Facial recognition- and biofeedback-based emotion-detection system

Who among us hasn't gotten so frustrated by one of our devices that we (drink or) curse, threaten, and even physically abuse our beloved technology? (We even admit to having once chewed up our contact lenses and spit them into the toilet). Well until someone starts up a local chapter of Gadget Abusers Anonymous, we'll have to settle for systems like Christian Peter's, which uses both video facial recognition as well as biofeedback to tell your gear that it may soon be in for some hurtin' and to change course accordingly (though exactly how it would do that is unclear). Peter's emotion detector works by scanning a user's face for cues of anger or frustration (voice recognition is also being incorporated to analyze tonal fluctuations or "stick this in your disc drive!"s) and measuring his/her heartbeat, blood pressure, and skin temp via a tethered glove. The system will be on display at CeBIT from March 9th through the 15th in Hanover, Germany, and we'll certainly rock a demo for y'all if we're lucky enough to attend (please, AOL?).

[Via Smart Mobs]

[jono @ Jan 15th 2006 8:20PM]

This sounds all fine and dandy, the computer will know you are annoyed. But how is it going to fix the situation? Its already a stuffed up computer

[TheCash @ Jan 15th 2006 8:48PM]

Maybe you can fool your computer into thinking you aren't miserable and alone, but that fake smile won't fool the mirror. You're still going to die alone and unloved Klaus!

[why�nu @ Jan 15th 2006 9:07PM]

Very interesting. But trying to think of what would be the benefit of such of device, would it assist in mankind's continous lack of communication / apperication for others. I think we need to get off your PCs for awhile and take a good look outside, be happy.



ideal world

[Daddy Yankee @ Jan 15th 2006 9:19PM]

The question is what woold the computer do when it knows that the owner is angry?

[Cloud @ Jan 16th 2006 12:24AM]

to Daddy Yankee:



The computer will also become angry and devour the souls of the living making it the most powerful beings on earth...yes... beings....

[tempusmaster @ Jan 16th 2006 1:07AM]

The potential with this type of device is amazing. HeartMath ( www.heartmath.com ) has already proven that you can use this type of feedback to change stress levels and improve your life. On the other hand, imagine what would be possible if the feedback was used as an input to an action game. Taken to an extreme, the game could potentially and literally scare the player to death by serving up situations and threats in response to the player's reactions....

[Dylan Horkin @ Jan 16th 2006 4:46PM]

I can see this having a sort of gaming potential.



Imagine that a game notices you're starting to get angry, and reacts somehow.



Perhaps it makes it slightly easier before you break it.

Perhaps it tries to scare you more, supposing it's a horror-style game.



Imagine a game that reacts to your emotions.