AFFECTIVE COMPUTING AND EMOTIONAL INTERACTION: BRIDGING THE HUMAN-MACHINE EMOTIONAL GAP

Abstract The goal of the multidisciplinary field of affective computing is to make it possible for machines to perceive, understand, and react to human emotions. Human-computer interaction (HCI) is becoming increasingly dependent on emotional intelligence, and emotionally intelligent systems are changing how intelligent computers and humans interact. This study examines the fundamental ideas of affective computing, examines important enabling technologies like voice modulation, facial expression analysis, and physiological signal processing, and assesses its real-world applications in industries like customer service, healthcare, and education. The study also highlights new issues and potential paths forward, as well as ethical issues pertaining to emotion-aware systems. A paradigm change is marked by the incorporation of affective computing into AI systems, which will enable machines to behave in social situations and comprehend empathy more like humans. Keywords: Affective Computing, Emotional Intelligence, Human-Computer Interaction.