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.
2016
56 citations
Recognizing Semantic Features in Faces using Deep Learning
A. Gudi
The human face constantly conveys information, both consciously and subconsciously. However, as basic as it is for humans to visually interpret this information, it is quite a big challenge for machines. Conventional semantic facial feature recognition and analysis techniques are already in use and are based on physiological heuristics, but they suffer from lack of robustness and high computation time. This thesis aims to explore ways for machines to learn to interpret semantic information available in faces in an automated manner without requiring manual design of feature detectors, using the approach of Deep Learning. This thesis provides a study of the effects of various factors and hyper-parameters of deep neural networks in the process of determining an optimal network configuration for the task of semantic facial feature recognition. This thesis explores the effectiveness of the system to recognize the various semantic features present in faces. Furthermore, the relation between the effect of high-level concepts on low level features is explored through an analysis of the similarities in low-level descriptors of different semantic features. This thesis also demonstrates a novel idea of using a deep network to generate 3-D Active Appearance Models of faces from real-world 2-D images.
2016
8 citations
Toward physiological indices of emotional state driving future ebook interactivity
van Erp, Hogervorst, van der Werf, Ysbrand
Ebooks of the future may respond to the emotional experience of the reader. physiological measures could capture a reader’s emotional state and use this to enhance the reading experience by adding matching sounds or to change the storyline, thereby creating a hybrid art form between literature and gaming. We describe the theoretical foundation of the emotional and creative brain and review the neurophysiological indices that can be used to drive future ebook interactivity in a real-life situation. As a case study, we report the neurophysiological measurements of a bestselling author during nine days of writing, which can potentially be used later to compare them to those of the readers. In designated calibration blocks, the artist wrote emotional paragraphs for emotional pictures. Analyses showed that we can reliably distinguish writing blocks from resting, but we found no reliable differences related to the emotional content of the writing. The study shows that measurements of EEG, heart rate , skin conductance, facial expression, and subjective ratings can be done over several hours a day and for several days in a row. In follow-up phases, we will measure 300 readers with a similar setup.
2016
32 citations
Embodied resistance to persuasion in advertising
P. Lewinski, M.L. Fransen and E.S. Tan
From the literature on resistance to persuasion in advertising, much is known about how people can resist advertising by adopting resistance strategies, such as avoidance, counter-arguing, and selective attention (e.g., Fransen et al., 2015b). However, the role of emotion regulation and bodily expression in resisting persuasion is so far underexplored. This is a surprising observation if one considers that at least 40% of advertisements use positive emotions (i.e., happiness) to persuade people to like the ad, brand, and product (Weinberger et al., 1995). In this article we present a framework in which we apply previous knowledge and theories on emotion regulation and embodiment to the process of resistance to persuasion. In doing so, we specifically address the role of facial expression in the course of resistance. The literature and findings from our own research lead us to propose that people can resist persuasion by controlling their facial expression of emotion when exposed to an advertisement. Controlling the expression of emotions elicited by an ad (for example refusing to smile) might be a fruitful way to resist the ad’s persuasive potential. Moreover, we argue that co-viewers can affect embodied resistance to persuasion. Showing the viability of embodied resistance to persuasion is relevant in view of the fact that ads trying to persuade us by addressing our positive emotions are ubiquitous. Embodied resistance might help people to cope with these induced positive emotions in order to resist advertisements and might therefore work as a novel and effective strategy to resist persuasion.
2016
40 citations
Consumer facial expression in relation to smoked ham with the use of face reading technology . The methodological aspects and informative value of research results
Kostyra, Rambuszek, Waszkiewicz-Robak, Laskowski, Blicharski, Polawska,
The study determined the emotional reactions of consumers in relation to hams using face visualization method, which was recorded by FaceReader . The aims of the research were to determine the effect of the ham samples on the type of emotion, to examine more deeply the individual emotional reactions of consumers and to analyse the emotional variability with regard to the temporal measurement of impressions. The research involved testing the effectiveness of measuring emotions in response to the ongoing flavour impression after consumption of smoked hams. It was found that for all of the assessed samples, neutral and negative emotions prevailed as the overall emotions recorded during the assessment of the taste/flavour impression. The range of variability of the overall emotions depended more on the consumer reactions and less on the properties of the assessed product. Consumers expressed various emotions in time and the ham samples evoked different emotional reactions as an effect of duration of the impression.
2016
38 citations
It’s a two-way street: Automatic and controlled processes in children’s emotional responses to moral transgressions
Dys & Malti
This study examined children’s automatic, spontaneous emotional reactions to everyday moral transgressions and their relations with self-reported emotions, which are more complex and infused with controlled cognition. We presented children with six everyday moral transgression scenarios in an experimental setting, and both their spontaneous facial emotional reactions and self-reported emotions in the role of the transgressor were recorded. We found that across age, self-reported guilt was positively associated with spontaneous fear, and self-reported anger was positively related to spontaneous sadness. In addition, we found a developmental increase in spontaneous sadness and decrease in spontaneous happiness. These results support the importance of automatic and controlled processes in evoking children’s emotional responses to everyday moral transgressions. We conclude by providing potential explanations for how automatic and controlled processes function in children’s everyday moral experiences and how these processes may change with age.
2016
30 citations
More emotional facial expressions during episodic than during semantic autobiographical retrieval
El Haj, Antoine, Nandrino
There is a substantial body of research on the relationship between emotion and autobiographical memory. Using facial analysis software, our study addressed this relationship by investigating basic emotional facial expressions that may be detected during autobiographical recall. Participants were asked to retrieve 3 autobiographical memories, each of which was triggered by one of the following cue words: happy, sad, and city. The autobiographical recall was analyzed by a software for facial analysis that detects and classifies basic emotional expressions. Analyses showed that emotional cues triggered the corresponding basic facial expressions . Furthermore, we dissociated episodic and semantic retrieval, observing more emotional facial expressions during episodic than during semantic retrieval, regardless of the emotional valence of cues. Our study provides insight into facial expressions that are associated with emotional autobiographical memory. It also highlights an ecological tool to reveal physiological changes that are associated with emotion and memory.