Emotional Intelligence in AI: Interacting with an Affective Virtual Life Coach
You are being invited to take part in a research project.
Before you decide whether or not to participate, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve.
Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish.
Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.
Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part. Thank you for reading this!
The Purpose
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is like having a superpower that let us dive into the minds and hearts of others. It's the secret sauce for building awesome friendships, smoothing out squabbles, and really clicking with people.
Think of it as our own personal emotional supporter, helping us send messages that hit the feels just right. And get this - even virtual pals can get in on the emotional action, showing they've got "heart", byte by byte!
Hence, this study focuses on the interaction between you and an Affective Intelligent Virtual Agent (AIVA) which is equipped with emotional alignment capabilities.
All you have to do is interact with it and answer a couple of questions regarding your experience with the AIVA!
At the moment the AIVA is embodied only by a female avatar which is called AvataRena and is going to be your life-coach for the next minutes. The whole process, including filling out the necessary questionnaires, is estimated to last 10 to 15 minutes .
Afterwards, your information regarding the interaction will be used, completely anonymously, to explore how and if AvataRena, designed to respond to human emotions, impacted your engagement and emotional connection.
The main objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of emotionally aligned embodied intelligent virtual agents regarding user engagement.
What information will be collected?
The data we collect is numbers calculated during the interaction and the responses concerning this interaction.
All the information will be kept strictly confidential and will only be accessible to members of the research team.
Everything is collected in a completely anonymous way, no email, no name and no surname needed!
You will not be able to be identified in any reports or publications.
Why You?
You have been selected to participate in this research project through a rigorous screening process aimed at ensuring a diverse and representative
sample. Your involvement is crucial to our understanding of how an affective virtual life coach can impact well-being.
We aim to recruit a total of 150 participants like yourself from various backgrounds to ensure comprehensive insights into the
effectiveness of our virtual life coach. Your contribution will play a vital role in shaping the future of health support technologies.
Do you have to take part?
If you do decide to take part you can download a copy of both the information sheet and the consent form.
You have the full autonomy to withdraw from the study at any point, for any reason, without facing any consequences.
Your comfort and well-being are our top priorities, and we respect your right to participate or discontinue participation as you see fit.
If at any time during your involvement you feel uncomfortable or no longer wish to continue, simply closing the webpage will signify your withdrawal
from the study. Your decision will be honored promptly and without question.
If you experience any discomfort or have concerns during your participation in this study, please know that support is available.
You may contact our Designated Safeguard Contact, whose details are provided below, for assistance and guidance.
Your well-being is our priority, and we are here to ensure your safety and comfort throughout the research process.
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary, and we appreciate your willingness to contribute to our research.
Please note that that by choosing to participate in this research, this will not create a legally binding agreement,
nor is it intended to create an employment relationship between you and either The University of Sheffield or the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH).
What will happen to the data?
The University of Sheffield and the Centre for Reseach and Technology, Hellas (CERTH) will act as the Data Controllers for this study. This means
that both organisations are responsible for looking after your information and using it properly.
This study has been ethically approved via the University of Sheffield’s Ethics Review Procedure, as administered by Computer Science department.
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the research and wish to make a complaint, please contact Dr. Konstantinos Votis - tel.: +30 2311 257722, email: kvotis@iti.gr - in the first instance.
If you feel your complaint has not been handled in a satisfactory way you can contact the Head of the Department of CERTH/ITI Dr. Ioannis Kompatsiaris - tel.: +30 2311 257774, email: ikom@iti.gr.
What if I have concerns?
If you wish to make a report of a concern or incident relating to potential exploitation, abuse or harm resulting from your involvement in this project,
please contact the project’s Designated Safeguarding Contact Dr. Katerina Touliou - tel. +30.2310.498466, email. touliouk@certh.gr.
If the concern or incident relates to the Designated Safeguarding Contact, or if you feel a report you have made to this Contact has not been handled in a satisfactory way,
please contact the Head of the Department of CERTH/ITI Dr. Ioannis Kompatsiaris - tel.: +30 2311 257774, email: ikom@iti.gr.
Contact Information
For inquiries regarding the study or collaboration opportunities, please contact:
- Contact Person: Evdoxia Eirini Lithoxoidou, PhD Candidate
- Email: eelithoxoidou1@sheffield.ac.uk, elithoxo@iti.gr
- Supervisor: Professor Tony Prescott
- Email:T.J.Prescott@sheffield.ac.uk