Tag Archives: emotions

Microsoft patent application could match online moods with emotionally-targeted ads

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MS patent

It's a match made in marketing heaven: users let their guards down within the internet's virtual walls and ads are served up to complement their fickle mental states. At least, that's one possible version of your hyper-targeted digital future, if a patent application, filed by Microsoft back in December of 2010, is any indication. The USPTO documents outline a system wherein users' online activity would be monitored and associated with a corresponding tone, their reactions recorded and an overall emotional state affixed to that behavior. This information, once properly indexed, would then be fed into a large database containing user-identifiable emotional profiles used to deliver mood-specific ads. Clearly, this proposed endeavor all but screams privacy concerns and begs the inclusion of a giant, blinking opt-out clause. Color us paranoid, but we'd rather not see the day when our PCs know we're having a particularly gloomy Sunday.

Microsoft patent application could match online moods with emotionally-targeted ads originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 02:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink New Scientist, BGR  |  sourceUSPTO  | Email this | Comments

MyndPlay Helps Cool Fiery Tempers Everywhere

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The saying goes that cooler heads will prevail, and that is especially true when it comes down to any kind of gaming. No matter how angry or frustrated you get, you always play better calm. The MyndPlay headset will force you to cool down, and has been use as such to staunch unwanted behavior.

myndplay neurosky mind control headset

MyndPlay is capable of reading your own state of mind, thanks to monitoring your brain’s electrical signals, and uses this feedback to control a series of computer games. Get too stressed out and you’ll fail. Stay calm, and you win. Manchester City, an English Premiership football team, is going to test headsets similar to these to cool down their hot-tempered players. They hope that this will improve their behavior on and off the football pitch because it requires users to remain calm.

myndplay neurosky mind control headset computer

MyndPlay might be able to train people to use their minds more effectively, and not to lose their cool so much. Only time will tell how useful these headsets really are. The MyndPlay Brainband is available now for £129 ($210USD) and the NeuroSky headset will be available soon for £99 ($162 USD).

myndplay neurosky mind control brainband

[via Ubergizmo]


Samsung applies for patent on emotional recognition, wants to feel out how you’re feeling

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Samsung applies for patent on emotional recognition

Samsung might not give off the immediate impression of a warm, fuzzy company, as it really comes off more like a faceless device-manufacturing juggernaut, but that doesn't stop it trying to get a handle on what people are feeling. According to a recent patent application, the company is putting together a method of recognizing the emotions of an individual based on action units (AUs). And what exactly are those? They're components of a facial action coding system: something designed to reference the contractions of facial muscles. With a total of 30 units, several AUs combine to form a string (shown above) that's then detected by some unmentioned Samsung tech and matched to an emotion label that best fits the string. Hardware-wise, it's relatively vague -- par for the course with patent applications -- but would require a processor and memory, with no mention of a camera sensor to capture all that facial gurning. Samsung's keeping up its emotional patent armor up for now, but you can flirt with an outline of its thoughts at the source below.

Samsung applies for patent on emotional recognition, wants to feel out how you're feeling originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceUSPTO  | Email this | Comments