This technology is just mind-boggling. PhotoSketch may be the coolest program we've seen or written about since the invisible speakers.
PhotoSketch is an "Internet Image Montage" project from five Chinese Computer Science and Technology students at Tsinghua University and the National University of Singapore. The basic premise, which they present in the form of a research paper [pdf], works like this:
Step 1. Draw the outlines of the figures you want in your picture - anything from seagulls to a Mercedes, whatever tickles your fancy,
Step 2. Add labels for each of the items, as well as for the background.
Step 3. PhotoSketch will then find real-life images to match your doodles and put them together in a Photoshopped image that will make your jaw drop.
Yes, this thing has such great image recognition technology that it can determine which dog fits best in your canine doodle. Their demo video unveils the true power of PhotoSketch:
We've seen several other sites rave about PhotoSketch, including CNET and Gizmodo. Add us to the list. We're beyond impressed.