Affective computing and medical informatics: state of the art in emotion-aware medical applications

The area of affective computing has received significant attention by the research community over the last few years. In this paper we review the underlying principles in the field, in an effort to draw threads for possible future development within medical informatics. The approach is lead by considering the three main affective channels, namely, visual, audio/speech, and physiological in relation to e-health, emotional intelligence and e-learning. A discussion on the importance of past and present applications together with a prediction on future literature output is also provided.