Every day the evolution of technology further changes the way mankind operates. From the wheel to the automobile, and from the automobile to the airplane, and needless to say it will not be stopping there. "Making Mona Lisa Smile" by Nick D'Alto is an article about a groundbreaking new innovation which could vastly impact civilization in ways that have yet to be thought of. This new technology -- the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) -- will allow both mankind and computers to identify human emotions, which will be beneficial in many areas, but most of all in the classroom. Sometimes it can be difficult for teachers to be aware of when students are unable to focus on the task at hand. Something like the FAC System will enable teachers or computers to be aware of when students are losing focus, and to either change focus or to get the student back on task. Using this technology to read student's emtional expressions would be extremely valuable for the student's ability to learn.

D'Alto talks about how the FAC System is capable of detecting emotions based on the positioning of muscles. This makes it possible for teachers, computer, and honestly anyone to know what someone could be thinking. "'A classroom computer could recognize when a student is becoming confused or bored,' Dr. Huang predicts. 'Then it could modify the lesson, like an effective human instructor'" (Paragraph 6). This ability to modify the lesson to keep the student learning throughout the full period of classtime would dramatically increase the amount of knowledge the student took in over the course of the class. Instead of losing focus after an hour -- or even just 15 minutes -- this technology could scan the faces of students to detect whether they have lost focus and become bored, are feeling frustrated and unable to understand, or even hopelessly lost. The Facial Action Coding System would turn this boredom into concentration, this frustration into comprehension, and this confusion into clarity. Instead of losing class time or missing the lessons because of a lack of comprehension or focus then the lesson can be adapted or the student can be brought back on task, greatly expanding the capacity in which they can further their knowledge.

The ability to read emotions would be undeniably beneficial for the knowledge students gain. Instead of wasting time unfocused or lost they can be put back on task or have the lesson changed up to make it more engaging or just easier to follow. Students will spend more time learning and less time trying to understand what they missed while the lesson moves on. This technology -- the Facial Action Coding System -- will no doubt be extremely beneficial in the learning environment.