Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
OKAO Vision Lets Machines See You Smile
OKAO Vision, smile recognition software from Omron Corporation, will help us to achieve a goal that will be increasingly important - making sure machines know how we feel.
(OKAO vision smile detector)
OKAO Vision Real-time Smile Measurement Technology automatically identifies faces in digital images and assigns a "percent smiling" figure to each smile it finds. The system fits a three-dimensional model to each facial area in the photograph by using standard reference points (mouth, nose, eyes, eye brows, etc.)
Then, the OKAO vision software analyzes the degree to which the mouth and eyes are open, shape of the eyes and mouth and the position of other facial features. Faces must be at least sixty pixels wide and tilted less than thirty degrees to either side, and tilted less than fifteen degrees up and down.
The OKAO system is about 90 percent accurate; it does not even require "training;" that is, it does not need to be shown the faces beforehand. The system was developed after studying the facial expressions of 15,000 different individuals from a variety of cultures; the age of the subjects ranged from infants to the elderly. The software can process an image in just 0.044 seconds on a PC, so it will have lots of real-time applications.
For example, consider a digital camera that takes a continuous stream of pictures when you depress the shutter; the camera itself decides when everyone is maximally smiling, and gives you that picture.
Science fiction writers have long known the importance of making sure that machines are properly aware of their user's emotional state. The Daily Schedule device from Frank Herbert's 1977 novel The Dosadi Experiment looked at how its user moved and behaved:
The Daily Schedule began playing to McKie as he emerged from the bath. The DS suited its tone to his movements and the combined analysis of his psychophysical condition."Good morning, ser," it fluted.
(Read more about Herbert's Daily Schedule)
The fabled HAL 9000 computer from Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey seemed to read voices for emotions rather than faces:
"Hal, switch to manual hibernation control.""I can tell from your voice harmonics, Dave, that you're badly upset. Why don't you take a stress pill and get some rest?"
(Read more about the HAL 9000 computer)
HAL knew his way around the human face; his lipreading talents almost doomed both astronauts. Computers are making strides in lipreading like HAL; take a look at Big Brother To Read Lips Like HAL and Computerized Lip-Reading Crime Fighters for more information about these advances.
I was also thinking that the OKAO vision technology could enhance the new Polar Rose search engine; Polar Rose specializes in finding the faces of people you know on the Internet. (Learn more about the Polar Rose Face-Recognition Search Engine.)
Via OKAO Vision.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 9/11/2007)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 1 )
Related News Stories - (" Artificial Intelligence ")
Nuclear Plant Restarted To Power AI To Feed Us Dreams
'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.' - Raymond Z. Gallun, 1940.
Dino From Magical Toys An AI Companion To Children
'...the imaginary companions discovered by needful children.' - Anne McCaffrey, 1990.
AI Computer Chip Designs Passeth Human Understanding
'It seems that at one time computers were designed directly by human beings.' - Isaac Asimov, 1958.
Fine-Tune Your Infinite Book The Way You Want It
'I squatted down beside the roller and tried to make some sense out of the knobs. There were thirty-nine of them...' - Clifford Simak, 1957.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Heart Patches Grown In The Lab Repair Hearts
I'm hoping that this procedure becomes a normal part of medical practice!
Humanoid Robots Spotted In Homes Performing Household Chores
'... nothing was perfected until M. Pantalon announced the completion of his automatic valet.'
Musk Proposes Sites For Martian Cities
'...its streets were of remarkable width, with few or no buildings so high as mosques, churches, State-offices, or palaces in Tellurian cities.'
Bambot Open Source Cheap Delivery Robot
'Not since the time he rewired the delivery robot...'
Robot Collective Acts Like A Smart Material
'...it was all composed of tiny, identical cubes, carefully laid to form a tilelike surface.'
Vipera Electric Skis From Frigid Dynamics
'JOAN strapped on her power-skis...'
Pixel Watch 'Loss of Pulse Detection' And Philip K. Dick
'He carried on his person a triggering mechanism sensitive to his heartbeat.'
Nuclear Plant Restarted To Power AI To Feed Us Dreams
'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'
SpaceX's Starman Tesla Roadster In Space
'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'
Pivotal Blackfly Electric Aircraft Lifts And Hovers
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'
CORLEO Robotic Horse Concept Looks Ready To Ride
Imagine digging your heels in to a steam horse!
Who First Thought Of A Tin Foil Hat?
'We had discovered that metal was relatively impervious to the telepathic effect.'
Warp Drive Tech Back On The Menu
'Detailed plans for the construction of the Gundstetter-Halone warp drive were flowing.'
Huawei Pura X Folding Phattie Phone
Why can't we get more innovative phone configurations?
Sleep Pods At Daxing International Airport
'Do not waste your priceless company on the unappreciative folds of a sleep pod...'
Robot Baristas Learn Their Trade Without Paying Royalties
'...so we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
