Science Cafe, Tues., 1/7, 6–8 p.m.. Free, Greasy Luck Brewpub, 791 Purchase St., New Bedford. Open to everyone! Free, except for beer and food! If possible, come early & place an order. The Vault Room starts serving food/drink at 5:45.
Program: “Face Value; Why the science behind facial and emotion recognition technology is flawed.”
We’re pleased to announce that our next guest will be Jennifer Fugate, Ph.D., a social-cognitive psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Mass. Dartmouth.
Emotion detection by means of Artificial Intelligence is a $20 billion industry. Companies such as Microsoft and IBM advertise that they have software that can “analyze facial expressions” and “match them to certain emotion categories,” a golden goose for any group wanting to read peoples’ intentions.
Jen will explain why companies making these claims are wrong. Of note, due to her expertise in emotion & facial perception, and her skills as a certified Facial Action Coding System (FACS) coder, she served as a consultant for Malcolm Gladwell and his latest book Talking With Strangers. She helped him understand, among other things, why we easily fail to read each other’s bodily cues and why miscommunication is such a common occurrence.
What is a Science Café? There are dozens, if not hundreds, worldwide. They are informal gatherings, often at a pub or restaurant, between a local scientist or expert who sheds light on a certain topic and anyone interested. Café-goers range from techies to those with little exposure to science. For more info: 508-984-1955. Keep track of events by visiting http://www.nbsciencecafe.com or join our FaceBook page (New Bedford Science Café).c•••
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal.
Click here to download the entire 1/2/20 issue: 01-02-20 OldTimeHoliday
