A Microsoft patent application came to light this week revealing how they want to make personal computing a lot more 'cooler' for users in the future. This week Microsoft's cool new hybrid notebook called the 'Surface Book' comes to market and many will be jumping on Microsoft's first notebook that is being hailed by Engadget as the ultimate laptop. Yet Microsoft's latest invention is about a whole different kind of cool.
According to Microsoft's patent filing, the repeated triggering of the stress reflex during daily activity may result in chronic stress, leading to a large array of adverse health conditions such as depression, hypertension, and various forms of cardiovascular diseases. In order to mitigate user stress, the stress level of a user of a computing device may be detected in an unobtrusive and continuous, semi-continuous, or periodic manner so that user stress can be assessed without creating additional stress on the user.
To detect user stress in an unobtrusive manner, sensor readings from one or more input devices of the computing device may be monitored. For example, the pressure applied to the keys of a pressure-sensitive keyboard and/or the pressure, contact area, etc., of input applied to a capacitive mouse may be monitored to sense the manifestations of stress in the user.
If the user appears to be operating under a relatively high amount of stress, one or more actions may be taken to attempt to mitigate the user's stress, such as delaying notifications and/or computer updates displayed to the user, or by outputting a notification to the user indicating his or her stress level.
Microsoft's patent FIG. 1 noted above shows a schematic diagram of a user stress detection and mitigation environment 100. The environment includes a notebook operated by a user (or any computing devices such as a desktop computer, tablet, smart phone, or other suitable device. Computing device 102 includes a logic machine and a data holding machine in communication with one or more input, display, and/or peripheral devices.
Any of the computing devices referred to earlier may include a sensor subsystem including one or more image sensors, microphones, etc., configured to capture user posture, gestures, and/or voice input. If the user consents, the posture, gestures, and/or voice input may be interpreted by the computing device to determine a relative stress level of the user, for example an increased amount of gesturing or the use of strong language (e.g., expletives) may indicate a high level of stress.
Further, user stress may be determined based on recognition of facial features associated with stress by information captured by the sensor subsystem. Example facial features associated with stress may include furrowed eyebrows, pursed lips, clenched jaw, flared nostrils, skin color (e.g., increased or decreased blood flow and/or heart rate may be captured by a thermal camera by comparing forehead and nose colors or heat maps).
Example types of stress include cognitive load, chronic stress, heightened arousal, remembering past memories, physical stress, fear, and danger. Additionally, some types of stress may be assumed to be desired or expected, depending on the context of the detected stress. For example, heightened arousal may be acceptable in certain contexts, such as games where stress can be helpful.
How your Future Computer could calm you down
According to Microsoft, "if it is detected that the user is experiencing a relatively high level of stress, one or more actions may be taken to assist the user in mitigating his or her stress. For example, the environment in which the user is working may be made more soothing by adjusting the lighting, sound volume, or other environmental conditions. In other examples, the user may be notified in an unobtrusive manner that his or her stress level has increased.
For example, a smart-lamp on your desk would be able to automatically adjust to a warmer light color to create a more soothing environment, and/or the light output by the lamp may be adjusted to subtly notify the user that their stress level has increased.
Other examples of mechanisms for notifying the user include adjusting a system tray icon, adjusting a color of the keyboard, adjusting a color of the display device, providing feedback via clothing (e.g. clothing that hugs the user and/or clothing that provides haptic feedback that mimics a tap or tap on the shoulder), outputting an auditory notification, etc.
By notifying the user of his or her stress level, the user may take measures to reduce his or stress, such as taking a walk, meditating, etc. In some embodiments, a person other than the user could additionally or alternatively be notified of the user's stress level, such as a family member or the user's social network.
Does this sound like something you'd like to see Microsoft to pursue or is it just a little too creepy that they want to make your future PC just a little too personal?
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