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©2025 Alex Woo

AI Emotion Expression Research

Client : SK Telecom, IRIVER
Keyword : AI, Concept
Timeline : Jul — Oct 2017 (3 months)
My Role : Researcher, UI Designer

AI speaker ‘NUGU’

In early 2016, Amazon announced a new Echo model with a 7-inch touchscreen. In response, SKT’s AI R&D center integrated a display into its next-gen model, positioning it as an HRI interface for more human-like communication, aiming to foster emotional connections and meet nuanced user needs.

Before. NUGU (NU200)

After. NUGU NEMO (NU300)

Desk Research

First, I began researching a wide range of topics, from familiar conversational A.I. like Apple's Siri to portrayals of A.I. in near-future movies.

Through research on interactive A.I., we identified key concepts and visual directions expressed by artificial intelligence.
By analyzing social robots, we explored the connection between appearance and display graphics, highlighting the importance of maintaining a consistent experience with product design.

Design Keyword

Based on previous research, the following three keywords were established, and the design concept was realized.

1. Brand Essence
The element 'Always Connected' was defined with the concept of a Möbius strip, symbolizing SKT’s brand identity. While this is a strong brand element, it conveys the message that the product is always connected to the user and capable of sharing emotions.

SK's brand symbol Mobius

2. Form 2.1. Facial Expression Layout
The types of emotional expressions were informed by professional research data. Using the Facial Action Coding System(FACS) by Paul Ekman, an authority on human facial expressions, I identified six basic emotions. The layout was then divided into Upper and Lower areas, allowing us to establish a clear criterion for the design.

2.2. Dynamic Movement Expression
In considering how to track facial expression movements, insights were drawn from research on facial recognition technology in the field of deep learning. As shown below, key points of the facial features that create expressions are connected by points and lines, forming a recognizable face shape. Our goal was to track these movements accurately.

Ref. An analysis of facial expression recognition under partial facial image occlusion, Recognizing Action Units for Facial Expression Analysis

3. Material
* For security reasons, the product appearance cannot be shown directly, so I will use a silhouette as a replacement.

A. Soft, Liquid
This persona is friendly and active, characterized by a round and approachable shape. The material has a soft, flexible texture, similar to rubber or liquid, emphasizing warmth and approachability.

2. Sharp
Persona B is smart, mature, and professional, with a modern, metal-like aesthetic. The design features sharp, crisp lines to convey sophistication and precision.

Sum up

📓 Retrospect
Although this project did not progress from the research stage to launch, it allowed me to deeply explore the emotional expression of artificial intelligence, gaining valuable insights that contributed to related projects. (Related project: ShareTalk)

While today's technology mainly relies on language for communication, I believe that as technology evolves, natural communication with A.I. through various interactions will become a reality. I look forward to future services in the realm of emotional sharing and are continuously monitoring advancements in this field.

👇 Below, the concept proposed from a different perspective continues.

Solid Figure

This is a hypothetical concept design conducted to define the product specs before the project officially began. Emotions were conveyed through the movement of basic shapes. Since the primary focus is on displaying voice interaction results, visibility has been enhanced with clear shapes to ensure readability even on small screens.

Default. When NUGU is on standby, it displays SK’s symbol, the "Wings of Happiness." The two butterfly-like triangles gently flap their wings, waiting for user interaction.

Weather, Rainy. Rainy weather is represented by cloud shapes formed with connected squares and crisp, straight lines.

Suprise. The simple shape expressed as a cube expresses surprise by moving like a box that explodes when surprised.

Shy. Shy circle

Smile. It looks like a round circle folded in half I created a contrast with the bright yellow color applied differently like double-sided colored paper to express the red part like a smiling mouth with a light feeling.