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Technology & Innovation

Mirror Mirror On The Wall: How Did My Day Go?

MIT scientists have combined a biosensor wristband, a special smartphone, and a mirror attached to a computer to create a system that lets its user review the emotional highs and lows of their day or someone else's.

What’s the Latest Development?


Currently being tested at MIT’s Media Lab is a system called Inside-Out that, true to its name, allows a person to visualize the emotional ups and down of a typical day. There are three main parts to the system: a biosensor embedded into a wristband, a smartphone that records its user’s surroundings and collects the biosensor data, and a one-way mirror in front of a computer with a Kinect sensor. On this mirror, the user can review their day’s events as received by the biosensor and smartphone, using gestures to indicate what they want to see. Inside-Out was presented earlier this year at the IEEE Pervasive Computing and Communication conference.

What’s the Big Idea?

There are many potential benefits to a system that display its user’s emotions in a tangible way, but one particular group — children and adults with autism, and their families — might find it especially valuable. “Because people with autism often struggle to articulate their emotions, Inside-Out could help parents and caregivers keep track of what events elicited a strong emotional response and act accordingly.”

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

Read it at New Scientisti


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