Method for collecting and processing emotion data related to emotions caused by object, computer program, and computer system

Abstract

In this document a method for collecting and processing emotion data related to emotions caused by an object is disclosed. The method comprises providing (1010), by a first computer system (251), a digital survey to a number of subjects, wherein the digital survey is configured to include a plurality of emotion-related questions related to the object, and recording (1020) answers provided by the subjects, including the plurality of pre-defined emotion types and the causes. The method comprises determining (1030) cause categories based on the causes included in the recorded answers, wherein each one of the cause categories is associated with the plurality of pre-defined emotion types provided by the subjects with respect to a respective cause category; and determining (1040) a weight value or an order of importance of the determined number of cause categories based on a number of occurrence of the cause category and the pre-defined behavior values.

Description

[0001]

[0002] The present invention relates in general to methods, computer programs, and computer systems related to collecting emotion data from subjects related to emotions caused by an object, the object being, for example, a situation, an event, a process, or an entity, and processing the emotion data. In particular, however, not exclusively, the present invention concerns collecting and processing the emotion data to determine the most important emotions and to predict behavior regarding the object and related causes for said emotions among the subjects.

[0003] BACKGROUND

[0004] In different situations, such as regarding the current status or in changing environment or circumstances, it would be beneficial to know what emotions the status or the change generates in people, such as personnel, clients, or customers of a company or of any organization to be able to react to them or even be proactive about the emotions. If the emotions are known, one could, such as the management of the company or organization, better plan how to communicate the change or any parts or stages thereof to the people affected by it. However, merely asking whether something is good or bad, such as by a satisfaction survey, does not in many cases give enough information to predict how people will behave. There is, thus, still a need to develop solutions for collecting and processing emotion data such that as an outcome to the processing, or analysis, useful information can be obtained for predicting human behavior regarding the current status or in changing environment or circumstances, or even plan how to proactively affect the behavior.

[0005] SUMMARY

[0006] An objective of the present invention is to provide a method for collecting and processing emotion data related to emotions caused by an object, a computer program, and a computer system. Another objective of the present invention is that the method, the computer program, and the computer system provide a way to predict behavior or at least recognize the most important emotions and causes for them to be able focus on what really matters.

[0007] The objectives of the invention are reached by a method for collecting and processing emotion data related to emotions caused by an object, a computer program, and a computer system as defined by the respective independent claims.

[0008] According to a first aspect, a method for collecting and processing emotion data related to emotions caused by an object, the object being, for example, a situation, an event, a process, or an entity, is provided. It may be substantially anything that can generate an emotion in a subject (person).

[0009] The method comprises providing, by a first computer system, a digital survey to a number of subjects, wherein the digital survey is configured to include a plurality of emotion- related questions related to the object. The digital survey is configured to include a first question about emotion types generated with respect to the object and to provide answering options to the first question, including at least a plurality of pre-defined emotion types of which the subjects are to choose one or more emotion types, wherein the predefined emotion types include at least one positive emotion type and at least one negative emotion type, and a pre-defined behavior value for each of the pre-defined emotion types. The digital survey is further configured to include a second question about causes for the emotion types.

[0010] The digital survey may be a sheet presentable by a display screen, for instance. The predefined emotion types may be shown as a list or in some other way for the subject to choose from, such as by “clicking” by a user interface device. The digital survey may include a plurality of sheets or the like, shown subsequently to one another, such as including the first question on the first sheet and the second question on the second sheet. Furthermore, the second questions, such as the optional third question (related to intensity of the emotion), may be automatically formulated to be about the emotions chosen by the subject as an answer to the first question.

[0011] Preferably, the answers to the second question are free-form responses, however, they can, alternatively or in addition, be pre-defined answers for the subjects to choose from.

[0012] Optionally, the pre-defined behavior values include positive or negative values for positive emotions, and negative or positive for negative emotions, respectively. Positive emotion preferably refers to an emotion type having a positive valence, such as related to an emotion indicating positiveness regarding the object. Non-limiting example could be “joy” or “love”. On the other hand, the positive emotion may merely be indicated as a symbol, such as a plus sign, or a “thumb up”.

