Exploring non-verbal cues and user attention in IVR with eye tracking technologies
Vlasios Kasapakis, Elena Dzardanova, Vasiliki Nikolakopoulou, Spyros Vosinakis, Ioannis Xenakis, Damianos Gavalas · 2022
This study is a between-groups preliminary evaluation of how Non-Verbal Cues (NVCs) impact participant attention and degree of social presence with an NPC. Participants are divided in two groups and witness an agent's monologue who features high-fidelity NVCs (motion-captured gaze, blinking, and lower facial expressions) in one group, but who has those "turned off" for the other. This study aims at establishing appropriate data collection methodology and scenario-related guidelines for follow-up experimentation with a higher volume of interaction variables, particularly real-time interaction between remotely located users. Initial results indicate that real-time tracked NVCs enhance engagement and social presence to variant degrees compared to low-fidelity automated cues.