Ear thermal imaging for emotion sensing

Thermal imaging, recognized for its non-contact and non-invasive properties, has been extensively used to investigate the physiological effects of emotions. While previous research has linked facial temperature changes to emotional arousal, the relationship between ear temperature and emotion remains unexplored. In this study, we acquired ear thermal imaging data and dynamic emotional ratings from 15 participants watching emotion-eliciting videos. Pixel-wise analysis revealed a negative correlation between ear temperature and emotional arousal across broad outer ear regions, including the antihelical fold, antihelix, and earlobe. These findings established ear temperature as a novel physiological marker of emotional arousal, providing new insights into thermophysiological responses to emotions. This breakthrough has important implications for affective computing, mental health monitoring, and real-time emotion recognition, expanding the potential applications of thermal imaging in emotion assessment.