Syllabus

MAS.630 Affective Computing and Ethics (Fall 2024)

Class Schedule (Subject to Change):

Wed Sep 4 Overview of the topic of Affective Computing & Ethics; Course mechanics and expectations

Tues Sep 10 1pm: HWK1 due
includes getting CITI certified to do human subjects experiments if you aren't yet certified

Wed Sep 11 What makes a great class project? Examples of AC research projects in the past. Human study design examples and tips. Brainstorming around student's top interests.

Tues Sep 17 1pm: HWK2 dueincludes your project ideas and showing that you've met with three groups from the class, and supported others in the class with project idea development

Wed Sep 18 Students present half-baked project ideas; Class discussion & forming project teams

Tues Sep 24 1pm: HWK3 due includes your team's final project proposal -- including a study or plan to test it, and at least 3 related references per team memberTo do: book at least one meeting with Roz and/or TA to discuss project ideas

Wed Sep 25 Introduction to Emotion Recognition in Context

Book a meeting this week to discuss project w/Roz and/or TA
Tues Oct 1 1pm: HWK4 due Inclue draft of your COUHES application due (on Canvas to Staff) FOCUS this application on the user experience- what will participants be asked to do in your project? Make a graphic of all assessments and interactions, how much of their time it will take, and be clear how you will incentivize them to participate (e.g. payment, how much and when?). Include slides to present in class Oct 2

Wed Oct 2 TEAMS PRESENT Final Project Plan, Related Work Search, and Initial Study Design for class discussion

Tues Oct 8 1pm: HWK5 due Submit to Roz your COUHES application to get department and PI sign off (due to MAS office more than 1 week before the COUHES posted deadline). COUHES has a hard deadline posted on Oct 24 for "last chance" consideration at their meeting Nov 21. If you want an answer from them before Nov 22, then GET IT IN THIS WEEK and request early approval. If you miss their deadlines then you may have to take an incomplete in the class unless your project is exempt from their review.

Wed Oct 9 NO CLASS - Media Lab Members Meeting

Tues Oct 15 1pm: HWK6 due

Wed Oct 16 Emotion regulation and Affective Design Guests: Jocelyn Scheirer, Prof. Behnaz Farahi

Tues Oct 22 1pm: HWK7 due

Wed Oct 23 Sentiment analysis, LLM's, affect manipulation and social media with ethical considerations. Guest: Belén Saldias Fuentes (confirmed)

Tues Oct 29 1pm: HWK8 due

Wed Oct 30 Physiology and behavior that carry emotional information (Picard)

Tues Nov 5 1pm: HWK9 due

Wed Nov 6 Real-world Regulation of Affective Computing - Staying within the changing Laws (and staying out of Jail and trouble). Guests: Christopher Conley from BU Law School and his students (confirmed)

NO Hwk due, but do prep bibliography and background literature for your project and focus 10hrs/week on your project the rest of the semester

Wed Nov 13 TEAMS PRESENT Insights from the literature related to project & demo what is built/achieved so far (Progress Presentation)

Wed Nov 20 AI and Empathy - Jocelyn Shen, Mental-health tech, Computer Chatbots & Ethics of Mental Health Support from Machines vs. People - Roz Picard

COUHES approvals should arrive by Nov 22 if you submitted it on time and addressed all their concerns

Tues Nov 26: 1pm: DUE: Draft of final project report (background, study design, but no results)

Wed Nov 27 Affective computing in personal robotics, Xiajie Zhang, Additional topics, Picard
Wed Dec 4 ** Final Project Presentations - Part 1. Attendance required by students, Open to Guests
Wed Dec 11 ** Final Project Presentations - Part 2. Attendance required by students, Open to Guests

*TBA topic possibilities: Empathic LLM's and interactions & Measuring affect from speech data, physiological data and wearables; affective neuroscience; affect & autism; ethical case studies & solutions, AC & mental health, can computers actually *have* emotion and will this enable AGI? Deception detection. Students are also invited to suggest topics to help advance their course-related project goals.

Report abuse