Assessment of Human Emotion and Arousal in Social Interaction through Thermal Infrared Imaging: New Insights for the Neurosciences and Human-machine Interaction (Winter Institute 2016)

Prof. Arcangelo Merla 2

 

Date: 13 January 2016 (Wednesday)

Time: 12:45-14:00

Venue: Room 101 & 104 Runme Shaw Building

Speaker: Professor Arcangelo Merla, Director of the Infrared Imaging and Near Infrared Imaging Labs Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technology (ITAB), University of Chieti, Italy

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Abstract

The evaluation of the psychophysiological state of the interlocutor is an important element of interpersonal relationships and communication. Thermal infrared (IR) imaging has proved to be a reliable tool for non-invasive and contact-less evaluation of vital signs, psychophysiological responses, and emotional states. This technique is quickly spreading in many fields, from psychometrics to social and developmental psychology; and from the touch-less monitoring of vital signs and stress, up to the human–machine interaction. In particular, thermal IR imaging promises to be of use for gathering information about affective states in social situations. This paper presents the state of the art of thermal IR imaging in psychophysiology and in the assessment of affective states. The goal is to provide insights about its potentialities and limits for its use in human–artificial agent interaction in order to contribute to a major issue in the field: the perception by an artificial agent of human psychophysiological and affective states.

About the speaker

Professor Arcangelo Merla is the Director of the Infrared Imaging and Near Infrared Imaging Labs Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technology (ITAB), University of Chieti, Italy. He is an expert in the fields of biomedical image and modeling with emphasis on clinical and biomedical applications of infrared imaging, functional infrared image in psychophysiology, and objective evaluation of stress and arousal in ecological conditions and real life situations.