Affective Computing

A field of AI that attempts to detect, interpret, and simulate human emotions using technologies such as facial expression analysis, voice tone detection, physiological sensors, and behavioral patterns. Affective computing raises significant accessibility and ethics concerns because many systems are trained on neurotypical emotional expression patterns, leading to systematic misinterpretation of disabled users' expressions. Examples include hiring tools that penalize candidates whose facial expressions differ due to disability, mood detection apps that misread emotional states, and teleconferencing tools that inaccurately assess engagement levels for neurodivergent users.