At Yale they're working on the most difficult problems. This includes the possible negative impact of fake hair.
According to the school's website, the School of Engineering and Applied Science has announced that it will be making good use of a “1,000,000 gift from the Bungie Foundation.” With the money to Yale, the “For Humanity” campaign will “develop new tools and algorithms to bring inclusivity to the digital screen.”
It turns out that there's a bias in rendering video games among fake hair:
One of the physical characteristics that is most revealing of algorithmic bias is the representation of human hair. Computer graphics research has historically favored the simulation and rendering of straight hair, which is racially coded as European or Caucasian hair. The tools and algorithms that digital artists deploy treat this form of hair as the baseline. No equivalent model has been developed for naturally kinky hair — also known as Type 4 hair — a characteristic that most commonly occurs in Black communities.
Theodore Kim, associate professor of computer science and co-leader of Yale Computer Graphics Group, describes the purpose of his proposed project to control “harm”:
“This research will serve as an example of how to identify the products of systemic racism in computer graphics and demonstrate how to take concrete steps to ameliorate their harm.”
We live in an age that is characterized by “antiracism,” which is the idea that white people are an oppressive race. According to UCLA law professor Kimberle Crenshaw, antiracism seeks to eliminate the notion of “white dominance.”
In this regard, Yale is ready.
Here's more:
“The tools and algorithms we aim to develop will allow the full range of human hair, in its elegant variation and diversity, to be faithfully represented in film and games,” said [Theodore].
Kareem Shuman, Bungie Technical Dialogue Designer and Co-Lead of Black at Bungie employee resource group (ERG) said [Theodore’s] work to expand representation is inspiring and especially important to younger audiences.
When it comes to social justice, Yale has stayed in the forefront. The school is completely anti-racist.
Can the university's campaign stop the spread of racism fueled by whites? Perhaps it will discover a way to waste one million dollars? We will surely find out.
In the present, the universe is filled with inspiration:
Kareem Shuman, Bungie Technical Dialogue Designer and Co-Lead of Black at Bungie employee resource group (ERG) said [Theodore’s] work to expand representation is inspiring and especially important to younger audiences.
“By supporting this research, we get the opportunity to affect change on a much bigger scale,” he said. “The tools as they exist today do not work in favor of creating characters that look like us, but Prof. [Theodore’s] team is working to fix that. And we’re so excited to see them succeed!”
Christine Edwards, Senior Manager of the Bungie Foundation, said it’s “truly an honor” to support Kim’s work.
“We endeavor to move our industry forward in anti-racism through our corporate and philanthropic work,” she said. “I am filled with optimism, knowing that the outputs of [Theodore’s] research will create the opportunity for a massive shift in the industry’s ability to create truly representative characters.”
If anyone is shocked at the lack of attention towards black people's most distinctive characteristics, they should study the works past programmers.
