TEACHING:

Spring 2009 MAS.771 Autism Theory and Technology (next offered: Spring 2011)

Fall 2008 MAS.622J Pattern Recognition and Analysis (next offered: Fall 2010)

Spring 2008 MAS.630 Affective Computing (next offered: Spring 2010)

Fall 2007 MAS.160 and MAS.510 Signals, Systems and Information (next offered: Fall 2009)

RESEARCH:

Affective Computing. Picard coined the term "Affective Computing" in 1994 for describing a new direction of research that she wanted to encourage people to think about, published a broad vision of the research as a technical report in January 1995, launched the Affective Computing Research Group in fall 1995, and published the first book on Affective Computing in 1997. Since then she has led a team at MIT pioneering research in developing new technologies for sensing, communicating, modeling, and responding intelligently to people's emotions, and for enabling people to better communicate, reflect on and learn more about emotion. Recent research is aimed at gaining new understanding of the interaction between affective processes and learning, autism, decision-making, customer experience, and health behavior change. Practical applications have included improving driver safety, helping people feel like walking (exercising), reducing frustration, and enhancing customer experience. Her team has also initiated research into the ethics of affective computing. Findings and results of the research have been communicated primarily through peer-reviewed publications and occasionally through the press.

PRIOR RESEARCH:

Texture and Pattern Modeling
Video and Image Libraries: Browsing, Retrieval, Annotation

RESEARCH GROUP:

I have the privilege of working with many outstanding students, postdoctoral associates, and visiting scientists in my group at MIT and with collaborators outside MIT. Our research has been enormously enriched by the diversity of backgrounds, cultures, personalities, and perspectives of these individuals working together.