Scientific publications
Read about the research that supports the FaceReader Ecosystem
Over the past 20+ years, our facial coding platform and its embedded technologies have been the subject as well as the preferred instrument for numerous accredited scientific studies. Below we present a comprehensive overview of the literature that has emerged from these studies, highlighting and validating the cutting-edge technology of FaceReader Online.
2017
5 citations
Multimodal Observation and Interpretation of Subjects Engaged in Problem Solving
Guntz, Balzarini, Vaufreydaz, Crowley
In this paper, the authors present initial findings from a pilot experiment aimed at capturing and interpreting multimodal signals from human experts solving challenging chess problems. The study investigates how observations of eye-gaze, posture, emotion, and other physiological signals can model the cognitive state of subjects. It also explores integrating multiple sensor modalities to enhance the reliability of detecting human displays of awareness and emotion. Chess players were observed tackling problems of increasing difficulty while their behavior was recorded. These recordings help estimate a participant’s situational awareness and predict their ability to respond effectively to challenging situations. The results indicate that a multimodal approach is more accurate than a unimodal one. By combining body posture, visual attention, and emotion, the multimodal approach achieved up to 93% accuracy in determining a player’s chess expertise, compared to 86% with a unimodal approach. The experiment also validates the use of the equipment as a general and reproducible tool for studying participants engaged in screen-based interaction and problem-solving.
2017
72 citations
Predictably Angry—Facial Cues Provide a Credible Signal of Destructive Behavior
van Leeuwen, Noussair, Offerman, Suetens, van Veelen, van de Ven
Evolutionary explanations of anger as a commitment device hinge on two key assumptions. The first is that it is predictable, ex ante, whether someone will get angry when feeling that he or she has been badly treated. The second is that anger is associated with destructive behavior. We test the validity of these two assumptions. We collected photos of responders in an ultimatum game before they were informed about the game that they would be playing, and we filmed responders with webcams during play. We then showed pairs of photos consisting of one responder who rejected and one responder who accepted to an independent group of observers. We find that observers are better than chance at detecting who rejected the low offer; they do 10% better than random guessing would. We also find that anger at receiving a low offer is associated with rejection.
2017
39 citations
The Emotional, Cognitive, Physiological, and Performance Effects of Variable Time Delay in Robotic Teleoperation
Yang & Dorneich
The study investigates the impact of intermittent and variable time delays on operators during robotic teleoperation tasks. Participants navigated a remote-controlled robot through mazes of varying complexity while identifying targets. Introducing feedback lag led to increased frustration, anger, and cognitive workload, while decreasing usability and task performance. The effects of variable time delay were more pronounced than those of task complexity, and their combined impact was additive. Understanding these emotional and physiological responses is crucial for designing robotic systems that can effectively mitigate negative operator states.
2017
41 citations
Computerised analysis of facial emotion expression in eating disorders
Leppanen, Dapelo, Davies, Lang, Treasure, Tchanturia
Problems with social-emotional processing are known to be an important contributor to the development and maintenance of eating disorders . Diminished facial communication of emotion has been frequently reported in individuals with anorexia nervosa . Less is known about facial expressivity in bulimia nervosa and in people who have recovered from AN . This study aimed to pilot the use of computerised facial expression analysis software to investigate emotion expression across the ED spectrum and recovery in a large sample of participants. 297 participants with AN, BN, RecAN, and healthy controls were recruited. Participants watched film clips designed to elicit happy or sad emotions, and facial expressions were then analysed using FaceReader. The finding mirrored those from previous work showing that healthy control and RecAN participants expressed significantly more positive emotions during the positive clip compared to the AN group. There were no differences in emotion expression during the sad film clip. These findings support the use of computerised methods to analyse emotion expression in EDs. The findings also demonstrate that reduced positive emotion expression is likely to be associated with the acute stage of AN illness, with individuals with BN showing an intermediate profile.
2017
49 citations
Facial reactions to violent and comedy films: Association with callous– unemotional traits and impulsive aggression
Fanti, Kyranides, Panayiotou
The study investigated facial reactions to violent and comedy films among individuals with varying levels of callous–unemotional traits and impulsive aggression . In Experiment 1, 82 participants’ facial expressions were recorded while watching these films, analyzed using FaceReader software. Results indicated that individuals with elevated CU traits exhibited reduced expressions of sadness and disgust during violent films, suggesting lower empathic concern for victims’ distress. Conversely, impulsive aggressors displayed more angry facial expressions when viewing both film types. Experiment 2, involving 86 participants, measured facial reactions via electromyography, confirming reduced corrugator muscle activity in response to violent films among those high in CU traits. Further analysis suggested that sympathy for victims mediated the relationship between CU traits and diminished facial reactions to violent films.
2017
21 citations
Asians’ Facial Responsiveness to Basic Tastes by Automated Facial Expression Analysis System
Zhi, Cao, Cao
Growing evidence indicates that consumer choices are predominantly driven by unconscious mechanisms, measurable through behavioral assessments. This study applies automatic facial expression analysis to represent consumers’ emotions and explores the relationship between sensory perception and facial responses. Participants were exposed to basic taste solutions—sourness, sweetness, bitterness, umami, and saltiness—at six concentration levels, plus water, encompassing most flavors found in food and beverages. The study focuses on analyzing facial expression characteristics and their correlation with hedonic liking among Asian consumers, addressing a gap in research that has primarily centered on Western populations. Results demonstrate that facial expressions can distinguish between stimuli of varying concentrations and hedonic levels. Perceived liking increased at lower concentrations and decreased at higher ones, with medium concentrations being most pleasant, except for sweetness and bitterness. High correlations were found between perceived intensities of bitterness, umami, saltiness, and facial reactions of disgust and fear. Disgust and anger expressions characterized “dislike,” happiness indicated “like,” and neutral expressions represented “neither like nor dislike.” These findings align with sensory emotions elicited by basic taste solutions and are consistent with research on Western consumers. The study underscores the potential of automatic facial expression analysis in understanding true consumer emotions, aiding product development and improvement.