This eyewear system detects facial expressions anytime, anywhere. With proximity sensing, eight photo-reflective sensors measure the distance between the eyewear frame and the skin surface of the user’s face. This distance changes as the facial muscles move, and detecting the changes helps users understand more about their unintentional non-verbal clues, So, for example, users suffering from depression or other mental disorders can measure whether their state is improving

With AffectiveWear, users can change typography in text messages or add emoticons. The system can also display users' facial expressions on avatars to achieve more natural, subtle communication in virtual worlds.