One goal of the Affective Computing project is to build computer systems that can sense users' emotional states. One approach to achieving this goal is through affective wearable computing -- wearing small but powerful computers in your clothing that use non-invasive biosensors to sense biophysiological changes that reflect changes in emotional state. The Affective Jewelry project is an attempt to create low-cost biosensors that are comfortable, aesthetically acceptable, and fit into the existing kinds of clothing that people wear. We have integrated skin conductivity sensors into rings and shoes and made an earring out of a blood volume pressure sensor.
We are currently exploring the best method of transmitting this data wirelessly across the body. We have developed an infrared transmission system that can be used to transmit data to near-off body locations (see Rob Poor's IRX chip design, also used in the Locust project) and are developing a way to transmit bio-signals over the Personal Area Network (PAN) developed by Neil Gershenfeld's Physics and Media group.
The Blood Volume Pressure (BVP) earring. --photo by Frank Dabek
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) rings and bracelet. --photo by Frank Dabek
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) Shoes. --photos by Fernando Padilla