The Digital Signage ExpertMeasurement being on everyone’s mind these days, it was felt that I review some of the more futuristic methods.
Voice
Sound Intelligence Amersfoort, NL 3824 Netherlands Industry: Measurement info@soundintel.com http://www.soundintel.com/en They have software that can detect aggression, now being used in London
Blood temperature
Optics and Photonics for Counterterrorism and Crime Fighting V, Colin Lewis, Editors, 748606
Emotional or physical stresses induce a surge of adrenaline in the bloodstream under the command of the sympathetic nerve system, which, cannot be suppressed by training. The onset of this reduced level of adrenaline triggers several physiological chain reactions in the body, such as dilation of pupil and an increased feed of blood to muscles etc. This paper reports for the first time how Electro-Optics (EO) technologies such as hyperspectral [1,2] and thermal imaging[3] methods can be used for the detection of stress remotely. Preliminary result using hyperspectral imaging technique has shown a positive identification of stress through an elevation of hemoglobin oxygenation saturation level in the facial region, and the effect is seen more prominently for the physical stressor than the emotional one. However, all results presented so far in this work have been interpreted with the baseline information as the reference point, and that really has limited the overall usefulness of the developing technology. The present result has highlighted this drawback and it prompts for the need of a quantitative assessment of the oxygenation saturation and to correlate it directly with the stress level as the top priority of the next stage of research.
Micro Expressions
http://www.kameda- lab.org/research/publication/2009/20091203_ICDP/200912_ICDP_senya.pdf
Facial expressions are an important part of a person’s affect. Any act that is intended to cause pain, suffering, or damage to another person. Aggressive behavior is often used to gain status or access to blocked territories. In these cases we are talking about “thinking” about it i.e. fantasies involving hurting others. These thoughts will reflect on facial constitution. The key ingredient in aggression is that it is deliberate.
Sigmund Freud explained aggression in terms of a death wish or instinct (Thanatos) that is turned outward toward others in a process called displacement. Aggressiveness is not always channeled toward a specific person, but can be expressed indirectly through safe, socially acceptable behavior, thus masking intent to the normal viewer. These subtle inflections can be registered by software.
Heartbeat
Millimeter radar wave through-clothing, through-luggage is currently in use
at airports. By synchronizing the pulses of a microwave signal with the person’s heartbeat and beaming the radiation at the chest area, this is a phenomenon called “radar hearing” The Life Assessment Detector System (LADS), a microwave Doppler movement measuring device, can detect human body surface motion, including heartbeat and respiration, at ranges up to 135 feet (41.15 meters). The primary function of the LADS is to provide a reliable method by which medical and emergency personnel canlocate personnel buried in building collapses or injured on the military battlefield.
Source: Millivision Corp.
Northampton, MA
http://www.millivision.com/
Gait
Digital Imaging refers to the increasingly convergent fields of digital image capture, digital processing of images, computer graphical modeling and digital rendering of virtual environments. Launched in 2000, the Digital Imaging Research Centre (DIRC) was created to integrate and improve research excellence in digital imaging across the University. By applying high quality academic research to the solution of real industrial problems the centre seeks to strengthen its external links with industry and other medical and academic institutions. Currently, the centre boasts research groups in Intelligent Visual Surveillance and Medical Imaging which already enjoy strong external links with industry and hospitals.
Physiological Changes
Ehud Givon ceo WeCu Technologies Israel Industry: Measurement ehud@wecu-technologies.com http://www.epicos.com/epicos/extended/israel/wecu/wecu_home.html
Automated system for the detection of a person’s intent, which could be especially useful for detecting malicious intent, as in the case of terrorists, criminals and the like.
The current reality of international terrorism presents the need for early detection of individuals with malicious intent as a critical, widespread need. As a result, there is a worldwide effort to adopt advanced security measures in trying to overcome this critical gap. Emotion concepts are difficult to define, especially when considering motivation which is intangible because of its inferred state. What is mostly measured is the expression of emotions which is reflected in the heart rate, blood pressure, and hormone secretions. Certain motor responses are measurable too, especially those of the face. Facial expressions is covered in the topic micro expressions.
What makes these tools so powerful is that physiological changes are a result of an automatic response system in your body. It is a response system over which you have no control. While the physiological changes associated with emotions are triggered by the brain, they are carried out by the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems. In the 1880s, William James concluded the physiological changes associated with fear actually form the emotion itself (for example, “we are afraid because we tremble”), a view that has been challenged by cognitive psychologists since the 1950s.
The medical profession uses the term “pathways” to describe the ways the mind creates biochemical and physiological changes. The core question, how does the mind actually decide to change the body? And in what way?
The above are systems that are not yet in common use in retail digital signage as we know it. However variations of the theme are in service. Mainly eye tracking and RFID. Present system in use will be able to ascertain sex and age of the subject and if he/she is actually watching the screen or not. This information integrated with EPOS data can provide some form of proof that content has resulted in a call to action. As the markets acquire the technologies outlined, we will see a sophistication of tracking as never before. The question remains in the user, will, if found out, this put off the consumer. The key to this would be the judicious use of predictive programming by instilling the desire to be tracked in such a manner. The entertainment industry is working on this aspect already. Elite type bars and clubs are opening whereby the implanted chip is the only form of payment. This represent convenience and it is this functionality that is the key to retail sales, cool and convenient. If this is portrayed then the tracking will not be offensive but welcoming.
James van Etten, Editor, “Clippings”