Apple has purchased Emotient, a San Diego-based startup that uses artificial-intelligence technology to read people’s emotions. Emotient analyzes facial expressions to understand emotions by using artificial intelligence-based algorithms that identify moods and feelings. As reported in The Wall Street Journal, the software is used by marketers to identify the emotions of consumers and to read signs of pain amongst patients that cannot freely express their emotions. Emotient leverages deep learning technology that draws upon neural networks to map facial expressions to emotions. The acquisition represents Apple’s latest foray into the hot space of facial recognition technology. Apple’s acquisition of Emotient builds upon its October acquisition of VocalIQ, a Cambridge, England-based artificial intelligence startup dedicated to speech recognition. Terms of the acquisition of Emotient were not disclosed.
Cloud Computing Today 