Social media giant Facebook has purchased a facial analysis software firm linked to Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University.
Details of the deal weren't revealed by California-based Facebook or FacioMetrics, the CMU spinoff.
FacioMetrics has developed software called IntraFace which can be downloaded onto mobile phones and enables users to do real-time facial image analysis.
The company's CEO is Fernando De la Torre, an associate research professor at the school's Robotics Institute.
Facebook says the company's software can be used to monitor the emotions of medical patients or even to assess the audience reaction to a public speaker or even be used to detect drowsy drivers. But it will also enable Facebook users to express themselves through special effects that can manipulate photos and videos with facial images.
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