Abstract
In face-to-face conversation, embodied rhythms between speech and body movements such as nodding are mutually synchronized between talkers. This synchrony is called entrainment in communication, and it allows sharing of embodiment in human interaction, which plays an important role in human interaction and communication. With a focus on embodied entrainment, we have developed the embodied communication system for mind connection (E-COSMIC) by applying the entrainment mechanism of embodied rhythms of nodding and body movements to robots and CG characters in verbal communication. E-COSMIC comprises an embodied virtual communication system for human interaction analysis by synthesis and a speech-driven embodied interaction system for supporting essential human interaction and communication based on the analysis. A human-entrained embodied interaction and communication technology for an advanced media society is introduced through some applications for empathy by embodied entrainment.
