Putting a human face on the computer.

Researchers are finding ways to make the interaction between humans and computers less a struggle and more like teamwork. Their creations could stem the tide of frustrated employees who have trashed keyboards, mice, or more expensive components. Attendees of IDG Conferences DemoMobile 99, to be held next month in Coronado, California, will get a look at a variety of products, including the talking dashboard that tells you when you need gas or reminds you to stop at the store on the way home. MGI Software_s MaxMedia connects users with a live broadcast, and allows interaction. That is useful for viewers who have ever tried to copy a recipe or an address from a live TV show. "You can actually just pause it, jot it down, then go ahead and continue," says MGI_s Gaetan Jeannot. Along with the stop-action function, MaxMedia allows zooming and panning of the camera views. It runs on Intel_s new Pentium III processor. Lernout & Hauspie is developing translation software that works by voice. It works best, says L&H_s Richard Levine, when you get to know the program before telling it what to do. "The computer needs to know how you speak," he says. "I have a Boston accent. The computer needs to know not only how I pronounce words, but how I string words together." One more interactive piece of magic -- developers at Carnegie-Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh are creating programs that would enable computers to detect its user_s mood and respond appropriately. That kind of "intuitiveness" could avoid some pretty ugly scenes.