New Delhi, July 16
The timing of eye contact is key to how we communicate with both humans and robots, revealed a study led by Australian researchers on Wednesday.
Researchers from Flinders University found that not just making eye contact, but when and how it's done, fundamentally shapes how we understand others, including robots, according to a statement from the HAVIC Lab (Human, Artificial + Virtual Interactive Cognition), news agency reported.
"Our findings have helped to decode one of our most instinctive behaviours and how it can be used to build better connections, whether you're talking to a teammate, a robot, or someone who communicates differently," said cognitive neuroscientist Nathan Caruana, who led the HAVIC Lab.
In a study with 137 participants, researchers found that a specific gaze sequence -- looking at an object, making eye contact, then returning to the object -- was the most effective non-verbal way to signal a request for help.
Caruana said it's the context and sequence of eye movements, not just how often they occur, that make them meaningful, with participants responding similarly to humans and robots alike.