The concept of your born identity versus self-representation is pretty fascinating to me. I don't necessarily identify with my physical appearance as it feels more like I'm a persona that just happens to be driving this assigned body. I love the idea of people customizing their physical appearance and the boundlessness of that in digital spaces.

Still, I chose to represent myself virtually as my actual appearance because it's easier for people to remember the things we've done together if my visual appearance is consistent.

Originally, I scanned myself for a 3D print. I put my hands in my pockets to print without supports. Some friends took 3D prints around the world tagging #adventuresofminimike and #miketravelstheworld on Instagram.

For getting an avatar, I tested some different methods of capture. Manual, photogrammetry, and laser scanning.

I had a friend scan me to get a point cloud

Aligning and cleaning up the scans takes a while

I tried rendering the head with different materials

Here's what it's like to decimate the head down to 500 triangles

I did rig it and turn it into a VR Chat avatar. Later, I also got scanned by Doob and High Fidelity optimized and rigged the mesh.

Which means I can do super important productive things with both of them...

I also made a Ready Player One version including a Geordi LaForge visor with Chums, Thriller jacket with Tron lights, Ninja Turtle Leonardo light saber, sequin Power Glove, Nike AirMags, Nintendo light gun, Bowie bolt, and some other references.

I made it into an AR Snapchat lens

And in 2017, I found some of my coworkers' scans, too:

Anyway, the rigged model is free for download on Sketchfab for any normal or weird thing you or anyone wants to do.