This 3D-printed mask includes electrodes that are placed according to research done on facial musculature “action units” (common motor movements/combinations).

We created the facial mask by using 3D Systems Sense to scan several faces, compiling these 3D scans to create a general face shape, and printing with Shapeways.

This mask can be used to identify emotions, which are strongly correlated with certain action unit combinations; to recognize and localize muscle movements/patterns/spasms for medical uses; for locked-in syndrome and ALS patients to communicate or move wheelchairs using their facial muscles; to map out facial expressions so that autistic children may understand them; and to recording facial expressions so that one’s avatar in VR may have the same expression as oneself.