Because this software, according to one of the researchers, does nothing short of redefining human-computer interaction. "Most of the 20th-century systems required humans to communicate with computers through windows, icons, menus, and pointing devices," says University of Notre Dame assistant professor of psychology Sidney D'Mello. "But humans have always communicated with each other through speech and a host of nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions, eye contact, posture, and gesture.
In addition to enhancing the content of the message, the new technology provides information regarding the cognitive states, motivation levels, and social dynamics of the students." The software, called Autotutor, "responds to the student's own questions, gripes, and comments and even senses a student's frustration or boredom through facial expressions and body posture. It then changes its strategies to help the student conquer those negative emotions" according to the researchers.
For marketers, the possibilities make the mind boggle. Imagine the marketing opportunities if your site can read not only the IP address of the visitor, but their emotional state, their level of engagement, what content stimulates them and what content bores them. Imagine how much more engagement your brand could create if you were able to tailor content not just to user data, actions and IP addresses but to emotional cues - in real time.
You would then have the Holy Grail of marketing platforms - one that would truly be able to carry on a responsive, one-to-one conversation with a customer. Over the last twenty years, customers have increasingly used technology to take more control of the marketing conversation, creating what we refer to as the Pinhole Economy as they become more and more selective about what, where and when they engage. Imagine how much more likely someone would be to buy from Amazon if the site could sense frustration from a shopper and adjust the product offerings accordingly. Or if it could read doubt and use that as a cue to serve up reviews focused on product performance. Or if it could sense confusion and in response offer a pop-up navigator to provide assistance. We've already seen one path through that Pinhole with Siri, the virtual assistant that responds to requests and even has a little personality. Responsive platforms like Siri, which deliver what I'm looking for when and where I'm looking for it, engender both affection and trust. And with the even higher levels of personal trust that occur when someone - or something - is able to read your emotional cues and respond accordingly, technology such as Autotutor offers us a glimpse of an even more streamlined path through the Pinhole.
Flickr image courtesy of O Caritas.
