May be Facebook introduce some new features like facial gesture control in the future

Facebook could bring some new features like gesture control for its app thanks to acquisition of a Carnegie Mellon University spinoff company called FacioMetrics. The startup company made an app called "Intraface" that could detect seven different emotions in people’s faces, but it’s been removed from the app stores.

Intraface

Regarding to the acquisition Facebook wrote to the TechCrunch that:

"Future applications of deep learning platform on mobile: Gesture-based controls, recognize facial expressions and perform related actions,"

It’s not hard to imagine Facebook one day employing FacioMetrics’ tech and its own AI to let you add a Like or one of its Wow/Haha/Angry/Sad emoji reactions by showing that emotion with your face.

That’s probably a long way off, though.

Facebook also told that it use it will use FacioMetrics to enhance its Snapchat selfie Lens-style augmented reality face masks that are making their way into its videos and Live Broadcasts:

“How people share and communicate is changing and things like masks and other effects allow people to express themselves in fun and creative ways. We’re excited to welcome the Faciometrics team who will help bring more fun effects to photos and videos and build even more engaging sharing experiences on Facebook.” 

There are already some Facebook and Snapchat selfie masks that react to you opening your mouth or raising your eyebrows. FacioMetrics’ tech could add tons of new ways to trigger animated effects in your videos.

The social giant wouldn’t disclose the price it paid for FacioMetrics. But the startup’s founder Fernando De la Torre, an associate research professor at robots-and-self-driving car college Carnegie Mellon, wrote that:

"We started FacioMetrics to respond to the increasing interest and demand for facial image analysis – with all kinds of applications including augmented/virtual reality, animation, audience reaction measurement, and others. We began our research at Carnegie Mellon University developing state-of-the-art computer vision and machine learning algorithms for facial image analysis. Over time, we have successfully developed and integrated this cutting-edge technology into battery-friendly and efficient mobile applications, and also created new applications of this technology.Now, we’re taking a big step forward by joining the team at Facebook."

If Facebook wants to be the home for all our sentimental social content, teaching computers to understand our emotions could definitely come in handy.