By Simon Hodgson
British Telecommunications Plc says it has developed PC software that responds to users’ moods by modifying email and telephone message management. The software combines camera-based facial expression recognition with analysis of keyboard and mouse operation to determine a user’s state of mind. From this, it then regulates and prioritizes the user’s email and telephone communications. Users ‘train’ their own machines to teach them what their different expressions mean, but the software keeps learning using neural network technology to hone its behavior.
The camera uses gaze-tracking technology to learn in which sites a user is interested. By focusing on users’ eyes, it can tell which part of a screen they are watching, or whether a user is reading a document or simply scannning the whole screen. This information will be added to the user profile, from which the software can suggest links for particular tasks. Users can interact vocally with the computer, and ask questions like ‘what is this?’ knowing that the software is aware of what this is.
Researchers at BT’s Martlesham laboratories have been working on the Intelligent Personal Assistant software for more than two years, and the first fruits of this work may be commercially available as early as the second quarter next year. The initial releases will probably be the telephone and email management system that responds to keyboard and mouse activity. If a user is typing quickly and making mistakes, for example, the system deduces that they are stressed and therefore holds calls.
Costs are likely to be in the hundreds, not thousands of pounds; BT wants to target ordinary PC users, although PCs with video-conferencing facilities will have a headstart. BT will probably try to bundle the software with products such as its answering machine, although this system would appear to make answerphones redundant. Administrative assistants too, may be under threat, although BT was keen to assert that the system would only make them more efficient. With all communications controlled, says Ben Azvine, principal research scientist at BT Adastral Park, they would be able to concentrate on jobs that require real intelligence.
