Omron's Okao Catch measures the intensity of your smile

It was inevitable, really. Not even two months after jolly researchers at Kansai University developed a machine to calculate the quantity of a person's laughter comes a new method of measuring just how hard you're cheesing. According to Omron's Yasushi Kawamoto, the Okao Catch technology is able to closely analyze "the curves of the lips, eye movement and other facial characteristics to decide how much a person is smiling." In a recent demonstration, it threw up percentages as people moved in front of a camcorder and began to grin, and while a somber individual did net an astounding score of zero, it doesn't seem that negative numbers are doled out for frowners. Besides being incredibly novel, the creators are hoping that it can be used in the medical field for accurately judging the "emotional state of patients," in robotics for helping androids "decipher human reactions" and in dressing rooms assisting B-list celebs improve their charm.

[Via Tarakash]

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Apr 12th 2008 7:50PM]

Other than "for fun," I don't see this being of any use at all.

Now, if they could measure how pissed off you are, then I could see some real-world applications.

[Sriram Venkitachalam @ Apr 12th 2008 8:12PM]

I can see this technology being used to test viewer reaction to comedy show pilots and advertisements. I was thinking about this yesterday (am from the branding field) and today I read about its existence... awesome

[Shinigami @ Apr 12th 2008 7:55PM]

Smile 2% MORE! :D

[Aguiluz @ Apr 12th 2008 8:07PM]

Machine: Smile!

*person smiles*

Machine: ROTTEN TOOTH! = 0% = FAILURE!

[Darkroom @ Apr 12th 2008 8:00PM]

Patient: "hello robot doctor" *big frown* "i'm very depressed" *bigger frown*...

Robot Doctor: "beep bop boop, i sense you are depressed, here is a prescription for oxycotton... beep bop boop."

[dajimmers @ Apr 12th 2008 8:10PM]

I guess it may be useful for silliness, and eventually for robots, but the medical field? Hmmm... maybe as a big-brother thing on the wall, that would keep track of your average "facial mood" and report to the staff when you needed a new happy pill. Or they could just stick to that button thing that's worked for years...

[paul34 @ Apr 12th 2008 9:39PM]

Oxycotton. A new product?

[Bob @ Apr 12th 2008 9:43PM]

Oxycotton? People need to stop saying that. It's Oxycontin, or Oxycodone.

[BigD145 @ Apr 12th 2008 8:32PM]

You mean... people still smile?

[kyle allen @ Apr 12th 2008 8:39PM]

she looks happier in the camera. infact, she looks like a completely different person in the camera.

[Kris S. @ Apr 12th 2008 9:39PM]

There have been many failed attempts at trying to be funny within the first few comments.

I guess that comes along with a post about a device that is utterly worthless that it's not even worth commenting about.

[nih @ Apr 12th 2008 9:41PM]

It also looks like it removes 50 pounds of unsighly fat from the face.

[94 taurus owner @ Apr 12th 2008 10:10PM]

*scoff* What's the point of this mess?!?!??!??!
this is just a waste of taxpayers dollars.

[Aguiluz @ Apr 13th 2008 12:07AM]

They could be used by Government Officials, you know.

If they put up a big proposal in public, they could see if the peeps reading it is smiling or frowning so they can adjust the proposal accordingly so that everyone (or at least the majority) is smiling to the proposed bill.

[kev @ Apr 13th 2008 12:58AM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansai_University

Yup, they're private as I had thought.

[kev @ Apr 12th 2008 10:22PM]

Not to hate on Kandai, but they're not really that important... :/
It's the kind of school you go to as a super safety.

And they're private, not public (IIRC).

[ethana2 @ Apr 13th 2008 12:06AM]

All I want is a facial recognition PAM module.

...actually, this could be useful in application usability studies...
....but then, a lot of people I know frown when they're thinking hard.

[Stem $ell @ Apr 13th 2008 1:01AM]

The *smile intensity*is not directly measured but rather 'cackleated'--and the derived number, the Insane Overloard Cackle Quotient, is as one would expect of a sexless machine, a 'unitless' expression.

[Michael @ Apr 13th 2008 1:08AM]

The...
This...

God, what a waste of effort this is.

Things like this are why we don't have flying cars and robotic sex partners, desperately needed by anyone reading a techie blog who thinks this is cool.

Ouch, I dissed myself.

[scotjo @ Apr 13th 2008 4:24AM]

What happens if I stand on my head and frown?

[G @ Apr 13th 2008 8:21AM]

best comment

[Ethan @ Apr 13th 2008 8:45AM]

Crappy wierd smiles that this machine will think are crap are genuine though. Look at the 'reaction shots' in the recording of a good standup and you'll see the spaz-face reflects true happiness.