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The integration of collaborative robots (cobots) in industrial settings raises concerns about worker well-being, particularly due to reduced social interactions. Avatars - designed to facilitate worker interactions and engagement - are…
Internet and online-based social systems are rising as the dominant mode of communication in society. However, the public or semi-private environment under which most online communications operate under do not make them suitable channels…
The limited nonverbal cues and spatially distributed nature of remote communication make it challenging for unacquainted members to be expressive during social interactions over video conferencing. Though it enables seeing others' facial…
Large language models are increasingly used for both task-based assistance and social companionship, yet research has typically focused on one or the other. Drawing on a survey (N = 202) and 30 interviews with high-engagement ChatGPT and…
Rises in the number of animal abuse cases are reported around the world. While chatbots have been effective in influencing their users' perceptions and behaviors, little if any research has hitherto explored the design of chatbots that…
As people increasingly seek emotional support and companionship from AI chatbots, understanding how such interactions impact mental well-being becomes critical. We conducted a four-week randomized controlled experiment (n=981, >300k…
Conversational agents increasingly mediate everyday digital interactions, yet the effects of their communication style on user experience and task success remain unclear. Addressing this gap, we describe the results of a between-subject…
Augmented Reality (AR) is evolving to become the next frontier in social media, merging physical and virtual reality into a living metaverse, a Social MediARverse. With this transition, we must understand how different contexts (public,…
Little research has explored the communication needs of autistic adults. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can support these communication needs, but more guidance is needed on how to design AAC systems to support this…
Online(-only) friendships have become increasingly common in daily lives post-COVID despite debates around their mental health benefits and equivalence to ''real'' relationships. Previous research has reflected a need to understand how…
Full-body avatars are suggested to be beneficial for communication in virtual environments, and consistency between users' voices and gestures is considered essential to ensure communication quality. This paper propose extending the…
Online, people often recount their experiences turning to conversational AI agents (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot) for mental health support -- going so far as to replace their therapists. These anecdotes suggest that AI agents have great…
In the midst of the influencer marketing boom, more and more companies are shifting resources from real to virtual (or computer-generated) influencers. But while virtual influencers have the potential to engage consumers and drive action,…
This study investigates how different virtual agent (VA) behaviors influence subjects' perceptions and group decision-making. Participants carried out experimental group discussions with a VA exhibiting varying levels of engagement and…
Individuals are turning to increasingly anthropomorphic, general-purpose chatbots for AI companionship, rather than roleplay-specific platforms. However, not much is known about how individuals perceive and conduct their relationships with…
Avatar embodiment experiences have the potential to enhance human capabilities by extending human senses, body, and mind. This study investigates social acceptance of robotic and virtual avatars as enablers of capability enhancement in six…
The rise of language models like ChatGPT has introduced Social AI as a new form of entertainment, particularly among young adults who engage with AI-powered agents. This paper investigates the effects of these interactions on users' social…
Pictorial emojis and stickers are commonly used in online social networking to facilitate and aid communications. We delve into the use of Bitmoji stickers, a highly expressive form of pictorial communication using avatars resembling actual…
Maintaining real-time communication quality in metaverse has always been a challenge, especially when the number of participants increase. We introduce a proprietary WebRTC SFU service to an open-source web-based VR platform, to realize a…
Talking head generation creates lifelike avatars from static portraits for virtual communication and content creation. However, current models do not yet convey the feeling of truly interactive communication, often generating one-way…