Development of an expressible pupil response interface using hemispherical displays

We have analyzed the entrainment between a speaker´s speech and a listener´s nodding in face-to-face communication, and developed iRT (InterRobot Technology) to generate a variety of communicative actions and movements such as nodding and body movements by using a speech input based on the entrainment analysis. In this study, to conduct basic research for realizing smooth communication during embodied interactions between humans and robots, we focus on the pupil response, which is related to human emotions during such interactions. We analyze the pupil response in human face-to-face communication by using an embodied communication system with a line-of-sight measurement device. On the basis of this analysis, using hemispherical displays, we develop an expressible pupil response interface in which the iRT is applied to enhance embodied interaction between humans and robots. This system enables expression of the pupil response by using only speech input. In addition, the effectiveness of the developed system is demonstrated experimentally.