"An 'emotionally aware' computer being developed by British and US scientists will be able to estimate an individual's thoughts by analysing a combination of facial movements that represent underlying feelings," reports Reuters.
"The system we have developed allows a wide range of mental states to be identified, just by pointing a video camera at someone," Professor Peter Robinson, of Cambridge University, said.
"Imagine a computer that could pick the right emotional moment to try to sell you something, a future where mobile phones, cars and websites could read our mind and react to our moods," he said.
The mind reading system is featured in the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London.
