Only less than a month ago, Facebook started rolling out their overhauled in-camera app aimed to take a swing at augmented reality pioneer, Snapchat. This move comes as a no surprise as we’ve seen Instagram only a few months ago upgrade their app to have the same features as Snapchat. Now, with the acquisition of FacioMetrics the experience will may be one day be more unique with facial gesture controls. The startup first caught Facebook’s attention with Intraface, an app that was able to detect seven different emotions in people’s faces.
For now, TechCrunch revealed Facebook will momentarily use FacioMetrics to enhance its Snapchat selfie Lens-style augmented reality face masks that are making their way into videos and Live broadcasts.
We have no information of how much the startup was acquired for, but Fernando De la Torre, founder of FacioMetrics wrote that:
We started FacioMetrics to respond to the increasing interest and demand for facial image analysis – with all kinds of applications including augmented/virtual reality, animation, audience reaction measurement, and others. We began our research at Carnegie Mellon University developing state-of-the-art computer vision and machine learning algorithms for facial image analysis. Over time, we have successfully developed and integrated this cutting-edge technology into battery-friendly and efficient mobile applications, and also created new applications of this technology.
Now, we’re taking a big step forward by joining the team at Facebook.
Though it may be a long way off, it’s not hard to imagine Facebook will use the technology to let you add a like or one of its emoji reactions by reading facial expressions. The acquisition of the Carnegie Mellon University spinoff company called FacioMetrics may be the move it needs to avoid more loyalists from slipping away from the social giant.