Eye contact with robots has been proven to be disturbing. It even has a name, called the “uncanny valley”.
New research has shown that the gaze of a robot could trick us into thinking that we’re socially interacting with and slow down the decision-making process.
The results of the study could have implications for the development of humanoid robotics.
It’s been widely known that eye contact with robots is a frightening experience. Scientists have even developed a term for this numb feeling called”uncanny valley. “uncanny valley”.
Thanks to the research of researchers in Italy We also are aware that it’s more than an experience.
A group at the Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT) in Genoa has demonstrated the way robots’ eyes can fool us into thinking that we’re socially connected and reduce our ability to make decisions.
“Gaze is a crucial social signal that we utilize in our daily lives in our interactions with others,” said Professor Agnieszka Wykowska, who is the principal author of the study released on Wednesday in the Science Robots journal. Science Robots.
“The problem is whether or not the robot’s gaze triggers the same mechanisms in the human brain, just as a human’s gaze does.”
The team asked 40 people to participate in a video game called “chicken” where players must decide whether they want to let cars continue driving straight in a different direction or to divert to avoid collisions – against a robot-like human in front of them.
In between rounds, players had to glance at the robot, which could look back, and at other times turn away.
In each scenario, the scientists collected data on behavior and neural activity via electroencephalography (EEG), which detects electrical activity in the brain.
“Our findings show that in reality, our brains process the robot’s gaze as a social signal. This signal can affect the way we make our choices, the strategies we use in games, and our reactions,” Wykowska said.
“The eyes of the robot influenced decisions through delays and causing humans to be slower to make decision-making during this game.”
The results could have implications on the way in which humanoid robots will be used in the future.
“Once we know when robots can trigger social attunement then we will be able to decide what kind of context is appropriate and beneficial for humans, and which setting this shouldn’t happen,” said Wykowska.
In a report from the International Federation of Robotics, the worldwide sales of professional service robots have already increased by 32 percent up to $11.2 billion between the years 2018 between 2018, and 2019.
