Leading UK/US academics join "Google of Emotions" – further boosts ad industry

Two leading academics in affective computing (machine analysis of human emotions) and behavioural psychology are joining the advisory board of emotion measurement technology company Realeyes.

Working closely with Realeyes’ Chief Technology Officer, they will accelerate Realeyes’ Research Development, help advance the product offering and identify the leading talent in tracking facial expressions and measuring emotions.

Jeffrey Cohn, joining from facial measurement firm Affectiva, is the internationally-renowned Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh and Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.

Professor Cohn is a leading expert in automated facial coding and human emotions. Through his expertise in measuring non-verbal communication and the interpretation of human behaviour, Cohn will improve Realeyes’ research techniques and scientifically validate the methods employed.

Maja Pantic is Professor of Affective and Behavioural Computing at Imperial College, London. She is a leading member of the Intelligent Behaviour Understanding Group – one of the world’s most renowned entities on using machines to research and analyse human behaviour and its applications for the field of human-computer interaction (HCI).

With over 150 papers and 7,300 citations for her work, Professor Pantic’s key tasks are to ensure the latest cutting edge research techniques are applied to Realeyes’ analytics methodology and to bridge the gap between commercial and academic research into human emotions.

Dubbed “The Google of Emotions”, Realeyes measures facial expressions and quantifies people’s emotional reactions using standard video devices, such as webcams. Realeyes’ analytics platform is used by clients including Ipsos and AOL to improve advertising for over 60 Fortune 500 brands.

Mihkel Jäätma, Realeyes’ CEO: “Jeffrey and Maja are the “Dream Team” that will help us stay at the forefront of the latest science on using machines to measure human emotion. It’s also taking the entire industry a step closer to developing emotion measurement as a mainstream tool for improving communication between brands and people.”

For more info contact: Alex Burmaster, 020 3544 3570,

Published on: 11:02AM on 4th September 2013

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