[0013] Negative emotion preferably refers to an emotion type having a negative emotion valence, such as related to an emotion indicating negativity regarding the object. Nonlimiting example could be “hate” or “disappointment”. On the other hand, the negative emotion may merely be indicated as a symbol, such as a minus sign or a “thumb down”.

[0014] The method additionally comprises recording answers, by the first computer system, provided by the subjects, including at least the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types and the causes. The answers may be recorded into a memory.

[0015] The method additionally comprises determining, by the first computer system, a number of cause categories based on the causes included in the recorded answers, wherein each one of the cause categories is associated with the one or more of the plurality of predefined emotion types provided by the subjects with respect to a respective cause category.

[0016] The cause categories may refer to groups of answers to the second question which related to a substantially same topic. Non-limiting example of a cause category could be “leadership”, “workload”, “salary and benefits”, or “corporate culture", or the like.

[0017] The method additionally comprises determining, by the first computer system, a weight value or an order of importance of the determined number of cause categories based on a number of occurrence of the cause category and the pre-defined behavior values related to the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types with respect to the respective cause category.

[0018] The pre-defined behavior value may refer to a positive or a negative value assigned to an emotion type which indicates the emotion’s ability or tendency to make the person having such emotion to act towards the object. As a non- limiting example, “interest” can make the person more engaged to the object than “contentment” on the positive side (with respect to the emotion valence). “Sadness” may predict more disengaged behavior than “disappointment” on the negative side (with respect to the emotion valence).

[0019] The pre-defined emotion types may include at least four, preferably at least six or ten or fifteen or even twenty, different emotions, and, optionally, no-emotion. For example, at least two of the emotions may be positive emotions and at least two of them may be negative emotions. Optionally, the at least two positive emotions have different pre-defined behavior values and / or the at least two negative emotions have different pre-defined behavior values.

[0020] Furthermore, the digital survey may be configured to include a third questions about an intensity of the one or more emotion types. The recording of the answers may then include recording the intensity of the one or more emotion types. Optionally, the each one of the cause categories is associated with the intensity of the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types. The intensity may be taken into account to give weight or lack thereof for said emotion.

[0021] The determining of the number of cause categories may be performed by an artificial intelligence technology or by a machine learning technology. The causes may be determined based on analyzing the answers to the second question. Furthermore, in the analysis, the emotion types selected by the subjects can then be associated with respective determined causes.

[0022] The method may comprise receiving, by the first computer system, an objective related to a future state of the object or to behavior of the subjects towards the object. Optionally, the method may comprise requesting, by the first computer system, the objective from a user. For example, the objective may be in the form of a sentence as follows: “how to decrease employee turnover” or “how to increase customer loyalty”.

[0023] The method may comprise providing suggestions for a user (typically other than any of the subjects) based on the cause categories and their weight values or their order of importance in view of the objective. Optionally, the suggestions may be provided by an artificial intelligence technology, wherein the method comprises generating, by the first computer system, a prompt or a series of prompts for the artificial intelligence technology. For example, the prompt may include providing the objective to the artificial intelligence and also the determined cause categories and their weight values or the order of their importance.

[0024] Alternatively or in addition, the method may comprise obtaining external information from an external computer system, such as from or via internet, by the first computer system and / or the artificial intelligence technology on a second computer system having a data communication connection with the first computer system. Thus, the artificial intelligence software or computing unit or system can use its own data and / or data available to it, such as in the internet, for formulating the suggestions in view of the objective and the cause categories and importance thereof.

[0025] The plurality of pre-defined emotion types may include, for example, at least four or even all of the following: interest, anger, pride, admiration, amusement, compassion, hate, love, joy, relief, regret, contentment, guilt, fear, pleasure, contempt, disgust, shame, disappointment, sadness.

[0026] According to a second aspect, a computer program is provided. The computer program (product), such as on a computer readable medium or media, comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to carry out the method in accordance with the first aspect.

