Mood based artwork

A team of computer scientist from the University of Boston have created some software that analyses a persons emotions by using a digital camera to concentrate on eight key facial features that characterise the persons emotional state.

This then reports back to the software. So, for example if the person is happy the picture will be of bright colours and soft textures etc. Should the person be angry however then the picture will have more dramatic brush strokes and darker stronger colours.

Somehow I feel they’ve got it the wrong way around though. If I was angry, I wouldn’t want to get angrier by looking at a picture that would accent this state.

However, I suppose if I was happy, I wouldn’t want to look at pictures that make me more angry. Although I think that being in a state of happiness and looking at a picture that has angry tones would be better. The state you are in should give you an emotional distance from anger so you wouldn’t feel as strong a bond to the painting as if you were in the same state.

Its hard to explain in words, but basically the effect is felt more when you are in the same situation. If you are happy and you see something sad, the negative effect will be less of a hit then if you were already sad.

Good work though guys. It makes the pictures in Antitrust almost possible :)