don't watch them.
 
  • #33
Bright Wang said:
Just yesterday I read a sci-am article about stealing information without internet. Its not very hard too, and some are very shocking.

It is possible to get pictures reflected off your eye(glass, white board... round and shiny objects) from a very far distance. (Though small telescopes are used.)

They can get information for your modem flashing.

They can get information from your printer printing sound.

They can see you type into your keyboard just by looking at your wrist.

Also is very easy to get to your webcam and see everything...

I don't know about the shows since I don't watch them.
Also, sound of keyboard keys being tapped.
 
  • #34
There's always http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Eck_phreaking" which allows you to (in principle) see the image present on a computer monitor or TV just by picking up the interfere the monitor sends off.

Very cool, but probably very difficult in practice.
 
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  • #35
Gotta love the holographic computer displays in 'Bones' and 'CSI Miami'. Me want...
 

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