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Mii Avatar Wanted Poster For Non-Virtual Manhunt

The Mii avatar shown below is being used on a wanted poster by police in Kanagawa, Japan. Stories conflict regarding the exact nature of this avatar. Police might be using it hoping that it is a good likeness created by the wanted man. Another explanation is that police used the character-creation module in games programs to create a quick likeness based on witness descriptions.


(Mii avatar poster used in Japan manhunt)

Regular readers might guess that I like this story either way. I love it when criminal masterminds escape from virtual worlds to wreak havoc in the real world.

On the other hand, creative Japanese cops using Mii character creation software to create quick, iconic likenesses of wanted persons is a great idea.

Fans of Michael Crichton's excellent 1985 movie Runaway may recall that the film showed a very detailed mock-up of police sketch artist software. Officers make use of a tablet computer; the resulting image can also be animated. Note the demonic Gene Simmons of KISS looks pretty good in the sketch.


(Police sketch artist pad detail)

I don't know of an earlier reference to the idea of police sketch artist software - do you?

From Zeega. Also, see more pictures of Crichton's police sketch artist software running on a tablet computer.

Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 2/19/2009)

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