[0027] According to a third aspect, a computer system is provided. The computer system comprises a first computer system comprising one or several processing units and one or several memories, wherein the first computer system is configured to perform the method in accordance with the first aspect or to execute the computer program (product) in accordance with the second aspect.

[0028] The computer system may further comprise one or several user interface devices in communication connection with the first computer system, each of the one or several user interface devices comprising an input unit, such as a keyboard and / or a touch display, and an output unit, such as a display screen or the touch display. The one or several user interface devices may be configured to be used to provide the answers to the first computer system to receive or record. The user interface devices may be, for example, smart phones, laptop, tablets, personal computers, wearable embedded devices, etc.

[0029] Furthermore, the computer system may comprise an external computer system or at least a communication connection to the external computer system, such as from or via internet, from which external information is obtainable.

[0030] The present invention provides a method for collecting and processing emotion data related to emotions caused by an object, a computer program, and a computer system. The present invention provides advantages over known solutions in that the weight value or the order of importance of the determined number of cause categories can be used to evaluate the most important causes for emotions and through the emotions’ behavior values to predict behavior of the subjects with respect to the object, and to better plan how to react or even proactively act to take the emotions and the predicted behavior into account. Various other advantages will become clear to a skilled person based on the following detailed description.

[0031] The expression "a number of’ may herein refer to any positive integer starting from one (1).

[0032] The expression "a plurality of’ may refer to any positive integer starting from two (2), respectively.

[0033] The terms “first”, “second” and “third” are herein used to distinguish one element from other element, and not to specially prioritize or order them, if not otherwise explicitly stated.

[0034] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention presented herein are not to be interpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" and “to include” are used herein as open limitations that does not exclude the existence of also unrecited features. The features recited in the appended patent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.

[0035] The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The present invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0036] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0037] Some embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

[0038] Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of a method.

[0039] Figure 2 illustrates schematically a computing unit or a computer.

[0040] Figure 3 illustrates schematically a computer system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0041] Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of a method. The method is, preferably, for collecting and processing emotion data related to emotions caused by an object, the object being, for example, a situation, an event, a process, or an entity. The method may by performed by a computer or computers, or a computer system or systems. Furthermore, the method may be formulated as a computer program (product), or a software able to be run on a computer.

[0042] Item or step 1000 refers to an optional start-up phase of the method. Suitable systems are obtained, and systems assembled and configured for operation, if these have not previously been set up.

[0043] Item or method step 1010 refers to providing, by a first computer system, a digital survey to a number of subjects, wherein the digital survey is configured to include a plurality of emotion-related questions related to the object. The digital survey is configured to include a first question about emotion types generated with respect to the object and to provide answering options to the first question, including at least a plurality of pre-defined emotion types of which the subjects are to choose one or more emotion types, wherein the pre-defined emotion types include at least one positive emotion type and at least one negative emotion type, and a pre-defined behavior value for each of the predefined emotion types, and to include a second question about causes for the emotion types.

[0044] Preferably, the answers to the second question are free-form responses, however, they can, alternatively or in addition, be pre-defined answers for the subjects to choose from.

[0045] Optionally, the pre-defined behavior values include positive or negative values for positive emotions, and negative or positive for negative emotions, respectively.

[0046] The pre-defined emotion types may include at least four, preferably at least six or ten or fifteen or even twenty, different emotions, and, optionally, no-emotion.

[0047] For example, at least two of the emotions may be positive emotions and at least two of them may be negative emotions. Optionally, the at least two positive emotions have different pre-defined behavior values and / or the at least two negative emotions have different pre-defined behavior values.

[0048] Item or method step 1020 refers to recording answers, by the first computer system, provided by the subjects, including at least the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types and the causes. The recording may include storing answers into a memory of the first computer system.

[0049] Item or method step 1030 refers to determining, by the first computer system, a number of cause categories based on the causes included in the recorded answers, wherein each one of the cause categories is associated with the one or more of the plurality of predefined emotion types provided by the subjects with respect to a respective cause category.

