The BBC Worldwide Labs programme 2014 has helped one of its six digital media start-ups secure a business partnership with the company’s Insights Team. CrowdEmotion who use facial coding web cams to capture emotions are working with BBC Worldwide’s audience research team to reveal how viewers react and behave towards BBC TV shows, including Sherlock and Top Gear.

David Boyle EVP, BBC Worldwide Insight said: “This is the first study of its kind for BBC Worldwide to measure people’s emotional responses to programmes using a technology-led, neuroscience approach. CrowdEmotion’s ability to capture, record and quantify our audience’s emotional attachment and engagement to our TV shows, places BBC Worldwide at the forefront of global audience research and ultimately determines what our fans love to watch”.

CrowdEmotion built facial coding software using 20 years of neuroscience research, which records individuals’ facial expressions using a webcam in a three step process involving expressions, emotions and actions. The pilot study with BBC Worldwide has started with 200 participants in the UK, measuring their happiness, surprise, anger, fear, disgust and sadness. A second wave will take place in Russia and Australia, followed by a third in six other international markets. Further monthly global research studies are also in the pipeline.

In a busy period for the entrepreneurs, CrowdEmotion are also celebrating wining first prize “The Innovators’ Innovator Award” at the Technology Innovators Forum (TIF-IN) hosted in China in May 2014. The digital start-up were given special recognition beating competition from 70 participants in front of a high profile audience including TIF-IN Chair Lord Marland, UK Business Secretary Vince Cable MP, the CEO of Universal Music Group International and BBC Worldwide’s Chief Executive Tim Davie.