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."

Comments

Use your face

[kharri1073]

... or just look between the couch cushions.

Re:Use your face

[eln]

I don't know about you, but when looking for the remote I find my face, specifically the eye part of the face, to be an invaluable tool.

Bah!

[0100010001010011]

I have Bell's Palsy you insensitive clod!

Re:Bah!

[chemisus]

in soviet russia, tv watches you!

Invalid Input

[Anonymous Coward]

So, whenever you were constipated, your movie would start rewinding?

Obvious use

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

I can't wait

[merreborn]

Great. Then you'll know when the kids who grew up with this technology get bored -- they'll subconsciously start to make the "fast forward" facial expression.

And when they mishear something, they'll make the "rewind" face.

I can't wait. It'll be hilarious.

Re:I can't wait

[Vectronic]

Agreed, just think about the brats, sitting in the corner, cycling through all the facial expressions trying to figure out why life isnt working.

Excellent teachers...

[Thelasko]

can do this. I've noticed bad college professors just keep plowing through the subject. The best ones will look at the students faces and say, "Lets back up a little," when they see blank stares from their pupils.

I don't think the ability to determine how difficult a concept is to grasp is the breakthrough here. I think it's the fact that a machine can do it.

fingertips

[COMON$]

Ok I don't like the idea of changing with my facial expressions. We humans use soo many expressions when talking and even just watching video that any device recording them bound to get confused. What I am interested in is the gesture based technology. Proof of concepts like where they converted the wiimote to a sensor are neat. But I would pay good money for a universal remote where I could gesture with my hands to interact with my consoles. I feel like these are right around the corner. No looking for your remote, just gesture to change the channel or turn up the volume with a precursor motion. Every once in a while you see a company try to hit this market with different products like the playstation webcam thing but no one has hit it on the head yet.

Has anyone heard of a company making good headway in this department?

Apply face liberally

[Captain Spam]

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...

Obligatory Hitchhikers...

[camperdave]

For years radios had been operated by means of pressing buttons and turning dials; then as the technology became more sophisticated the controls were made touch-sensitive -- you merely had to brush the panels with your fingers; now all you had to do was wave your hand in the general direction of the components and hope. It saved a lot of muscular expenditure of course, but meant that you had to sit infuriatingly still if you wanted to keep listening to the same programme.

The best interface

[UnknowingFool]

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]

Hmmm

[ubrgeek]

> The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and see it early!

*look of boredom*
Nope, didn't help ...

Help desk

[Rik Sweeney]

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."

Re:I can't wait---not a Haiku

[Provocateur]

go threw it?

my mind explodes and i cringe

the clip fast forwards

Just a thought...

[Anonymous Coward]

Flipping through the channels is gonna get ugly.