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]

Considering that some digicams are emerging with built-in smile detection, we'd say whipping that grin of yours into shape might not be a half bad idea. Granted, Patakara's latest certainly isn't the first, but rather than just shaping your smile, this thing actually exercises the muscles around your mouth -- presumably to help you cheese more intensely for even longer periods of time (you superstar, you). Heck, there's even three models with different resistance levels for those totally committed. But let's be honest, you won't even give those fancy Body Trainer headphones a second glance -- are you really going to dedicate time each day for this? You are? Well, then by all means, hand over your ¥5,250 ($52) and get to chompin'.

[Via popgadget]

Sensing component company Omron has created what it calls "smile measurement software," which rates the amount of happiness that human subject of a photo are exhibiting. On the face of it (ouch!), the applications aren't too obvious: then you consider that this could easily be used by robots to detect their owner's -- and future slave's -- state of mind, even if it is on a rather polarized scale. According to Omron, the subject doesn't even have to be looking at the camera to work, the application is only 50kb in size, and it can run effectively on embedded mobile chips. Just don't go complainin' when your next digicam confirms your worst fears, that yes, your child is emo.

Olympus is in a tizzy this morning with four new shooters from their FE-series of compact digital cameras. The 12 megapixel (1/1.72-inch CCD) FE-300 is the big pixel-huntin' dog of the bunch packing a TruePic III image processor, 17 scene modes, xD expansion, and 2.5-inch LCD in a 22.1-mm thick package. Next up is the 7.1 megapixel (1/2.5-inch CCD) FE-290 which lacks the face detection of the FE-300 but squeezes in a 3-inch LCD and 4x wide angle optical zoom lens. The FE-280 then, crams 8 megapixels into a 1/2.35-inch CCD and super slim 19.1-mm body. Ammusingly, it features a "Smile Shot" mode which automatically tracks faces and then throws the shutter when your subject smiles, or grimaces presumably, when snuggled up with aunt vinegar. Bringing up the tail-end is the ho hum 7.1 megapixel FE-270. Look for 'em all to ship starting September.

[Via Impress]

Read -- FE-300
Read -- FE-290
Read -- FE-280
Read -- FE-270