Face Lab
Learn more about Face Lab
Face Lab is an interdisciplinary research group focusing on facial depiction and representation, at the interface of art and science
Face Lab, lead by Professor Caroline Wilkinson, is a research group that carries out forensic/archaeological research and consultancy work, including craniofacial analysis, facial depiction and forensic art. Face Lab specialises in facial identity, population demographics, portraiture and depiction.
From skeletal remains, death masks and portraits, we analyse, authenticate and/or depict the faces of key historical figures. This work has directly influenced current research into digital human representation, especially in relation to the creation of 3D facial avatars and facial recognition.
Face Lab’s research includes:
- the further development of a 3D computerised craniofacial depiction system, utilising existing 3D modelling software and haptic technology
- the development of a database of anatomical structures and facial features
- the use of cutting edge technology in facial depiction, animation and recognition
Research areas:
Faces are central to our human identity, self-perception and our perception of others. Faces are also used as biometric technologies for legal identification. Researching facial appearance and presentation therefore has social, cultural, scientific and forensic relevance. Representing faces from the past provides an opportunity to connect with historical figures both known and unknown, as individuals rather than concepts. As scientific methods and visualisation techniques develop, these representations become more nuanced, presenting new knowledge about past populations, and in turn, how this knowledge is shaped by visual representations. It is through visual representations of the face that we are able to study perception, cognitive bias, population diversity, social status, and the ethics and practices of post-mortem representation and display, as well as develop knowledge that can be applied to forensic contexts.
Faq Items
Facial appearance and cognitive bias
- Facial creation: using compositing to conceal identity
- Robert Burns (Animating people from the past)
- Faces of Merseyside
- ‘Convict’ faces: British
- ‘Convict’ faces: Tasmanian
Representing and displaying the dead
Facial appearance and population demographics
Facial appearance and status
Archaeological casework
- Ramses II
- Scottish soldier
- Tudor Dubliner
- Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum: "Who Am I? Remembering the Dead Through Facial Reconstruction”
- Maidstone Museum’s mummy Ta-Kush
- Medieval Norway
- Rat Island
- Ancestral Faces of the Canary Islands
- Lapo do Santo
- Richard III
- Robert the Bruce
- Robert Burns (Animating people from the past)
- St Nicholas
- Tarbat Medieval Burials
- Abbot John of Wheathampstead
- Leasowe Man
Forensic identification
- Forensic Case: Age Progression
- Forensic Case: North Wales
- Forensic Case: Gloucestershire
- Forensic Case: Glenrothes
- Post-mortem facial superimposition: A new identification method for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)
- Facial identification from online images for use in the prevention of child trafficking and exploitation
- Laws of the Face: post-mortem depiction in Art and Science since 1960
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3D facial depiction
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Face Lab facial depictions
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Manual facial depiction
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3D scanning human remains
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Facial depiction of the mummy Ta-Kush
Professor Wilkinson has an international reputation and contributes to international policy, cultural enrichment and expert training. She has collaborated frequently with museums, the media and other organisations, including the National Museum of Scotland, National Museum of Ireland, Museum of London, Egyptian Museum of Cairo, FBI Academy, Interpol, Moesgaard Museum, Manchester Museum and the Fraunhofer Institute.
Face Lab collaborates with internationally renowned artists and has previously worked with Turner Prize nominees Jane and Louise Wilson on Undead Sun: We Put the World Before You and Gina Czarnecki on Heirloom.
Facilities in Face Lab to carry out forensic/archaeological research and consultancy work:
- 3D scanning: High precision, portable metrological 3D scanning solution based on blue-light technology
- 3D modelling: The Touch haptic device provides force feedback and allows users to feel virtual objects and producing true-to-life touch sensations as you manipulates an on-screen 3D objects
- 3D sculpting and painting: Enable users to use customizable brushes to shape, texture and paint virtual clay in a real-time environment
- 3D animation station: Powerful computers to explore CGI animation in facial depiction
- Skull casts: Manual sculpting for training and demonstration purposes
Faq Items
Awards
Educate North Award. (2019) Research Team of the Year
Heritage Project Award (2018) for Exercise MAGWICH, Ministry of Defence Sanctuary Awards, presented to Operation Nightingale (DIO) and Face Lab (LJMU), Ministry of Defence.
