INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Affect-recognition systems claim to be able to detect a person's underlying
emotional state
A leading research centre has called for new laws to restrict the use of emotion-detecting tech.The AI Now
Institute says the field is "built on markedly shaky foundations".Despite this, systems are on sale to help vet job seekers, test criminal
suspects for signs of deception, and set insurance prices
It wants such software to be banned from use in important decisions that affect people's lives and/or determine their access to
opportunities.The US-based body has found support in the UK from the founder of a company developing its own emotional-response technologies
- but it cautioned that any restrictions would need to be nuanced enough not to hamper all work being done in the area.Ever-changingAI Now
refers to the technology by its formal name, affect recognition, in its annual report.It says the sector is undergoing a period of
significant growth and could already be worth as much as $20bn (£15.3bn)."It claims to read, if you will, our inner-emotional states by
interpreting the micro-expressions on our face, the tone of our voice or even the way that we walk," explained co-founder Prof Kate
Crawford."It's being used everywhere, from how do you hire the perfect employee through to assessing patient pain, through to tracking which
students seem to be paying attention in class."At the same time as these technologies are being rolled out, large numbers of studies are
showing that there is no substantial evidence that people have this consistent relationship between the emotion that you are feeling and the
way that your face looks." Prof Crawford suggested that part of the problem was that some firms were basing their software on the work of
Paul Ekman, a psychologist who proposed in the 1960s that there were only six basic emotions expressed via facial emotions.But, she added,
subsequent studies had demonstrated there was far greater variability, both in terms of the number of emotional states and the way that
people expressed them."It changes across cultures, across situations, and even across a single day," she said.Micro-expressionsAI Now gives
several examples of companies that are selling emotion-detecting products, some of which have already responded.Oxygen Forensics was cited
for offering emotion-detecting software to the police, but defended its efforts."The ability to detect emotions, such as anger, stress, or
anxiety, provide law-enforcement agencies additional insight when pursuing a large-scale investigation," said its chief operating officer,
Lee Reiber."Ultimately, we believe that responsible application of this technology will be a factor in making the world a safer
place."Another example was HireVue, which sells AI-driven video-based tools to recommend which candidates a company should interview
It uses third-party algorithms to detect "emotional engagement" in applicants' micro-expressions to help make its choices.Image Copyright
Cody GodwinCody Godwin"Many job candidates have benefited from HireVue's technology to help remove the very significant human bias in the
existing hiring process," spokeswoman Kim Paone told Reuters news agency.Cogito, which has developed voice-analysis algorithms for
call-centre staff to help them detect when customers are becoming distressed, was also mentioned."Before emotion detection can own making
automated decisions, the industry needs more proof that machines can in fact effectively and consistently detect human emotion," its chief
executive Joshua Feast told the TheIndianSubcontinent."What can be done today, is to evaluate the behaviours that proxy for certain emotions
and provide that intelligence to a human to help them make a more informed decision
For tomorrow and the future, it's up to all practitioners and leaders in the field to collaborate, research, and develop solutions that help
foster deeper, common understanding that will eventually lead to more connected relationships with one another - not in spite of technology,
but because of it."The TheIndianSubcontinent also asked some of the other named companies for comment, but got no reply.Context
requiredEmteq - a Brighton-based firm trying to integrate emotion-detecting tech into virtual-reality headsets - was not among those flagged
for concern.Its founder said that while today's AI systems could recognise different facial expressions, it was not a simple matter to
deduce what the subject's underlying emotional state was."One needs to understand the context in which the emotional expression is being
made," explained Charles Nduka."For example, a person could be frowning their brow not because they are angry but because they are
concentrating or the sun is shining brightly and they are trying to shield their eyes
Context is key, and this is what you can't get just from looking at computer vision mapping of the face."He, too, thought there was need to
Image Copyright EmteqEmteqBut he expressed concern that in doing so, lawmakers did not restrict the work he and others were doing to try to
use emotion-detecting software in the medical field."If things are going to be banned, it's very important that people don't throw out the
baby with the bathwater," he said.
