Trust in Virtual Agents: Exploring the Role of Stylization and Voice

Overview

Explore how stylization and voice characteristics affect trust in virtual agents, with findings showing stylized agents build trust similarly to realistic ones, while age and audio-visual matching impact user perceptions.

Syllabus

• Introduction to Virtual Agents
Definition and purpose of virtual agents
Overview of current technologies and applications
• Understanding Trust in Human-Agent Interaction
The psychology of trust
Factors influencing trust in virtual agents
• The Role of Stylization in Virtual Agents
What is stylization?
Comparing stylized vs. realistic virtual agents
Case studies and research findings on stylization
• Voice Characteristics and Their Impact on Trust
Importance of voice in virtual agent design
Key voice features affecting perception (tone, pitch, etc.)
Evidence-based analysis of voice characteristics on trust
• Age Perception in Virtual Agents
How age representation affects user trust
Design considerations for age-appropriate agents
Literature review on age-related perceptions
• Audio-Visual Matching in Virtual Agents
Importance of synchrony between visual cues and voice
Effects of mismatched audio-visual cues on user trust
Techniques for achieving effective audio-visual integration
• Design Principles for Trustworthy Virtual Agents
Best practices for agent design
Incorporating user feedback and ethical considerations
Tools and technologies for developing virtual agents
• Evaluating Trust in Virtual Agents
Methods and metrics for assessing trust
Conducting user studies and surveys
Analyzing data for trust-related insights
• Future Trends in Trust and Virtual Agent Design
Emerging technologies and their potential impact
The future of AI human interaction
Challenges and opportunities in building trust
• Course Wrap-up and Final Project
Recap of key insights and learnings
Group projects: designing and evaluating a virtual agent
Feedback and discussion on course outcomes

Subjects

Computer Science