[0050] The determining of the number of cause categories may be performed by an artificial intelligence technology or by a machine learning technology. The causes may be determined based on analyzing the answers to the second question. Furthermore, in the analysis, the emotion types selected by the subjects can then be associated with respective determined causes. This can be made manually, automatically in the case of pre-defined cause category options, or by using the artificial intelligence technology or the machine learning technology.

[0051] Item or method step 1040 refers to determining, by the first computer system, a weight value or an order of im-portance of the determined number of cause categories based on a number of occurrence of the cause category and the pre-defined behavior values related to the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types with respect to the respective cause category.

[0052] The method may be stopped at item 1099.

[0053] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the digital survey may be configured to include a third questions about an intensity of the one or more emotion types. The recording of the answers may then include recording the intensity of the one or more emotion types. Optionally, the each one of the cause categories is associated with the intensity of the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types. The intensity may be taken into account to give weight or lack thereof for said emotion.

[0054] The method may comprise receiving, by the first computer system, an objective related to a future state of the object or to behavior of the subjects towards the object. Optionally, the method may comprise requesting, by the first computer system, the objective from a user. For example, the objective may be a sentence “how to decrease employee turnover” or “how to increase customer loyalty”. The method may comprise providing suggestions for a user (typically other than any of the subjects) based on the cause categories and their weight values or their order of importance in view of the objective. Optionally, the suggestions may be provided by an artificial intelligence technology, wherein the method comprises generating, by the first computer system, a prompt or a series of prompts for the artificial intelligence technology. For example, the prompt may include providing the objective to the artificial intelligence and also the determined cause categories and their weight values or their order of importance.

[0055] Alternatively or in addition, the method may comprise obtaining external information from an external computer system, such as from or via internet, by the first computer system and / or the artificial intelligence technology on a second computer system having a data communication connection with the first computer system. Thus, the artificial intelligence software or computing unit or system can use its own data and / or data available to it, such as in the internet, for formulating the suggestions in view of the objective and the cause categories and importance thereof.

[0056] The plurality of pre-defined emotion types may include at least four or even all of the following: interest, anger, pride, admiration, amusement, compassion, hate, love, joy, relief, regret, contentment, guilt, fear, pleasure, contempt, disgust, shame, disappointment, sadness. In some examples, the pre-defined emotion types may be based on a scientific framework, such as emotions defined in the Geneva Emotion Wheel.

[0057] Figure 2 illustrates schematically a computing unit 200 or a computer 200. External units 201 may be connected to a communication interface 208 of the computing unit 200 or the computer 200. External unit 201 may comprise wireless connection or a connection by a wired manner. The communication interface 208 provides interface for communication with external units 201. There may also be a connection to the external system, such as a laptop, a handheld device, or a wearable embedded device. There may also be a connection to a database or an external database including external information relative to the collected emotion data.

[0058] The computing unit 200 or the computer 200 may comprise one or more processors 204, one or more memories 206 being volatile or non-volatile for storing portions of computer program code 207A-207N and any data values and optionally one or more user interface units 210. The mentioned elements may be communicatively coupled to each other with e.g. an internal bus. The processor 204 is at least configured to implement at least some method steps as described. The implementation of the method may be achieved by arranging the processor 204 to execute at least some portion of computer program code 207A-207N (of the computer program) stored in the memory 206 causing the processor 204 to implement one or more method steps as described. The processor 204 is thus arranged to access the memory 206 and retrieve and store any information therefrom and thereto. For sake of clarity, the processor 204 herein refers to any unit suitable for processing information among other tasks. Similarly, the memory 206 is not limited to a certain type of memory only, but any memory type suitable for storing the described pieces of information may be applied in the context of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 3 illustrates schematically a computer system 250. The computer system 250 comprising a first computer system 251 comprising one or several processing units and one or several memories, wherein the first computer system 251 is configured to perform the method as described hereinabove. The computer systems 250, 255 may comprise one or several computing units 200 or computers 200.

[0060] The computer system 251 may further comprise one or several user interface devices 260 in communication connection with the first computer system 251 , each of the one or several user interface devices 260 comprising an input unit, such as a keyboard and / or a touch display, and an output unit, such as a display screen or the touch display. The one or several user interface devices 260 may be configured to be used to provide the answers to the first computer system 251 to receive or record. The user interface devices 260 may be, for example, smart phones, laptop, tablets, personal computers, wearable embedded devices, etc.

