eye gaze
:: implications
for new-age technology
Noting that the eyes have long been described as mirrors of the soul, a Queen's University
computer scientist is studying the effect of eye gaze on conversation and the implications for
new-age technologies, ranging from video conferencing to speech recognition systems.
Dr. Roel Vertegaal, has found evidence to suggest a strong link between the amount of eye contact
people receive and their degree of participation in group communications. Eye contact is known
to increase the number of turns a person will take when part of a group conversation. The goal
of this study was to determine what type of 'gaze' (looking at a person’s eyes and face)
is required to have this effect.
The findings have important implications for the design of future communication devices, including
more user-friendly and sensitive video conferencing systems – a technology increasingly
chosen in business for economic and time-saving reasons – and Collaborative Virtual Environments
(CVEs) which support communication between people and machines.
"Sumerian clay tablets dating back to 3000 BC already tell the story of Ereshkigal, goddess
of the underworld, who had the power to kill Inanna, goddess of love, with a deadly eye,"
says Dr. Vertegaal. "Now that we are attempting to build more sophisticated conversational
interfaces that mirror the communicative capabilities of their users, it has become clear we
need to learn more about communicative functions of gaze behaviours." >from "Eye
contact findings may change new-age technology", november 20, 2002.
related context
> eye tracking
research & applications symposium 2002. march, 2002
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