Interpretations…Computers To Assist With Reading Emotions.
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Today technology is king. Our lives are permeated by its use and supported through its advancement. Technology has been spread through the world to its most remote areas. With such a focus on incorporating new technology into daily living it is not a surprise that many of these advancements take the form of supportive aids for those of us living with disabilities.
Often individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome suffer from the reduced or even inability to read facial expressions and body language. This impairment can often lead to increased social anxiety and may cause individuals with Asperger’s to avoid social interactions all together, thus compounding an already difficult life.
Facial Recognition Program
Thanks to the MIT Media Lab a new device is being developed to support those people in the Asperger community who are experiencing this facet of the disorder. The device is a small hand held computer that when pointed at someone’s face will read and analyse their expression. The device then displays a text read out of the expression for the user to see. Reading facial expressions may be easy for most of us but translating this ability to a computer assistive device has proven itself to be very difficult. There are still some bugs to work out but ideally once perfected this device will be able to provide a new type of aid with a focus on empowering the user to be independent.
With the line between biology and technology growing increasingly thin the type of assistive devices available in the future is limitless.
For more information on this topic please visit: http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2008/10/27/high_tech_clues_to_facial_cues/
November 4, 2008
Posted in: AS News
Tags: AS, Asperger's, Support, technology
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