Computer Recognition of Nonverbal Behaviour: Conversational Pragmatics in Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

Nonverbal behaviour is an integral component of dialogue. It often helps to define, condition and constrain a dialogue system. Hence it helps to regulate dialogue, for example by communicating priority, as well as communicating message content (e.g. head nodding) in complementary redundancy to the verbal flow. Communication lacking such a component will have a restricted range of efficiency and effectiveness, especially with regard to the pragmatics of dialogue. For example, nonverbal behaviour allows interactants to employ a complex error-checking protocol so that surprise, puzzlement and doubt can be used as context-sensitive requests for further information. Similarly, head-nodding can be thought of as a communications protocol for turn-taking and pacing the flow of information according to the processing capacity of the listener.