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Algorithms Determine Mona Lisa's True Emotions

caffeinemessiah writes "The BBC reports that researchers at UIUC and the University of Amsterdam, Holland have used "emotion recognition" software to determine Mona Lisa's true emotions. The algorithm is based on a library of neutral face images of young women and determined that Mona Lisa was 83% happy and 9% disgusted." From the article: "The program, developed with researchers at the University of Illinois, US, draws on a database of young female faces to derive an average 'neutral' expression. The software uses this average expression as the standard for comparisons. The New Scientist says that software capable of recognising emotions just by looking at photographs could lead to PCs that adjust their response depending on the user's mood. "

12 of 349 comments (clear)

  1. Clippy 2008 by TomSawyer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Clippy: Ok man, I was just saying... I should really just go, sorry.

    --
    If you disagree then it must be overrated, redundant or trolling.
  2. So... by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny

    She did have gas.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  3. I don't buy it by gusmao · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mona Lisa is a woman, how can any software possibly tell what she is really thinking?

  4. A painting isn't a photograph by Dutchmaan · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This of course assumes that DaVinci captured her exact expression... Chances are that the painting just developed that way. Anyone who does art by hand knows that it's not a photograph and that the painting more or less takes on it's own personality as it's being created.

    If it were a photo then yes I'd be more apt to accept an algorythmic interpretation of the image.. but paintings take time and it's doubtful that a person feels the exact same way over the course of days or weeks or even months it took for this painting to be completed.

  5. translated into "emoticon recognition" by sczimme · · Score: 5, Funny


    83% happy

    .83(:-))

    --
    I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
  6. Re:And... by Flashbck · · Score: 5, Informative

    And to modify your sig: Those who can't RTFA, complain about stupid crud

    Quote from the third paragraph in the article:
    It concluded that the subject was 83% happy, 9% disgusted, 6% fearful and 2% angry, New Scientist magazine was told.

  7. Art needs two by quokkapox · · Score: 5, Insightful
    They're not trying to take the mystery out of it, they're trying to understand it in yet another way.

    Art needs two, one to start, and one to reply.

    It's meaningless (to society) unless somebody else looks at it, thinks about it, talks about it. The more, the better.

    --
    it's a blue bright blue Saturday hey hey
  8. Nice trick these researchers have discovered by Darius+Jedburgh · · Score: 5, Insightful
    1. Invent algorithm
    2. Apply it in a domain where your work can't be falsified
    3. ???
    4. Profit!
  9. A programming problem by Myrmidon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Okay, here are my questions for the Slashdot community:

    1) You're writing some code. You call the User Emotional Analysis API, and it reports back that your user is currently "83% happy and 9% disgusted". How should your software "adjust its response" in reaction to this information?

    2) What happy/disgusted ratio leads to maximum productivity?

    3) What are the odds that the Mona Lisa is a portrait of a Perl programmer?

  10. And the ??? stands for: by ziggamon2.0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    (this is actually the first time I play this game, let me know how I'm doing!)

    3a. Patent algorithm.
    3b. Sue everybody that looks 83% happy or 9% disgusted

  11. YES! by evil-osm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hope this helps anyone who wants to learn more about the actual process used to accomplish this recognition.

    You can bet your purple pants it does!! I can finally put an end this this scenario:

    Wife: "no, there's nothing wrong, I'm not mad at you"
    muhahahaha.... thats when I take the polariod and get a snapshot
    Me: "Yeah right, we'll just see about that!"

    Two weeks later the divorce goes through and my ass is on the curb.

    --


    E.

    Never rub another man's rhubarb - The Joker
  12. Re:You know by Darkman,+Walkin+Dude · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here is an expansion on that...

    What is absolutely untrue is the reference in The Da Vinci Code to Leonardo's reputation as a "flamboyant homosexual". He was not known as such. Historical evidence is sketchy about the latter, and the only thing Leonardo was "flamboyant" about was his inability to finish projects he started.