Ishikawa Optics and Arts Corp of Tokyo have developed a mannequin with a built-in projector that can resemble a face of your choice.

The face of the life-size, made-to-order “Chatty” is an empty screen until turned on to play DVD images from inside the body. If one is in the mood for conversation, sound can come from a separate speaker. “It is a device that can show a person’s face, looks and mouth movements,â€? said the developer. “It forms realistic images as if he or she were really talking to you.”

Company president Jun Ishikawa said he wanted to produce historical figures such as ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra. The firm has yet to commercialize Chatty, which it hopes will draw a market at theme parks and showrooms. The DVD images will be filmed in studio if the model is a real person. For imaginary or historiacal characters the company will use computer graphics.

Via Boingboing < Yahoo news.