Being bombarded with the same type of information online often leads to inertia in people's judgments.
For example, recently many people have been driven almost crazy by a "machine" that separates the upper body from the lower body, making it look like a robot pushing a table:
And he walked steadily:
But what really blows your mind is how realistic this leg looks:
The moving steps are so natural that they have surpassed any bipedal robots developed by robotics companies, or, one could say, just like a real person.
But the problem is, if this is a person, it doesn't have an upper body. Even if there is an upper body, it is in a separated state, just like a certain cartoon character.
If the legs of the robot are too realistic, it must be a machine; if only half, then it's a human. Many people, while puzzled, also have sudden insights, exclaiming that this video must have been generated by AI, replacing the human.
They believe that despite the background being a park with many people around, the current capabilities of AI-generated videos are too advanced, excelling particularly in creating such discordant scenes.
Some people also believe that this is just a robot after all. After all, there are quite a few realistic robots nowadays, so creating a pair of realistic human legs shouldn't be a problem.
Someone suggested scratching its sole to see if it's really human. Some netizens joked that this is a robot bought on installment, with only half of the payment made. The most outrageous part is that some people keep staring at the thighs without end.
So, what's the deal with this "machine" - high-tech or AI mischief?
Actually... this is a magic trick!
Yes, it's not some high-tech robot, nor is it an AI-generated fake video – it's simply magic.
From the magician Mago Matus.
Speaking of which, this magic trick is quite classic and is often performed alongside the "body cutting magic."
In this trick, the magician lies on a bed, then with a snap, performs a dimensional cut, making it appear as though the person has been cut in half. The amazing part is that the person is still alive and can be restored to their original state using a reversal spell.
Building on this foundation, different magicians will come up with various tricks to make the performance more thrilling, such as making each half of the body move independently.
One particular form, similar to the "robot pushing a table" mentioned at the beginning of the article, involves the lower body pushing a table around wildly.
Change the location, change the background, looks more familiar now, right?
The difference is that it lacks a bit of a sci-fi feel; the magician Mago Matus added a robot's upper body, giving it a more futuristic appearance.
Mago Matus refers to this piece as Robotina, which has previously appeared on variety shows and, truth be told, is truly stunning. Half mechanical, half human, she spits fire on stage, startling the audience and unleashing her ninja skills.
While various designs of mechanical prosthetics can be seen in games and anime, this form of retaining the flesh leg is a first for me. The contrast of a robot's stiff and clunky upper body paired with a human's agile legs is reminiscent of stepping into Cyberpunk 2077.
So... the question is, how exactly is this magic trick done?
It's not hard to guess that the lower half naturally belongs to a person's legs, and as for her upper half, it couldn't have disappeared; it must be hidden inside the table.
Many netizens find this hard to believe, considering the table looks narrow. How twisted would the person have to be to squeeze in there?
It feels like the "magic props" are using misdirection to work their magic.
Generally, the basic idea behind body-cutting magic is to hide the performer. Of course, visually, it's hard for the audience to spot the flaws, and I suppose every magician has their own techniques.
Robotina's approach is probably similar. After blocking the upper body, the magician needs to make the audience eliminate this possibility on their own. This involves using visual induction or illusions to make you think the table is very narrow.
Actually, it's worth comparing and observing that Robotina's use of the table is quite similar to that of other magicians, indicating that the design of the table's appearance is likely intentional.
For example, the height of the waist above the table is much higher in the human body, the table also has a sense of hierarchy, with shiny metallic colors and dark black tones.
These designs can make people overlook the true thickness of the table.
For example, in a stage setting, it's actually hard for the audience to see the black parts clearly. The most striking aspect should be the thickest metal outer surface in the middle, making it appear quite narrow.
Because other parts have been omitted.
In short, this is a clever magic design that is performed in various parts of the world.
And what I find most interesting is that many people instinctively assume this is generated by AI. In the past, the saying was "seeing is believing," but with the prevalence of Photoshop, people stopped trusting images as much. However, there was still a sense that videos couldn't be faked. With the advancement of AI technology, trust in video information is rapidly eroding, as voices can be synthesized by AI and visuals can be generated by AI.
This makes me curious - will people in the online world ten years from now be immersed in an even more realistic realm of deception?
(The images and information in the article are sourced from the internet)
