Study decodes eye contact for human-robot communication
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), Xinhua 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.
He said humans naturally respond to social cues, even from machines, and that understanding these signals can strengthen connections with both people and technology.
The study, published in the London-based Royal Society Open Science, suggests that adding human-like gaze to robots and virtual assistants could make them more intuitive and effective communicators.
Beyond robotics, the findings could enhance communication in high-stakes settings such as sports, defense, and noisy workplaces, and support those who rely on visual cues, including autistic or hearing-impaired individuals.
The HAVIC Lab is now exploring how factors like gaze duration, repetition, and beliefs about a partner's identity (human or AI-driven) affect eye contact perception, according to the team.
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