[Colloq] Hiring Talk, Monday, Jan. 24, 10:30am - Winslow Burleson, MIT

[Rachel Kalweit]

College of Computer and Information Science Colloquium

Presents:
Winslow Burleson, MIT Media Lab

Who will speak on:
Affective Computing: transforming the relationships between products, 
environments, and user experience

Monday, January 24, 2005
10:30am
366 West Village H
Northeastern University

Abstract:
Affective Computing is leading to a deeper understanding of people’s 
emotional relationships with products, environments, and experience. 
Through exploratory design and user testing of smart systems, embedded 
technologies, and collaborative environments researchers are developing 
a new framework for interaction design.  Real-time affective sensing is 
being used to measure and interpret elements of user experience such as 
physiology, contextual actions, and social interactions.  This awareness 
enables dynamic tailoring of function and focus, to affect user 
experience and outcome.  For example, an expressive Affective Learning 
Companion sensing user interest through patterns of posture, facial 
expression, pressure exerted on a mouse, and skin conductivity might 
choose to delay intervention to allow the user to continue exploration. 
On the other hand, if frustration were sensed, the companion might 
display concern through appearance and body posture as it engages in 
non-verbal expression as a form of empathy.  This interaction could 
provide social support and draw attention to the user’s affect, to 
facilitate self-awareness and mitigate the negative impact of 
frustration.  These interactions form relationships between people, 
products, environments, and experiences that are enhanced because they 
take into account emotions and context.  Investigations at the 
confluence of affect, experience, and usage are transforming the design 
of information technology.

Bio:
Winslow Burleson is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Affective Computing Group 
at the MIT Media Lab.  He received a BA in Physics from Rice University 
and an MSE from Stanford University in Product Design. He has taught 
brainstorming and visual thinking at Stanford and has worked at IBM 
Research, the SETI Institute, Space Telescope Science Institute, and 
UNICEF.  His research addresses real-time affective sensing, 
relationship building, and user experience

Host: Peter Tarasewich