The document discusses affective computing, which refers to human-computer interaction that allows computers to detect and respond appropriately to user emotions. It can gather clues about a user's emotional state from facial expressions, speech, gestures, and other physiological inputs. The goals of affective computing include making computers more emotionally intelligent in their responses. Some applications mentioned include improving human-computer interaction, detecting and recognizing emotions, simulating emotions in machines, physiological monitoring of emotions, wearable computers, and using it in educational technology to enhance learning.