How well can a wristband provide information about a person’s emotional state?

The integration of wearable devices for collecting physiological data can significantly change User Experience evaluation, particularly for the emotional aspects because of their integrated sensors that can provide continuous information in many contexts of use. This study investigates the potential of a wristband to enhance the understanding of emotional dynamics by focusing on physiological signals that in can detect such as heart rate, electrodermal activity and temperature. For this purpose, we developed an Android application for the management of physiological data collected through an Empatica E4 bracelet and employed machine-learning techniques for emotion classification. A user study with 30 participants was then conducted in which they viewed seven emotionally stimulating videos, and we compared the device and application results with the subjects’ selfreported emotional state. The findings discuss the potential and limitations of using wristband devices for emotion recognition.