Wageningen, The Netherlands, 4 October 2007 – Noldus Information Technology, supplier of innovative software tools and integrated solutions for behavioral research, announces the release of a revolutionary new product: FaceReader™. FaceReader is the first automated software system capable of automatically detecting and analyzing human facial expressions. The product is poised to be a pioneering tool in a wide range of research disciplines including Human-Computer Interaction, Usability Testing, Market Research, Consumer Behavior, Psychology, and Education.

Emotions. The human face provides a number of signals essential for interpersonal communication in our social life. It is one of our most direct and natural means of communicating and helps us to recognize a person’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions just from a single glance. FaceReader is the first system on the market to automatically recognize specific properties in facial images and interpret them according to the six fundamental human emotions: happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared, disgusted, and a ‘neutral state’. It can also automatically classify faces based on gender, age, ethnicity, and facial hair. Using advanced computer vision algorithms, FaceReader performs the classification without the need for markers, calibration or training. The automatic classification of facial expressions is highly beneficial for use in fields such as human-computer interaction, usability testing, behavioral science, medicine, communication, and education. According to Marten den Uyl from developing partner VicarVision bv, and inventor of FaceReader , “many research groups around the world have attempted to develop a robust marker-free facial expression recognition tool. We are proud to be the first who have succeeded.”

Multimodality. Data acquired with FaceReader can be easily imported into The Observer XT, Noldus’ state-of-the-art software tool for the collection, analysis, and presentation of observational data. Once the data is imported into The Observer, it can then be synchronized with event logs, keystrokes, mouse clicks, digital video files, captured computer screens, eye-tracking data, and physiological signals such as heart rate. Facial expression data can be exported to analytical and database programs such as Microsoft Access, Excel, and SPSS. FaceReader saves valuable time and resources during research sessions.

Affective computing. Facial expressions detected by FaceReader can be accessed real-time by other applications, making the program an ideal tool for research into affective computing and the design of adaptive interfaces. In other words, FaceReader allows other software programs to respond instantaneously to the emotional state of the user. 

Noldus Information Technology is a leading developer of software tools and integrated solutions for the study of human behavior. Technologies include advanced digital video, observational data collection, physiological data acquisition, eye tracking, user-system interaction logging, facial expression data analysis, and pattern detection. With global headquarters in The Netherlands, the company operates from offices across Europe, the United States, and via a worldwide network of distributors.

Press contact:
Hans Theuws, product manager
Noldus Information Technology bv
Email: h.theuws@noldus.nl
Phone: +31-317-473300