216 JASE in progress

Our current deployments of the T‑Top interactive robot, during demonstrations as well as trials examining its use to reduce social isolation among older adults, are governed by interaction modalities limited to initiating engagement with individuals. Additional modalities are required to support more natural interactions, such as: personalization of exchanges by recognizing the interlocutor; identification of emotions through voice, dialogue and facial expressions; regulation of turn‑taking with multiple interlocutors; and management of conversational dynamics to both engage and disengage from interaction. We aim to develop these modalities within the present mandate, which will support mandates (166, 190) and associated deployment projects, as well as demonstrations for INTER.

Lead applicant