"Shrug-detecting" software recognizes your disinterest

In another blundering step towards empowering our future robotic overlords with the ability to recognize when we're being insolent, a group of computer vision researchers at the University of Illinois have invented "shrug-detecting" software that allows a webcam-equipped computer to pick up on the subtle shoulder movements indicative of confusion or disinterest. The application works by looking for sudden movements of the target's shoulders towards his/her face, and is so sophisticated that it cannot be fooled even by covering one shoulder with a piece of paper, as the above picture helpfully illustrates. Future iterations of the technology could be used to detect blinking, hand movements, facial expressions, and other mood indicators, but for the sake of our enslaved decendents forced to toil in the silicon mines, we hope that they leave certain expressive gestures, such as the raising of the middle finger, out of the software's lexicon.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[Timmy @ Apr 27th 2006 3:08PM]

Im shrugging with disinterest right now.

[guano @ Apr 27th 2006 3:15PM]

This would go perfectly with Apples new Telescreen.

[Aron P. Goldman @ Apr 27th 2006 3:48PM]

"Dictionary" software detects misused word.

"Disinterested means impartial, unbiased. Though it does sound like it would be a fancier way of saying "uninterested," the meaning is very different.

[Jules M. Troowl @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:38PM]

"Disinterested" would have been wrong, but has not been used. "Disinterest" is correct.

It's an interesting case where the substantivized verb and the noun have different meaning.

Disinterestedness shows objectivity or impartiality

Disinterest shows lack of interest.

[uncle fcker @ Apr 27th 2006 3:49PM]

This only proves that researchers at the University of Illinois have too much free time and should be concentrating on finding cures to cancer instead.

[o0adam0o @ Apr 27th 2006 4:07PM]

"...reasearchers plan to use this same tech. on their future "woody detector"."

[Zachary Black @ Apr 27th 2006 4:15PM]

That's fantastic. Now the problem is how to repsond to a shrug...
"Let's build in technology that makes the game better on the fly if we detect boredom in the player!" (..and leave it always on? That way the game is always getting better!)

[Todd @ Apr 27th 2006 4:37PM]

TO: The researchers who built the "shrug detector"

REQUEST: Please build a PMS detector

Thank you

T

[David @ Apr 27th 2006 6:35PM]

Ok, so I'm either confused or I'm doing yoga. Just what the world needs, a yoga detector.

[ebob9 @ Apr 27th 2006 10:39PM]

Ooooh! Imagine the possibilities that Microsoft could do with this technology.

Clippy: It looks like you are not interested in this document. Would you like to...

A) Retype it all
B) Change the font color to pink
C) Schedule an appointment for a psychiatric evaluation
D) More Choices..

ebob9

[NicleT @ Apr 28th 2006 12:10AM]

I'm not agree : this is a part of human body language reading development. The way it goes, someday we'll see softwares or systems with full recognition and comprehension of not only physical aspect but also behavior and mental states of a human subject. That day, will be in right to freak out !

[Justin @ Apr 28th 2006 4:42AM]

This is great. Things like this could easily be integrated with the other work that's being done to assist those with Autism.

[mb @ Apr 28th 2006 2:21PM]

truely one of the funniest headlines ever for engadget :D