I have studied computer science at the University of Augsburg.
Currently, I am employed as a research assistant at the chair "Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence". I finished my doctoral thesis in April 2024.
My research focuses on the intuitive communication between humans and computer-controlled social agents.
One major part of my work are natural communication channels such as speech, gaze direction or facial expressions - those with which humans have been familiar for millenia and which they can use without putting much thought into it.
Variations in an artificial character's behavior influence how humans perceive its personality. This, in turn, determines which motivations they assume it to have and how they expect it to react. A consistant portrayal is therefore important for making the character's actions transparent for the humans.
Ideally, the machine adapts to the human, not the other way around. This is especially relevant for target groups such as senior citizens or care workers whose needs and expectations are therefore crucial for the development of assistive technologies.
Copyright © Kathrin Janowski, 2024. All rights reserved.