WORLDBEAT - Algorithm turns photos into digital art

The segment is then is turned into three-dimensional brush strokes. Finer strokes fill in the smaller details.

On the other end, a person's face is broken in two dimensions, an "x" and "y" axis, where emotions are mapped according to their expression.

Using the Web camera, the algorithm "reacts" to changing cues, such as the curling of the mouth or wideness of the eyes, and changes the painting accordingly, adding darker colors for sad expressions or suddenly flooding the scene with color for a smile.

"Users felt engaged with the system, remarking on the intuitive nature of the interface," the researchers wrote in a paper. "They felt able to easily control the style of the painting to produce their desired results."

The researchers recognize some limitations. The graphics component relies on a subjective mapping of a person's emotional state and the parameters of the painting algorithm. Also, differences in culture may affect how a person's emotional state is perceived.