It seems so. Advances in research related to how the computer interacts with its human counterparts are set to increase as new techniques are brought into the mainstream. The premise of the research is to allow the computer to be able to read your facial expressions which is then used to determine your mood, once determined the computer will adjust its operation to match or counteract your mood.
At the simplest level, imagine sitting down at your computer in a bad mood, the software would recognise this and adjust your music playlists in an attempt to bring your mood back under control – either by selecting tracks that will calm you down or some more cheerful, up-beat music (or some sort of progressive approach from the depressing to the more light-hearted tracks in your library). The colours of your screen could also change accordingly – a bit like a ‘mood ring’, only instead of working out how clammy your hands are, the colour changes as your mood improves or declines.
Whilst these two examples might indicate to others your mood and might cheer you up a bit, they don’t provide much more use than that. So for a more advanced example, you have to have look at the research that this technology has when applied to education.
Research into how robots can be more effective teachers has found that this technology can change the way subjects are taught. As a robot (or software), monitors facial patterns and moods, its reckoned that the teaching methods can be adjusted accordingly – either by slowing down the amount of information or by the robot/computer stopping and asking the user if they would like the information presented in a different way or at a much more basic level, which is very different to some of online videos we watch today where information is delivered in a flat, non-interactive video format that never changes according to the viewers understanding or confusion levels.
Is it wise to mix human behaviour with computers that recognise that behaviour though? Allowing computers to ‘read’ their owners and adapt – could lead to some sort of “iRobot” type movie-scenario, where machines protect us against ourselves. Time will tell.
At the simplest level, imagine sitting down at your computer in a bad mood, the software would recognise this and adjust your music playlists in an attempt to bring your mood back under control – either by selecting tracks that will calm you down or some more cheerful, up-beat music (or some sort of progressive approach from the depressing to the more light-hearted tracks in your library). The colours of your screen could also change accordingly – a bit like a ‘mood ring’, only instead of working out how clammy your hands are, the colour changes as your mood improves or declines.
Whilst these two examples might indicate to others your mood and might cheer you up a bit, they don’t provide much more use than that. So for a more advanced example, you have to have look at the research that this technology has when applied to education.
Research into how robots can be more effective teachers has found that this technology can change the way subjects are taught. As a robot (or software), monitors facial patterns and moods, its reckoned that the teaching methods can be adjusted accordingly – either by slowing down the amount of information or by the robot/computer stopping and asking the user if they would like the information presented in a different way or at a much more basic level, which is very different to some of online videos we watch today where information is delivered in a flat, non-interactive video format that never changes according to the viewers understanding or confusion levels.
Is it wise to mix human behaviour with computers that recognise that behaviour though? Allowing computers to ‘read’ their owners and adapt – could lead to some sort of “iRobot” type movie-scenario, where machines protect us against ourselves. Time will tell.
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