Laugh Tracker

To eliminate the subjectivity of travel reviews, we identified an entirely new metric to rate travel experiences – laughter.

We created a first-of-its-kind wearable device that measures laughter and excitement to determine how much fun kids have in Tennessee and put the devices on hundreds of kids across 31 locations. Equipped with a microphone, GPS technology and cloud computing, the device recorded audio samples in 10-second increments and sent them to a neural network, where AI software determines if a sound is laughter. We concurrently captured heart rate data to measure excitement, ultimately identifying the specific activities within attractions that generated the most laughter and excitement for kids. VML developed a custom experience on Tennessee’s brand site to create a planning tool for moms, showcasing the data collected and attractions reviewed directly from kids.