We Need A Computer To Tell Us Mona Lisa Is Happy?
from the this-story-is-42%-ridiculous dept
In some new research that is just begging for an Ignobel Award, some researchers had a computer program look at Mona Lisa to determine if she's happy. You'll all be thrilled (and I can tell you that without the aid of a computer) to know that, indeed, she is happy. 83% happy, in fact (while also 9% disgusted, 6% fearful and 2% angry). Who knew that emotions came in percentages? Of course, you might wonder if they took into account the research saying that different nationalities smile in different ways. Either way, can we take a step back (happily or not) and point out two things? (1) She's a painting. She's not a real person. She doesn't exist and has no emotion. (2) Since when do you need a computer program to look at someone and tell if they're happy? Okay, now that I've got that off my chest, I'm 32% happier, but still 7% perplexed.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Precentages not degree, but degrees of belief
. Mona lisa is happy
and
- Mona lisa is sad
Therefore, it is 80% certain that she is smiling, but there is some probability that she is Perplexed. etc.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Precentages not degree, but degrees of belief
Is it then, just a coincedence that in this case, the degrees of belief all add up to 100%.
Or, I could just be wrong.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Precentages not degree, but degrees of belief
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
79% interested
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: 79% interested
Any art/history/humanities majors out there know what the great mystery is/was all about?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: 79% interested
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: 79% interested
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Where can I get one?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Where can I get one?
sorry...couldn't resist.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
ThEE OuT BUrsT!!! I GO OuT- POETIC
And... should we really..put all are... trust and hope in this science.. after all... science is always saying its right... then proving itself..that its wrong ...its true. I remember when people were excited about the lie detector test... and turns... to be faulty one. I have a friend who has passed a lie detector test on lying alone...what does that tell you... are bodies... are..too complex! Science alone cant...absolute the human emotion with "Yeeah..I am scientist...I know that I can detect your human emotion with my machine to the last digital percent.. ah doeey..ada da da."..Really..lets not play-ourselfs.......when science claims its right...with anything associated with complex matter and numbers..it always come back with a different number. You all been great..Thank You Thank You Very Much. Have a nice day.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
somewhat overzealous critique...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: somewhat overzealous critique...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
100% amused
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Emotion recognition is very important!
If someone is angry and software can recognize this, particular colors, tones and keywords could be used to influence the person’s mood and ease their anger. Or if a person is depressed or unhappy, the software could adapt and try to find a way to help the individual feel better. All of the attempts to alter the mood of the individual could be tracked and measured also by real time processing of those persons emotional responses. Psychology teaches us that colors, sounds, wording, and vocabulary has a major impact on our moods.
Testing this kind of software on media that we know to be a display of a particular emotion, as smug as it may be, could really help test and ensure the software is able to read said emotions to a greater degree of accuracy.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Emotion recognition is very important!
Indeed. But, testing it against a painting seems fairly useless. There's simply no way to determine how accurate it is.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Next...
Tommorow: are trees happy or sad?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Next...
Trees though... gotta be kinda miffed that they have to stand there for thier -whole- life. Kinda take the chipper outta me.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]