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FACS - Facial Action Coding System

(2002 Revision is here)
(Ekman and Friesen 1978)

AU Description Facial muscle Example image

Inner Brow Frontalis, pars
1 Raiser medialis

Outer Brow Frontalis, pars

2 Raiser lateralis

Corrugator
Brow Lowerer supercilii, Depressor
4
supercilii

Upper Lid Levator

5 Raiser palpebrae superioris

Orbicularis oculi,
6 Cheek Raiser
pars orbitalis

Orbicularis oculi,
7 Lid Tightener
pars palpebralis

Levator labii
Nose Wrinkler superioris alaquae
9 nasi

Upper Lip Levator labii

10 Raiser superioris

Nasolabial
Zygomaticus minor
11 Deepener

Lip Corner
Zygomaticus major
12 Puller

13 Cheek Puffer Levator anguli oris

(a.k.a. Caninus)

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Dimpler Buccinator
14

Depressor anguli
Lip Corner
oris (a.k.a.
15 Depressor
Triangularis)

Lower Lip Depressor labii

16 Depressor inferioris

17 Chin Raiser Mentalis

Incisivii labii
superioris and
Lip Puckerer
18 Incisivii
labii inferioris

20 Lip stretcher Risorius w/ platysma

Lip Funneler Orbicularis oris

22

23 Lip Tightener Orbicularis oris

Lip Pressor Orbicularis oris

24

25 Lips part** Depressor labii

inferioris or
relaxation of

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Mentalis, or
Orbicularis oris

Masseter, relaxed
Jaw Drop Temporalis and
26 internal Pterygoid

27 Mouth Stretch Pterygoids, Digastric

Lip Suck Orbicularis oris

28

Relaxation of
41 Lid droop** Levator palpebrae
superioris

Slit Orbicularis oculi

42

Relaxation of
Levator palpebrae
43 Eyes Closed superioris;
Orbicularis oculi,
pars palpebralis

Orbicularis oculi,
44 Squint
pars palpebralis

Relaxation of
Levator palpebrae
Blink superioris;
45
Orbicularis oculi,
pars palpebralis

Relaxation of
Levator palpebrae
Wink superioris;
46
Orbicularis oculi,
pars palpebralis

51 Head turn left

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52 Head turn right

Head up
53

Head down
54

55 Head tilt left

Head tilt right

56

Head forward
57

58 Head back

Eyes turn left

61

Eyes turn right

62

63 Eyes up

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64 Eyes down

* AUs (Action Units) underlined bold are currently recognizable by AFA System when
occurring alone or cooccurring.

** The criteria has changed for this AU, that is, AU 25, 26 and 27 are now coded according to
criteria of intensity (25A-E) and also AU 41, 42 and 43 are now coded according to criteria of
intensity

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