New Software Deciphers Human Emotions, Facial Expressions; nViso Uses Science to Revolutionize Marketing Process

June 08, 2011 08:05 ET

New Software Deciphers Human Emotions, Facial Expressions; nViso Uses Science to Revolutionize Marketing Process

Understanding Customer Emotions Just Got Easier; Neuroscience Meets Web 2.0 to Conceive a Technology That Is Able to Track and Decipher Facial Micro-Expressions and Eye Movements in Real Time, Using a Standard Webcam in Home Environments

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwire - Jun 8, 2011) - nViso co-founder Dr. Matteo Sorci today unveiled facial imaging software that is able to accurately detect and decode facial micro-expressions and eye movements, at the ESOMAR Conference on Neuroscience in Amsterdam, June 8, 2011.

The proprietary technology uses these expressions and movements to precisely interpret human emotions, allowing Marketers to track and understand the emotional effects triggered by products and brand messages at levels of accuracy previously not possible.

"Armed with understanding of consumer emotions and a direct path to the subconscious, the marketing community will have access to emotion metrics that are far more precise than surveys, but without the complexity of monitoring brain waves. Superior metrics help businesses to develop more engaging products, enhance the usability experience and launch more effective campaigns at faster rates and less cost," says Tim Llewellynn, nViso co-founder.

Emerging as the pioneer in emotion video analytics, Swiss-based nViso uses artificial intelligence and machine learning systems to decipher human emotions, providing a cost-effective and scalable alternative to brain imaging or medical equipment used in neuro-marketing.

"Many Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies have been experimenting with facial recognition technology in retail research settings. nViso's software adds a critical dimension to the marketing process based on exact emotional intelligence gathered in real-time," says Tim Llewellynn.

Only using a standard webcam or similar video equipment, nViso tracks over 143 different facial points to identify a range of features and relates them to models developed with facial databases.

The technology is based on theoretical work by Dr. Paul Ekman which demonstrates that universal emotions are precisely and sub-consciously revealed by minor changes in micro-expressions in the face. For instance, someone who is surprised commonly raises their eyebrows, opens their mouth and drops their lower jaw.

The search for ways to capture and analyze consumer emotions has been a research priority for years. Ventures into neuro-marketing have been difficult to integrate into existing research frameworks for broader use. Up until today, it has been difficult to link the measurement of emotions with analytics in a scalable way that can be put into a daily business practice.

"Emotion video analytics combined with data-derived insights is a huge opportunity for marketing organizations to harness. By understanding customer emotions through technology that deciphers and decodes facial expressions, business leaders have a tool that creates new competitive advantages," says Roberto Longhin, Marketing Projects Lead from Accenture Media Agency, Milan, Italy.

nViso is the brainchild of Matteo Sorci and Tim Llewellynn. The company received funding from The Swiss National Science Foundation in 2009 and instantly had the marketing community abuzz. Since, nViso has been approached by social networks, advertising agencies and FMCGs for collaboration.

nViso also anticipates its technology will be used in the medical, automotive and security industries, where combining computer technology and psychology is imperative.

For more information, please visit www.nviso.ch

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New Software Deciphers Human Emotions, Facial Expressions; nViso Uses Science to Revolutionize Marketing Process