Google Glass App Uses Facial Recognition to Read People’s Emotions

It’s no secret that in the digital age, social relationships are changing.

The rise of social media has forced us to rely on the ability to read between the lines more than ever as tweets and Facebook posts can offer only sentence fragments wrapped in emotional ambiguity. As online groups and activities replace real-life communities and events, face time with neighbors, friends, and even family is declining. We’re digitally interfacing continually with people from different cultures, ethnicities, and lifestyles without necessarily having to invest the time it takes to acclimate to their point of view, which often relies on nonverbal communication.

For all the good that our digital devices have brought us, are they affecting our ability to empathize with others? When it comes to understanding how other people are feeling, the answer appears to be yes.