A computer system developed at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia measures the attractiveness of the female face, developing measurements with potential applications in cosmetic procedures.

The program, the brainchild of professors Massimo Piccardi and Hatice Gunes, was detailed in an article for the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies.

Volunteers allow their facial measurements to be fed into the system, which then compares the data against base measurements taken from recognized beauties including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kate Moss, and Claudia Schifer.

The resulting rating, on a scale of one to 10, is based on the degree of commonality with the features of a total of 215 base subjects chosen for their age, ethnicity, and degree of attractiveness.

The developers of the software see it as a potential aid to patients considering cosmetic procedures but who are unsure if the surgery will augment their features. The software, they say, will serve as a guide.

Piccardi, however, does cite a potential for sensitive adolescent to be psychologically damaged by the assessment and indicated a preference for medical rather than purely cosmetic applications for the program.

The development of the software grew out of a project designed to give computers a greater ability to recognize human features and moods thus potentially raising the human / machine interface to a new level.