Silver Otter Award (2018) for Exercise MAGWICH, Ministry of Defence Sanctuary Awards, presented to Operation Nightingale (DIO) and Face Lab (LJMU), Ministry of Defence.
Vice-Chancellor's Excellence Award (2016) for Excellence in Social and Economic Engagement - Presented to Professor Caroline Wilkinson and the Face Lab team, Liverpool John Moores University
Vice-Chancellor's Award for Knowledge Transfer and Social and Economic Engagement: Highly Commended - Presented to Mark Roughley, Liverpool John Moores University
Highlighted publications
Smith K, Roughley M, Harris S, Wilkinson C, Palmer E. 2020. From Ta-Kesh to Ta-Kush: the affordances of digital, haptic visualisation for heritage accessibility Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, 19 DOI
M, Wilkinson C. The affordances of 3D and 4D digital technologies for computerized facial depiction Rea P. Biomedical Visualisation 2 :87-101 Springer 978-3-030-14227-8 DOI
Roughley M, Liu C-YJ. Digital 2D, 2.5D and 3D methods for adding photo-realistic textures to 3D facial depictions of people from the past Rea P. Biomedical Visualisation 11 Springer International Publishing DOI
Wilkinson, C. M., Mackenzie, S, and Smith, K. 2019. Faces of Merseyside: Exploring cognitive bias through facial averages. Leonardo> DOI
Wilkinson C, Roughley M, Moffat R, Monckton D, MacGregor M. 2019. In Search of Robert Bruce, Part I: Craniofacial Analysis of the Skull excavated at Dunfermline in 1819 Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 24 :556-564 >DOI
Miranda GE, Wilkinson CM, Roughley M, Beaini TL, Melani RFH. 2018. Assessment of accuracy and recognition of three-dimensional computerized forensic craniofacial reconstruction PLoS ONE, 13 >DOI
Houlton TMR, Wilkinson C. 2018. Facial preservation following extreme mummification: Shrunken heads Forensic Science International, 286 :31-41 >DOI
Lopez-Capp TT, Rynn C, Wilkinson CM, Saavedra de Paiva LA, Michel-Crosato E, Biazevic MGH. 2018. Craniometric variation among Brazilian and Scottish populations: a physical anthropology approach Brazilian Journal of Oral Sciences, 17 >DOI
Campomanes-Alvarez C, Ibáñez O, Cordón O, Wilkinson C. 2018. Hierarchical information fusion for decision making in craniofacial superimposition Information Fusion, 39 :25-40 >DOI
Bulut O, Liu C-YJ, Koca F, Wilkinson C. 2017. Comparison of three-dimensional facial morphology between upright and supine positions employing three-dimensional scanner from live subjects LEGAL MEDICINE, 27 :32-37 >DOI
Wilkinson CM, Suppersberger SH, Ersland GA, Daux V, Parson W. 2017. Three individuals, three stories, three burials from medieval Trondheim, Norway PLoS ONE, 12 >DOI
Shrimpton SL, Fodarella C. 2017. Facial Composites Baker B, Minhas R, Wilson L. Factbook: Psychology and Law European Association of Psychology and Law Student Society 9781326989651
Book chapters in “Approaching Facial Difference: Past and Present”
Wilkinson CM. 2018. Archaeological Facial Depiction for People from the Past with Facial Differences Skinner P, Cock E. Approaching Facial Difference Past and Present Bloomsbury Publishing 9781350028296
‘Smith, K. Portraits? Likenesses? Composites? Facial Difference in Forensic Art.’ In Skinner, P. and Cock, E. (eds) 2018. Approaching Facial Difference Past and Present. London: Bloomsbury, pp. 84-111
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Facial depiction of Robert the Bruce
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Facial depiction of Goucher Mummy - John Hopkins University
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Facial depiction of a medieval Norwegian female
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19th century average convict faces
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Facial depiction of 19th century POW found on Rat Island
Academic staff
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PhD staff
Contact details:
Get in touch with researchers from Face Lab
If you’d like to ask a question or find out more information, please contact the team using the details below.
Contact: facelab@ljmu.ac.uk
Address:
Face Lab, Liverpool John Moores University
Aquinas,
Maryland Street,
Liverpool,
L1 9DE
