Affective Computing

M.I.T Media Laboratory Perceptual Computing Section Technical Report No. 321 Revised November 26, 1995; Submitted for publication.

A ective Computing
R. W. Picard
MIT Media Laboratory; Perceptual Computing; 20 Ames St., Cambridge, MA 02139 picard@media.mit.edu, http://www.media.mit.edu/~picard/

Abstract
Recent neurological studies indicate that the role of emotion in human cognition is essential; emotions are not a luxury. Instead, emotions play a critical role in rational decision-making, in perception, in human interaction, and in human intelligence. These facts, combined with abilities computers are acquiring in expressing and recognizing a ect, open new areas for research. This paper de nes key issues in \a ective computing," computing that relates to, arises from, or deliberately in uences emotions. New models are suggested for computer recognition of human emotion, and both theoretical and practical applications are described for learning, human-computer interaction, perceptual information retrieval, creative arts and entertainment, human health, and machine intelligence. Signi cant potential advances in emotion and cognition theory hinge on the development of affective computing, especially in the form of wearable computers. This paper establishes challenges and future directions for this emerging eld. Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. { Marie Curie Emotions have a stigma in science; they are believed to be inherently non-scienti c. Scienti c principles are derived from rational thought, logical arguments, testable hypotheses, and repeatable experiments. There is room alongside science for \non-interfering" emotions such as those involved in curiosity, frustration, and the pleasure of discovery. In fact, much scienti c research funded by defense budgets has been essentially prompted by fear. Nonetheless, emotions are generally regarded as wreaking havoc on reasoning. Although emotions pervade science, their role has been... [continues]

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