Why would you want a human replica of yourself when you could have a super human robot clone?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnE4vcvHxo8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
This is exactly what Disney thought when they developed a process to clone real humans into silicone-skinned robots.
How did Disney do this?
Gizmodo.com reports they used 3D motion capture cameras, which can calculate the shape, density and composition of synthetic skin that can accurately mimic human facial expressions.
Researchers stated,
We propose a complete process for designing, simulating, and fabricating synthetic skin for an animatronics character that mimics the face of a given subject and its expressions. The process starts with measuring the elastic properties of a material used to manufacture synthetic soft tissue. Given these measurements we use physics-based simulation to predict the behavior of a face when it is driven by the underlying robotic actuation.
Image courtesy of Disney Research
After the 3D imaging they are able to calculate how thick or thin the animatronics flesh should be in different points. This allows for very authentic reproductions of humans’ facial expressions.