You can usally tell when a friend is upset right? You can tell by there facial expression. Well there's a new system called "FACS". It reconizes emotions.

"FACS" stands for Facial Action Coding Systems. It makes a " 3-D computer model of your face." In oder for this to work " all 44 major muscles in the model must move like human muscles." Dr. Paul Eckman is the creator of "FACS". He has been able to "classify six basic emotions such as happiness, sadness, suprise, anger, disgust, and fear." Then he sees which muscles moves with each one and associates this with each emotion. For example " when you move your 'frontalis par lateralis' muscle (above your eyes) it raises your eyebrows when you're suprised." Also if " your 'orbicularis oris' (around your mouth) tightens your lips to show anger."

How is this used in computers? It is used in computer when it reconizes which muscles move to make that facial expression. They say " Imagine if your computer could reconize when your happy or sad." For example " if you smiled when a web ad appears on your screen, then a similar ad might appear next time. But if you frown, then the next time the ad will be different." What if a "classroom computer could reconize when a kid is becoming confused or bored, then they could modifiy the lesson, like a effective human instrutor."

In conclusion "FACS" could help us understand emotions better. It could help improve kids grades in school by changing the lesson when they get confused or bored. It could help us understand early are work where it is a portrait. When could find out the emotion of the painting and maybe if the person was happy, sad, in fear, anger, or even disgusted.