If you've been shopping for a point-and-shoot digital camera lately, you know that face detection technology -- which automatically recognizes human faces in a frame and optimizes expsoure and focus for them -- is the latest must-have. Researchers at a German semiconductor institute may have the next step with a system that not only recognizes faces but can tell if they're male or female and happy or cranky.
Exactly how this would work in cameras is a bit fuzzy -- an "emo" mode that blurts out "Cheer up, girl!" as needed? But you can play with a demo version to see how it works.
Innovations: New Face Detection spies gender, mood[Adorama]
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