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It could be the ultimate dinner party accessory -  an app that tells you exactly what the person you're talking to is thinking.

German researchers have created Google Glass software that can analyse facial expression - and even tell you how old somebody is.

The software analyses video on the tiny computer hidden inside Google's smart specs - and its creators say it can't identify people, just reveal their emotions.

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It gauges emotions, such as anger, happiness, sadness and surprise, and displays this information on screen.

HOW IT WORKS

The technology is based on recognizing structure-based features, learning algorithms.

It was 'trained' through the use of a database containing more than 10,000 annotated faces.

It gauges emotions, such as anger, happiness, sadness and surprise, and displays this information on screen.

The app was created by Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits.

The so-called Glassware (Google Glass app) simultaneously gauges the person's age or detects their gender among other things, but it cannot determine their identity. 

Researchers say it could help those who have difficulty reading emotions. 

'This opens up an entire spectrum of new smart eyewear applications, including communication aids for people with disorders such as autism, many of whom have difficulty interpreting emotions through facial expressions,' the team said.

This missing information could be superimposed in the person's field of vision with Google's Glass. 

Even the visually impaired could benefit from the new software by receiving supplementary audio information about people in their surroundings. 

The system is also available for desktop computers, and gauges emotions such as anger, happiness, sadness and surprise, and displays this information on screen.

'By taking advantage of the additional capability to determine someone's gender or estimate their age, the software could be used in other applications such as interactive games or market research analyses,' the researchers say.

All calculations are performed in real-time by the CPU integrated in the eyewear. 

The image data never leaves the device.

Researchers say the system could help those who have difficulty reading emotions.

The new development from Fraunhofer IIS is the first emotion recognition software in the world to function in real-time with Google Glass. 

By participating in the Google Glass 'Explorer Program', Fraunhofer had the opportunity to test the smart eyewear before it was introduced to the market. 

The software enables the detection of objects and faces, as well as detailed facial analyses. Because of the high degree of optimization, it can be adapted to nearly any platform and operating system, especially mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. 

'The foundation of the versatile solution lies in our extensive experience with detection and analysis technologies and a large database for machine learning,' researchers say.

'The technology is 'trained' by accessing a database of more than 10,000 annotated faces. In combination with the structure-based features and learning algorithms, we can train so-called models that boast extremely high recognition rates.'