Facebook Patents Emotion Detection Filters

Source: Moderate

A picture says a thousand words, however when Facebook has its way, your selfies will soon say a whole lot more. A patent filed by the social networking platform in 2016 was made public in June, showing it had been working on applications that can not just identify your emotional state based on facial markers, but would also pick an animated filter or mask based on its own findings.

The news follows hot on the heels of reports which the platform was also looking at tech that’s capable of launching closed eyes in photographs.

According to the patent, the software will finish its task mechanically , eliminating the need for consumers to scroll, click or swipe through a selection of filters. Facebook wrote that, if the software discover the subject of the photo is happy, it may provide a Happy Panda filter.

Sadness, anger, and surprise, on the other hand, may result in a Gushing Tears, Angry Bird, and Surprised Eyes filters, respectively.

Why Is This Useful?

Such technology may be of immense benefit in a variety of situations. With so much social networking activity happening via mobile devices, it seems sensible that, in the majority of situations, users are actually busy with something else.

Should Facebook’s emotion detection patent result in something that eventually reaches its customers, it might permit them to continue doing what they need to perform, while still being able to look good from the pictures that they post online.

By way of instance, if a player wins a Slots jackpot, one of the first things that they want to do is choose a selfie that captures their moment of success. But, there is normally a great deal going on around them at the moment, from different players congratulating them, to officials describing how the winnings will be paid out.

With Facebook’s emotion detection selfie technology, if you won a jackpot at our online casino Canada, you’d simply need to choose the image, and allow the software do the rest of the job. You’d be able to post the ideal selfie that will make your friends jealous.

How It Works

The software set out in the patent is an extension of its existing systems capable of gauging emotion based on facial features. The new technology, nevertheless, should also be able to take factors such as your profile data, place, and surrounding features represented in the photo.

Facebook provided the example of a user visiting a zoo. If they visited the panda enclosure, and also took a picture of themselves looking happy, the software could provide a Happy Panda filter, even in response to facial features in addition to the discovery of a panda from the backdrop. A different background would result in a different mask. By way of instance, if a heart shape is discovered, the suggested filter may be Loved.

Blinking is something we do automatically, even when we are attempting to choose the best selfie ever. It’s also something that at least one individual in any group photo must do. How many pictures would be ideal but for eyes that are closed?

That also will not be a problem, if the social networking platform’s programmers have anything related to it. According to a study paper it published earlier this year, it had been looking at creating technologies able to correct red eyes, remove unsightly blemishes and marks, and make shut eyes seem as if they are available. If realised, it will be the first applications to produce such edits while taking lighting and other variable factors into consideration.

Obviously, given the new Facebook information scandal, whether consumers will be comfortable enough to work with such creations remains to be seen.