Sony files patent for system to detect your laughter, yawns, tears

Sony files patent for system to detect your laughter, yawns, tears

tech.yahoo.com

Freaked out by "Dead Space"? Bored by the latest version of "Madden"? Chortling your way (or not) through "The Hangover"? A proposed "laughter detection" system devised by Sony would feel your fright, sadness, or delight, and pass your emotions on to your PS3. Cool, or creepy?
Siliconera (by way of Joystiq and others) unearthed Sony's patent application for a laughter, sadness, and/or boredom detector, which would use a microphone and video cam mounted on your TV to scrutinize your expression and listen to your voice, then pass your "metadata" onto a gaming console (such as the PS3

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The system would also listen for laughter (illustrated in the patent filing by a helpful "Ha! Ha! Ha!" word bubble) or conversation over the game, movie, or other "presentation," which might indicate that you're losing interested in the program at hand, Siliconera reports.

OK, so ... what would Sony be doing with this emotional "metadata," then? That isn't quite clear from the patent filing (which, keep in mind, may or may not lead to an actual shipping product), but it's not hard to come up with some ideas—such as, say, in-game characters that react to your emotions.


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Wow! The future really is now!

tech.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Hi 1984, nice to meet you out in the open.

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This sounds cool and neat and all. But imagine the implications this could have for security... and how oppressive it could (potentially) make society.

Who is crazy enough to buy this? I'm pretty sure your playstation 3 won't be the only one getting information on you when you start playing with the console...

Eventually, this technology could potentially be built-in within television systems, thus having little cameras in every house that owns a T.V. In fact a sign of this would be if the government makes it a law for every house to own the newest version of the "updated" T.V....

I believe this sort of technology should only be implemented in cinemas for purposes of seeing how an audience reacts to movies for marketing purposes, however thinking of implementing this technology for T.V./gaming consoles is very creepy, since those are objects that lie in the privacy of one's home.

This technology is scary, I hope people fight against it when it is mass produced.

This is a capitalist market in action.

First, Wii dominated the gaming console market with their intuitive controller.

Then, Microsoft announced Project Natal that would make the Wii look like a throwback to the 80s.

Now, Sony begins its own project by building on what Natal promises and taking it a step further by intelligently reacting to emotions.

The next step will either be full virtual immersion, or complex artificial intelligence...or both.

Either way, it seems like we're making the Matrix a self-fulfilling prophecy...

Simple solution to anyones fears. Do not purchase the product. It is designed as an entertainment device. Anyone who is going into super paranoia mode need simply dispose of any electronic optics in the home, or any feedback electronics thatt send out data to another source.

I plan on utilizing the final product for my PS3, but I dont expect them to have a beta of this till proably 2011.

I dont even play Wii because it takes to much effort. Good lucky trying to get the other people like me to invest even more into a video game now by having us pour out our emotions.

Hell, guys don't even like expressing their emotions to the girls they sleep with. What makes them think that we will all of a sudden jump on the "Wii with Emotions" band wagon?

Seems like a pipe dream to me. Maybe a niche market.

[edit on 20-8-2009 by MrSmith]

What bothers me about this isn't that they'll have some device that can read my emotions. After all, an ordinarily sensitive person can do that without effort. What troubles me is that law enforcement types are trying to develop systems that recognize *potential* crimes, trying to read a person's face, emotions, etc., before he's even thought about doing something illegal.

I am concerned that some day machines are going to tag people as "potential" terrorists or criminals, based on some algorithm developed by some scientist or group. That could easily turn into an easy way to get rid of anyone you don't like. Just have them "predicted" to be criminals, before they've ever done a single thing wrong.


We've already got part of that in place, crimes of "intent do do X". You are presumed to intend to do something, based on other things that might not even be illegal. For example, you might conceivably have the ingredients to build a bomb, from ordinary household chemicals. Even if you had no such intent - even if you had not the slightest clue that some combination might be dangerous - you could be arrested for "intent" to make an explosive. This can happen, even if everything you have is perfectly legal to own. It's not likely, but it's a potential source of abuse if the PTB choose to hassle someone.

Originally posted by MrSmith
I dont even play Wii because it takes to much effort. . .

I am with you on that. But my kids and wife love the hell out of the Wii.

I will stick with my PC and Xbox 360,

Originally posted by Lemon.Fresh

Originally posted by MrSmith
I dont even play Wii because it takes to much effort. . .

But my kids and wife love the hell out of the Wii.

I guess your right, hmm.