Potential applications of affective computing in the surveillance work of CCTV operators

Affective computing is a branch of artificial intelligence that deals with the design of devices which can process human emotions. The data gathered by passive sensors can be compared to the cues humans use to perceive the affective state of others (e.g. a video camera might capture facial expressions, body posture or gestures). An automatic, machine-based emotion recognition system could operate on the basis of the output of these sensors. CCTV surveillance is a potential application for such a system which might be used to constantly monitor for mal-intent through the emotional cues exhibited by surveillance targets and alert CCTV operators as appropriate. Previous research showed that firearms are known to elicit certain emotional states in their bearers. Consequently, these states might be reflected in the change of the individuals body language. The potential for automating the detection of the associated emotional cues in image processing algorithms is discussed.