Memorable Image Generator#

Science-backed image generation that optimizes for memorability — not just aesthetics.

Most image generators stop when the image looks good. This one keeps going until the image is remembered. Powered by Google Gemini for generation and ResMem (Brain Bridge Lab, University of Chicago) for memorability scoring, it iterates until your image clears a science-validated memorability threshold.

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Prerequisites#

API Key:

• GEMINI_API_KEY environment variable, OR
• --api-key CLI flag, OR
• ~/.config/gemini/api_key file

Python 3.8+ with these packages:

bash

pip install resmem torch torchvision pillow requests

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Quick Start#

bash

python scripts/generate_memorable_image.py \
  --prompt "a lone astronaut standing on a red desert planet at dusk" \
  --output hero.png \
  --threshold 0.7 \
  --verbose

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How It Works#

1. Generate — Calls the Gemini REST API ( gemini-2.0-flash-exp) with your prompt
2. Score — Runs the image through ResMem to get a memorability score (0–1)
3. Threshold check — If score ≥ threshold (default: 0.7), saves and returns the image
4. Regenerate — If below threshold and attempts remain, enhances the prompt with composition cues and tries again
5. Max attempts — After 3 attempts (default), saves the best result regardless

Each failed attempt appends increasingly strong composition cues to the prompt:

• Attempt 2: ", striking composition"
• Attempt 3: ", vivid colors, memorable focal point"

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Script Usage#

bash

# Basic usage
python scripts/generate_memorable_image.py --prompt "your image description"

# Full options
python scripts/generate_memorable_image.py \
  --prompt "your image description" \
  --output path/to/output.png \
  --threshold 0.75 \
  --max-attempts 3 \
  --api-key YOUR_KEY \
  --verbose

# With verbose scoring output
python scripts/generate_memorable_image.py \
  --prompt "a surreal clock melting over a desert canyon" \
  --verbose

CLI Arguments:

ArgumentDefaultDescription--prompt(required)Image description--output``memorable-image.pngOutput file path--threshold``0.7Memorability threshold (0–1)--max-attempts``3Max regeneration attempts--api-key(env/file)Gemini API key--verbose(flag)Show memorability scores per attempt

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Prompt Tips for High-Memorability Images#

Research shows these compositional elements consistently score higher with ResMem:

• Faces and eyes — Human faces, especially with direct gaze, are inherently memorable
• Unusual juxtapositions — Unexpected scale, context, or combination of objects ("a whale floating through a city skyline")
• Strong focal point — One clear subject against a contrasting background
• High contrast — Bold color separations between subject and background
• Emotional resonance — Images that imply narrative or emotion
• Unusual lighting — Dramatic shadows, golden hour, bioluminescence, neon
• Unexpected scale — Macro details of normally-seen-large things, or vice versa

Prompts that tend to score low: generic landscapes, symmetrical compositions, neutral palettes, cluttered scenes with no clear focal point.

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Memorability Science#

ResMem — Brain Bridge Lab, University of Chicago © 2021 The University of Chicago. Non-commercial use license. https://github.com/Brain-Bridge-Lab/resmem

ResMem is a deep learning model trained to predict image memorability scores — how likely a person is to remember having seen an image after a brief exposure. Scores range from 0 (instantly forgotten) to 1 (highly memorable).

License: ResMem Non-commercial License — redistribution permitted for non-commercial purposes with attribution. For commercial licensing: wilma@uchicago.edu

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Built for Claude Code. Requires a Gemini API key and a local Python environment with resmem installed. This skill is distributed for free/non-commercial use only because ResMem uses a non-commercial license.