The wHiSPER project investigated how human perception is influenced by social interaction, particularly in settings involving both human and robotic agents. The project leveraged psychophysical experimentation, computational modeling, and advanced robotics to study how perceptual inference adapts during interaction, with a strong emphasis on developing robotic systems capable of shared perception.
Throughout the project, wHiSPER advanced five primary objectives:
1. Understanding Perceptual Adaptation in Interaction – The project demonstrated that human perception of both spatial and temporal properties shifts in interactive contexts, even with a robot, emphasizing the role of social engagement in perceptual inference.
2. Assessing How Perceptual Priors Generalize to the Observation of Others' Actions – The project studied how prior experience influences action perception, particularly in relation to movement style. This effect extended to robotic actions, demonstrating that humans apply the same perceptual models when interacting with artificial agents.
3. Developing Computational Models of Shared Perception – wHiSPER developed Bayesian models to quantify how perceptual inference adapts during social interaction. These models provided insights into how individuals dynamically balance internal priors with external social cues.
4. Endowing Robots with Shared Perception Abilities – The project explored reinforcement learning and continual adaptation strategies to enhance robotic perception and action coordination. Novel robotic architectures were developed, allowing robots to adapt to human behavior in real time, improving their capacity for natural and intuitive interaction.
5. Investigating Perceptual Adaptation Across Different Sensory Conditions – A key development during the project was the realization that perceptual adaptation mechanisms vary depending on individual sensory characteristics. Research extended to populations with sensory impairments and aging-related perceptual changes, highlighting how prior experience influences perception differently across diverse conditions.
The project resulted in a substantial body of interdisciplinary publications. In engineering and robotics, findings were published in journals such as IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, IEEE Access, and the International Journal of Social Robotics. Contributions to neuroscience appeared in Cerebral Cortex and Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, while psychology-related results were featured in Frontiers in Psychology and Experimental Psychology: General. High-impact multidisciplinary outlets, including PNAS and Scientific Reports, further demonstrated the project's broad relevance.
wHiSPER findings were also presented at leading international conferences, earning Best Paper Awards and Honorable Mentions. Beyond academia, the project gained media attention across television, radio, and online platforms, highlighting its significance for both the scientific community and the general public.
Furthermore, the methodologies developed have potential applications in assistive robotics, rehabilitation, and human-centered AI, offering novel solutions for technology-mediated social interaction.
