emotient
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Apple buys AI firm that detects emotions in facial cues
If it wasn't already clear that Apple is getting serious about artificial intelligence, it is now. The company has confirmed that it bought Emotient, a fledgling outfit that uses AI to gauge emotions based on facial expressions. As usual, the Cupertino crew isn't saying what its plans are. However, Emotient's specialty is in detecting your overall sentiment, like contentedness or frustration. Combined with the AI-powered assistant tech from VocalIQ, it wouldn't be shocking if Apple is working on helper software that genuinely understands your moods and reactions. There's certainly pressure to do so -- with both Facebook and Google working on AI-driven chat assistants, Apple might not want to feel left out. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Emotient's Google Glass app tells you how others are feeling
It's not always easy to read someone's emotions -- and that's a problem for retailers, which can't easily tell if their products intrigue you or simply confuse you. They may not have to guess for much longer, though, as Emotient has launched the private beta for a Google Glass app that identifies feelings using the device's camera. The software scans faces for emotional cues that reflect an overall sentiment, even if it's subtle; the app can tell if you're mildly pleased, for instance. Privacy shouldn't be an issue, since the app is only saving anonymous data, not images. Emotient is testing its app with just a handful of companies right now, but the finished app should help stores please customers in the future. There's also a chance you'll see the underlying technology in something you can try for yourself. The company tells The Next Web that its emotion detection will reach Intel's RealSense platform, so don't be surprised if your next webcam can tell that you're in a good mood.
