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Lost the Remote? Use Your Face
coondoggie writes "A researcher has discovered a way to use facial expressions to speed and slow video playback.
By using a combination of facial expression recognition software and automated tutoring technology Jacob Whitehill, a computer science Ph.D. student from UC San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering, is leading the project that ultimately is part of a larger venture to use automated facial expression recognition to make robots more effective teachers.
The researchers recently conducted a pilot test with 8 people that demonstrated information within the facial expressions people make while watching recorded video lectures can be used to predict a person's preferred viewing speed of the video and how difficult a person perceives the lecture at each moment in time."
wait... now what did you say? I didn't get it. Could you explain it another way please?
... or just look between the couch cushions.
I have Bell's Palsy you insensitive clod!
So, whenever you were constipated, your movie would start rewinding?
The obvious use for this technology is, of course, pornography. When it detects a look of boredom it knows to fast-forward through the plot bits. When it detects a relaxed-but-slightly-guilty look, it knows to stop the video and clear your browsing history.
What about when it sees my O face. You know, Oh Oh Oh...
Agreed, just think about the brats, sitting in the corner, cycling through all the facial expressions trying to figure out why life isnt working.
Next, they'll be teaching computers to read lips. Anyone who has seen 2001: A Space Odyssey knows that this is a bad idea.
If it can recognize my "Stupid TiVo!" face when TiVo starts playing back one minute after (or before) I press the play button when rewinding (or fast-forwarding), well, we've got a winner here. Or at least recognize what I mean when I'm screaming "Not there! THERE! Ya piece of junk!"
Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
Oh, oh, facial recognition. That makes a lot more sense. When I read the headline, I first thought it was going to suggest that if you lose the remote, get up and bash the buttons on the DVD player with your forehead or something.
A similar system applied to computer keyboards would certainly make IT and data entry more interesting professions...
Demanding constant attention will only lead to attention.
Just hope I don't see the "fast forward" face when I'm having sex.
Until we develop a neural link, all other interfaces will be poor substitutes. Of course there are drawbacks like the possibility that it will become The Matrix. Even if it worked, it might work too well:
[Average male watching TV]
[Average Male thought]: Hey! Football is on.
[Neural Link switches to football]
[Average Male thought]: Damn, a commercial. What else is on?
[Neural Link begins switching channels at a breathtaking rate. Epilleptics in room start convulsing]
[Average Male thought]: Is the game back on?
[Neural Link switches back to football]
[Average Male thought]: Damn, another commercial. Hey that girl is hot!
[Neural Link switches to Playboy channel and dims lights]
[Male's Significant Other stares at him in disgust]
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
So when you are nodding off late at night, what happens? Does the volume go up and down? That could create an infinite loop. I bet if my neighbor's wife looked at the TV it would change the channel to the Sci-fi network.
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...
*look of boredom*
Nope, didn't help
Bark less. Wag more.
Cool! We could apply this to computers and do away with the mouse...
Typical day at the support desk:
Support: "Hello, how can I help you?"
User: "Hi, I can't see how to open an application"
Support: "OK, you need to look at the application you want to open"
User: "OK"
Support: "Now, double blink with your left eye"
User: "Hey! That did it!"
Support: "Great, is there anything else I can help you with?"
User: "Yeah, sometimes I'll be doing stuff and the popup menu will appear, it's quite annoying"
Support: "Hmmm, perhaps you suffer from a nervous twitch"
User: "Actually, I do have a problem in my right eye, that's probably it!"
Support: "Thanks for calling, bye now."
Summation 2
Flipping through the channels is gonna get ugly.