Uniphore Acquires Emotion Research Lab and Adds Video AI Capabilities to Its Innovation Portfolio

Chennai, India, PALO ALTO, Calif., VALENCIA, Spain | 22^nd January 2021: Uniphore, an early leader in Conversational Service Automation (CSA), today announced the acquisition of Emotion Research Lab, a cutting-edge video and emotion AI company. Emotion Research Lab is a leading software developer that uses AI and machine learning, to identify emotion and engagement levels in real-time over video-based interactions.
 
When combined with Uniphore’s CSA solutions, which understands, analyzes, and automates voice conversations in real-time, Emotion Research Lab’s extensive video-focused AI capabilities will deliver entirely new applications and experiences across the enterprise. Combining voice and video AI with automation and machine learning will open up new use cases, including customer experience, sales, marketing, HR and other critical areas of business. Essentially, this powerful combination will drive new waves of transformation by delivering automated and intelligent conversational and collaboration resources that enhance communication and can ultimately drive better business results.
 
Emotion Research Lab’s software uses advanced facial emotion recognition and eye tracking technology to capture and analyze interactions over video in real-time to enhance engagement between people. The company’s team of talented professionals, including the two co-founders, have developed a range of capabilities that can be used to detect facial and eye movement, facial expressions of emotion, attention span/engagement, and essential demographics. To ensure the best experience possible, their AI capabilities help ensure all parties are engaged and understand each other, which then drives positive outcomes. In today’s video-centric world, being able to “detect and act” on visual, emotional and engagement indicators become extremely important and is quickly becoming a strategic differentiator.
 
“Today we welcome the Emotion Research Lab family to Uniphore and celebrate the addition of not only cutting-edge technology to our portfolio, but a very talented team of professionals who will add high voltage charges to the Uniphore innovation engine. This current pandemic has reshaped traditional customer service and has universally increased the use of video across a range of applications,” said Umesh Sachdev, CEO and Co-founder of Uniphore. “I am very excited to have Maria, Alicia and the rest of the Emotion Research Lab team join us as we work together and bring our customers the next generation of innovations in AI and automation.”
 
This is Uniphore’s second significant technology addition to its portfolio, having announced it acquired RPA technology in October 2020. 
 
“Clearly, the CX market is going through a major transformation and winners are starting to emerge with the pandemic accelerating company plans to enhance CX using all forms of outreach, including video,” said Zeus Keravala of ZK Research. “When you look at Uniphore’s customer momentum over the last 12 months and see the number of agents and interactions that will be positively impacted by their AI, automation and analytics solutions, then look at their innovation engine both internally and now through acquisitions, you begin to realize this company is really well-positioned to lead and help drive this transformation.”
 
Maria Pocovi, CEO and Co-Founder, Emotion Research Lab said: “We are looking forward to this unique opportunity to join such an innovative company and work together alongside a world-class team to scale our technology for customer service.”
 
Specific financial terms and other details of the deal are not being disclosed. In addition to the intellectual property, Emotion Research Lab employees formally join the Uniphore family and work begins immediately on integrating cutting edge technology to deliver first-of-a-kind voice and video AI products for the enterprise in the second half of 2021. Further, this acquisition out of Spain expands Uniphore’s global footprint and adds a European-based presence, with plans to expand in FY22 into additional European countries.