Assessing how infants regulate emotions during interactions with caregivers using advanced technology.
Official title: Validation of a Virtual Still Face Procedure and Deep Learning Algorithms to Assess Infant Emotion Regulation and Infant-Caregiver Interactions in the Wild
Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-10936518 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how babies learn to manage their feelings by watching how they interact with their parents, using cool technology to track their emotions in real life, and it’s especially helpful for families with babies who might need a little extra support.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $658,039 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA059422-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10936518 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include infants and young children, especially those who may have been exposed to substances during pregnancy or are at risk for emotional and relational difficulties.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than 11 years or those without any emotional regulation concerns may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how infants learn to regulate their emotions through interactions with their caregivers. By utilizing advanced machine learning techniques and wearable sensors, the study aims to capture real-time emotional experiences of infants in their everyday environments, rather than in controlled lab settings. This approach seeks to reduce the burden on families and improve the accuracy of findings related to infant emotional development, especially for those at risk due to factors like prenatal substance exposure. The goal is to create innovative methods that can provide deeper insights into infant-caregiver dynamics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for supporting emotional development in infants, particularly those at risk for emotional dysregulation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using technology and machine learning to assess emotional responses, indicating that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcelwain, Nancy L — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Mcelwain, Nancy L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Virtual Still Face and Deep Learning to Understand Infant Emotion and Caregiver Interactions
A study using video and wearable sensors to understand how infants and their caregivers regulate emotions in real life, with advanced computer methods to analyze how they interact.
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Using home video and AI to track babies' emotions and caregiver interactions
This project uses smartphone video, wearable sensors, and AI to measure how infants manage emotions and interact with caregivers in everyday home settings, with attention to babies at risk from prenatal substance exposure.
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Understanding how caregiving affects health in neurodegenerative disease
This study looks at how caregivers feel and cope when taking care of people with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, especially during tough moments, and it aims to find ways to help caregivers stay healthy and supported.
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SAGE LEAF 2: Online positive-emotion program to ease Alzheimer's caregiver burden
An online self-guided program that helps people caring for someone with Alzheimer's build positive-emotion skills to reduce stress and loneliness.
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Understanding how caregiving affects health in neurodegenerative diseases
This study looks at how caregivers feel and cope while taking care of people with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, aiming to find ways to help them manage their emotions better and stay healthy.
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Understanding how caregiving affects health in neurodegenerative disease
This study looks at how caregivers feel and cope when taking care of loved ones with Alzheimer's or frontotemporal dementia, aiming to find ways to help them manage their emotions better and stay healthy while providing care.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.