CopyMe: a portable real-time feedback expression recognition game for children

Assistive tools are commonly used to aid children experiencing emotional developmental problems associated with psychological disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In many cases early intervention is crucial to ease the struggle to identify key facial expressions and the emotions they are used to convey. Combining automatic facial expression recognition technology with real-time feedback on player performance, CopyMe is an iPad game that aims to provide a means for children to learn expressions to demonstrate emotions. In this paper, we discuss findings from a pilot study conducted at a childcare centre to evaluate the feasibility of CopyMe's use as a serious game for children to learn emotions through observation and mimicry. Based on observational and interview data, we found that the children, especially the ones affected by ASDs, were able to perform well in the game and generally expressed enjoyment during play. The design of CopyMe as well as our current findings will be most interesting for CHI attendees working in the domain of affective interfaces and serious games, especially those that target children.