A Speech-Driven Embodied Communication System Based on an Eye Gaze Model in Interaction-Activated Communication

Line-of-sight such as gaze and eye-contract plays an important role to enhance the embodied interaction and communication through avatars. In addition, many gaze models and communication systems with the line-of-sight using avatars have been proposed and developed. However, the gaze behaviors by generating the above-mentioned models are not considered to enhance the embodied interaction such as activated communication, because the models stochastically generate the eyeball movements based on the human gaze behavior. Therefore, we analyzed the interaction between the human gaze behavior and the activated communication by using line-of-sight measurement devices. Then, we proposed an eye gaze model based on the above-mentioned analysis. In this study, we develop an advanced avatar-mediated communication system in which the proposed eye gaze model is applied to speech-driven embodied entrainment characters called “InterActor.” This system generates the avatar’s eyeball movements such as gaze and looking away based on the activated communication, and provides a communication environment wherein the embodied interaction is promoted. The effectiveness of the system is demonstrated by means of sensory evaluations of 24 pairs of subjects involved in avatar-mediated communication.