Method, apparatus, and software for animated self-portraits

An automated method for capturing and indexing facial images in a facial image database, the method comprising

• prompting a user to execute a specific facial pose;
• assisting the user in achieving the prompted pose in a spatially registered manner;
• enabling the user to provide a user input indicating that the prompted pose has been achieved;
• capturing the facial image of the use in response to the user input;
• storing the facial image in the facial image database;
• and
• indexing the stored facial image such that the stored facial image is relationally associated with a specific prompted pose that the user was instructed to perform.

A method of generating an animated self-portrait from self-portrait photographs stored in a facial image database, the method comprising:

• detecting an event within a computer environment;
• selecting a simulated facial behavior in response to the detected event;
• determining an image sequence in to be displayed accordance with the selected simulated facial behavior;
• accessing a particular plurality of self-portrait photographs from the image database in accordance with the determined image sequence, the accessing being performed based at least in part on index information associated with each of the particular plurality of self-portrait photographs, the index information indicating at least one of a designated facial angle, a designated eye gaze direction, a designated eye condition, a designated mouth condition, a designated phonic condition, and a designated facial expression;
• and
• displaying the particular plurality of self-portrait photographs in rapid succession and in accordance with the determined image sequence so as to produce an animated depiction of the user's face performing the selected simulated facial behavior.