LG Electronics reckons it has scientific proof that higher quality TVs really do provide more enjoyment.
The Korean TV maker recently teamed up with the emotion AI company Realeyes to test the reaction of two identical twins watching the same content on two different TV screens – one of its latest OLED TVs, and an older, 2013 LED model – in order to ascertain their level of enjoyment.
Realeyes used its computer vision and machine learning technologies to study the reaction of identical twin social media influencers, Henry and William Wade, during the experiment.
The researchers set out to compare the difference between the twins’ physical and emotional responses while watching an episode of Game of Thrones on the 2019 LG OLED TV, and a 2013 LG LED TV. The experiment saw the twins separated, each sitting in a blacked-out “immersion room” where they simultaneously watched “The Battle of the Bastards” episode of Game of Thrones in total isolation.
The episode was chosen as it's the highest rated of all Game of Thrones episodes on IMDB, the popular online database of TV shows and films. The 2013 LED TV was chosen for comparison purposes for a couple of reasons. Firstly because this is the most common type of TV in the UK, and second, due to the fact the average consumer upgrades their TV once every five years. The idea therefore was to demonstrate the impact that innovations in TV technology since 2013 have on engagement and emotion.
“This experiment by LG was a really interesting and fun way to utilise our ground-breaking AI technology,” said Mihkel Jaatma, cofounder and chief executive officer of Realeyes. “We've taught computers to read and understand human emotions and attention, which allows us to offer scientifically sound measurements of a viewer's immersion.”
Realeyes’ technology was used to analyse the facial expressions, head movements and body language of the twins as they sat and watched the Game of Thrones episode on their respective TVs, while their physical responses were measured using heart rate monitors.
LG said the results of the experiment show the twin watching on the 2019 OLED TV paid 25% more attention to the content than his brother watching on the older set. Realeyes recorded what it said were 27 “emotional peaks” on the newer TV set, compared with just four such peaks on the older model. In addition, the happiness of the twin watching on the newer OLED TV was said to be three-times higher.
All in all, the 2019 OLED TV provided a “15% more intense experience from a positive emotional standpoint,” LG said.
James Thomas, a product manager of the Home Entertainment division at LG UK said the increase in attention, emotional intensity and overall entertainment was due to the higher level of immersion the newer TV provided.
“OLED screens are in a different league to regular LED TVs because of their self-emitting pixels which deliver an infinite contrast ratio thanks to their ability to achieve perfect black and astonishingly accurate colour, revealing details during dark scenes that you wouldn’t usually see,” Thomas said.
