Knowledge Base

FaceReader 10 - Technical Information and Requirements

Background Information

How Does It Work?

For details about how FaceReader works, please contact your representative at Noldus or download from our website: White Paper – FaceReader Methodology.

The actual accuracy depends on the quality of the input and the environmental circumstances. As an indication, you may expect an expression recognition accuracy of 99% when using high-quality image material.

It is essential to compare the performance with the performance of a human observer as facial coder, rather than for example a question list completed by the test participant afterwards.

For more details about performance and accuracy, please read FaceReader AU Module Validation (available via your representative at Noldus).

Technical Guidelines

There are a number of limitations to keep in mind before starting to use FaceReader:

• Glasses may hinder classification — especially thick and dark frames can reduce performance significantly. A polarization filter can help to reduce reflection in the glasses.
• Ethnic groups — FaceReader is trained to work with people from different ethnicities.
• Acceptable pose, movement, and rotation of the test participant are limited — the test participant should stand or sit, and look into the camera frontally (angle <45°).
• FaceReader can analyze one face at a time — if there are more faces in an image, these can be analyzed in different runs, provided the positions do not change significantly. It's also possible to use multi-subject analysis with video. FaceReader will automatically create separate analyses for up to eight different people in one video.

Miscellaneous

Two Different Licensing Systems Available

1. Floating software license — a floating license offers the flexibility to use your software on any internet-connected computer. This means you can easily switch the license between devices, enabling you to work from any location, whether you're at the office, your lab, the train, or at home.

Licensing

License Types

• Floating Software License — A floating license requires an internet connection to start up your software. The software itself runs on your computer and stores your data in any safe location you choose. It's also easier to share software access with your team.
• Fixed Software License — A fixed license allows you to run the software on a specific computer without the need for internet access. After a one-time online activation, you can work offline. This solution is ideal for environments with limited or restricted internet connectivity. You can also move your license to a new computer, providing you with flexibility while still maintaining a secure, stable setup. Store your data in any safe location you choose.

Documentation

The documentation consists of a comprehensive reference manual, which is included in HTML5 format with the software. Documentation can also be downloaded from MyNoldus.

Languages

When installing the application, you can choose for an English or Chinese (simplified) version of the user interface. Documentation is available in both languages.

System Requirements

Computer

If you order a complete solution from Noldus Information Technology, you will obtain a Dell Pro Max Tower T2 FCT2250 (or its successor) which is optimized for this application and with the FaceReader software installed and ready to use.

When using your own computer, you need:

• Windows 11
• CPU — Intel Core i5 8th generation or higher
• AMD — Ryzen 5 4000 series or higher
• Support for AVX2 or higher
• RAM — minimum of 8GB

FaceReader was tested with a Dell Pro Max Tower T2:

• Processor — Intel Core Ultra 7 Serie 2 (20 Core, 30MB Cache, 2.4GHz)
• Internal memory — 8GB GDDR6 SDRAM
• Graphics card — NVIDIA RTX A1000

Operating System

FaceReader has been thoroughly tested using a US English version of Windows 11 Pro (64-bit). Like any software package, it is possible that minor differences in the operating systems of certain local language versions may affect how well FaceReader runs.

Camera

CCD webcam with a resolution of at least 640x480 pixels or Imaging Source USB. We strongly recommend that you use a high-quality webcam. Simple webcams are not suitable. You can also use an IP camera. For use of FaceReader in areas with low light conditions, it is possible to use infrared (IR) cameras. In this case it is not possible to analyze heart rate or heart rate variability with the RPPG module, because this requires color video or camera images. For an optimal RPPG measurement, we recommend to use videos with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and a frame rate of at least 15 fps, but preferably 30 fps.

Customer Service and Support

Technical Support

Noldus prides itself in superior customer support provided by technically skilled support engineers in our helpdesks, located in The Netherlands, Germany, USA west coast, USA east coast, and China. As a registered user, you are entitled to technical support as part of NoldusCare.

Technical support questions can be submitted via MyNoldus, where you can also find an archive of Frequently Asked Questions and Tips and Tricks. You will also receive free subscription to Noldus Newsline, which informs you about new product developments, applications, and tips and tricks.

Consulting Services

Our customer support goes far beyond solving technical problems. Our staff includes consultants with an academic degree in the behavioral sciences, as well as qualified engineers. They are happy to help you with research problems related to the use of our solutions, the design of your experimental set-up, the choice of the appropriate hardware for your application, etc.

Source: FaceReader 10 Technical Specifications, Noldus Information Technology