Editorial: “Emotion in Interaction”

Abstract

This editorial provides a brief introduction and overview of the following five chapters dedicated to a subset of topics relating to the creation of real-time computational systems capable of engaging in affective interaction with humans. It focuses on the use of graphical embodiments known as embodied conversational agents. These computer characters, endowed with human-like appearances and behaviours for the purpose of interacting with humans, are an excellent tool for investigating the construction of more natural human–machine interfaces. Additionally, they play an important role in helping to elucidate our understanding of subtle, illusive and highly complex processes and phenomena underlying human interaction, often appearing trivial due to the apparent ease with which we can accomplish them in our daily routine. An important goal of such systems is to be able to form a loop with the human by conducting appropriate behaviours at appropriate times, in order to establish and maintain different senses of connectedness between the human and agent.