Regulating livable areas for the development of harmonious interactive environments using emotional home automation technology
In Mexico, researchers are delving into an innovative approach to combat stress: the use of emotional domotics, a combination of intelligent home automation and facial analysis, to create emotionally responsive living environments.
The research, spearheaded by Mexican scientists, is investigating the potential of smart homes to not only detect but also influence users' emotional states. This integration of technology is drawing insights from various fields, including human-robot interaction, AI-driven home automation, psychological privacy, and personalized ambient experiences.
One key component of the research is the Facial Action Coding System, which is used to analyse facial expressions for emotional detection. This analysis is carried out through the FACET module of a biometric platform. The emotional impact on users is then assessed.
The initial experiments were conducted in an industrial production simulator, where the hue of the lights was varied to perceive their impact on subjects' emotions. Further experiments are planned to explore the influence of variables such as humidity and temperature on subjects' emotional states.
It is worth noting that nearly 43% of adults in Mexico report high levels of stress, a statistic that underscores the urgent need for effective stress relief measures. The research aims to address this issue by proposing the use of domotics to influence a user's emotional state, creating an interactive space that adapts to the user's emotions.
The researchers are also considering the use of audiovisual stimuli to induce emotions as a potential stress relief measure. However, the specific outcomes or findings of these experiments have not yet been detailed.
As the research progresses, there are concerns about privacy, control, and psychological impact. Users are increasingly aware of and sometimes uneasy about systems that infer emotional states using visual or physiological sensors. The researchers emphasise the importance of transparency about when, how, and why emotional data is collected and used.
In conclusion, the research highlights both the technical feasibility and social challenges of using domotics to influence users’ emotional states through facial expression analysis and intelligent ambient systems. As AI and sensor technologies continue to advance, transparent, ethical, and user-centered design will be crucial for the widespread adoption of these systems.
- The study of science, technology, and artificial intelligence in Mexico is focusing on the integration of health-and-wellness, specifically mental health, into smart home-devices, aiming to create emotionally responsive living environments.
- The research proposes using the Facial Action Coding System, a tool for analyzing facial expressions, as a method for detecting and potentially influencing users' emotional states.
- Lifestyle, home-and-garden, and gadgets industries could see significant growth with the development of technology that can analyze emotional states and adapt home environments accordingly.
- As the use of artificial intelligence and sensor technologies in emotional domotics grows, it is essential to address privacy concerns, ensuring transparency and ethical practices, to build user trust and foster widespread acceptance of these innovative solutions.
