  Prior efforts to create an autonomous computer system capable of predicting
what a human being is thinking or feeling from facial expression data have been
largely based on outdated, inaccurate models of how emotions work that rely on
many scientifically questionable assumptions. In our research, we are creating
an empathetic system that incorporates the latest provable scientific
understanding of emotions: that they are constructs of the human mind, rather
than universal expressions of distinct internal states. Thus, our system uses a
user-dependent method of analysis and relies heavily on contextual information
to make predictions about what subjects are experiencing. Our system's accuracy
and therefore usefulness are built on provable ground truths that prohibit the
drawing of inaccurate conclusions that other systems could too easily make.