[0061] Some communication connections in Fig. 3 are shown with dashed two-headed arrows. These are merely examples of few communication connections. Not all of them are present in each embodiment. For example, there may be only direct connections between the first computer system 251 and the user interface devices 260, or only connections therebetween via the internet 300 or other communication network, or both of these.

[0062] The computer system 250 may comprise an external computer system 255 or at least a communication connection to the external computer system 255, such as from or via internet 300, from which external information is obtainable.

[0063] The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be construed as limiting the applicability and / or the interpretation of the appended claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method for collecting and processing emotion data related to emotions caused by an object, the object being, for example, a situation, an event, a process, or an entity, the method comprising: providing (1010), by a first computer system (251), a digital survey to a number of subjects, wherein the digital survey is configured to include a plurality of emotion- related questions related to the object, wherein the digital survey is configured:- to include a first question about emotion types generated with respect to the object and to provide answering options to the first question, including at least a plurality of pre-defined emotion types of which the subjects are to choose one or more emotion types, wherein the pre-defined emotion types include at least one positive emotion type and at least one negative emotion type, and a pre-defined behavior value for each of the pre-defined emotion types, and- to include a second question about causes for the emotion types; recording (1020) answers, by the first computer system (251), provided by the subjects, including at least the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types and the causes; determining (1030), by the first computer system (251), a number of cause categories based on the causes included in the recorded answers, wherein each one of the cause categories is associated with the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types provided by the subjects with respect to a respective cause category; and determining (1040), by the first computer system (251), a weight value or an order of importance of the determined number of cause categories based on a number of occurrence of the cause category and the pre-defined behavior values related to the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types with respect to the respective cause category.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined emotion types include at least four, preferably at least six or ten or fifteen or even twenty, different emotions, and, optionally, no-emotion.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the digital survey is configured to include a third questions about an intensity of the one or more emotion types, and wherein therecording of the answers includes recording the intensity of the one or more emotion types.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the each one of the cause categories is associated with the intensity of the one or more of the plurality of pre-defined emotion types.

5. The method of any of claims 1-4, wherein the determining of the number of cause categories is performed by an artificial intelligence technology or by a machine learning technology.

6. The method of any of claims 1-5, comprising receiving, by the first computer system (251), an objective related to a future state of the object or to behavior of the subjects towards the object.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising requesting, by the first computer system (251), the objective from a user.

8. The method of claim 6 or 7, comprising providing suggestions for a user based on the weight value or the order of importance in view of the objective.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the suggestions are provided by an artificial intelligence technology, wherein the method comprises generating, by the first computer system (250), a prompt or a series of prompts for the artificial intelligence technology.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9, comprising obtaining external information from an external computer system (255), such as from or via internet, by the first computer system (251) and / or the artificial intelligence technology on a second computer system having a data communication connection with the first computer system (251).

11. The method of any of claims 1-10, wherein the plurality of pre-defined emotion types includes at least four of the following: interest, anger, pride, admiration, amusement, compassion, hate, love, joy, relief, regret, contentment, guilt, fear, pleasure, contempt, disgust, shame, disappointment, sadness.

12. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to carry out the method of any of claims 1-11.

13. A computer system (250) comprising a first computer system (251) comprising one or several processing units and one or several memories, wherein the first computer system (251) is configured to perform the method of any of claims 1-11.

14. The computer system (250) of claim 13, comprising one or several user interface devices (260) in communication connection with the first computer system (251), each of the one or several user interface devices (260) comprising an input unit, such as a keyboard and / or a touch display, and an output unit, such as a display screen or the touch display; and wherein the one or several user interface devices (260) are configured to be used to provide the answers to the first computer system (251) to receive or record.

15. The computer system of claim 13 or 14, comprising an external computer system(255) or at least a communication connection to the external computer system (255), such as from or via internet (300), from which external information is obtainable.

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