Transforming Interaction: A Workshop on AAC, Social Robotics, and Conversational AI

The workshop ‘Transforming Interaction’, held at the University of Groningen from April 2-4, brought together international experts in Conversation Analysis, Social Robotics, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Artificial Intelligence, Speech Synthesis, and Interaction Design. 

The event addressed the communication challenges and interactional complexities arising from rapid advancements in deep learning and large language models. Co-organized by the Communicative Assistive Device Lab (CADL) at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, the workshop featured talks and interactive sessions led by leading scholars from Europe, the UK, and the United States.

This interactive workshop aimed to leverage conversational AI to design and develop more socially interactive robots and advance augmentative communication systems. It connected practitioners and researchers to explore technologically mediated communication, including AAC, and human-centered robotics.

Key areas

The 2.5-day workshop covered several key areas, including:

• Interaction dynamics in co-present communication with social robots and human-computer interaction, particularly within the context of AAC.
• AI innovation in AAC, with a focus on user agency.
• The role of Large Language Models (LLMs) in social interaction, specifically within social robotics.
• Lifespan and developmental considerations in communication disabilities, exploring the role of technology and social robots at various developmental stages.
• Design considerations for augmented communicators.
• Speech synthesis technologies and Multimodality.
• The application of Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis (EMCA) and microanalysis techniques to study interaction involving AAC and technology, and how these insights can inform the design of effective communication tools.
• Demo sessions that provided participants an opportunity to showcase relevant technologies, prototypes, and research projects.
  

The workshop provided participants with a comprehensive overview of technologically mediated interaction, focusing on the contributions of AAC and social robotics to talk-in-interaction research. Discussions explored the impact of technology by examining how users interact with social robots and chatbots, and the implications for typical and atypical communicators. A significant portion of the workshop was dedicated to discussing design challenges, including interaction analysis and design considerations involving AI, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and LLMs. Finally, the workshop addressed the ethical dimensions of these technologies, exploring the ethical implications of their development and use. Participants had also the opportunity to discuss different research approaches and methodologies, in studying the interplay between AI, AAC, Robots and Human interaction.

Workshop activities included keynote speeches, presentations, open sessions, hands-on demonstrations of state-of-the-art technology, and fishbowl discussions.

Multidisciplinary

A key aspect of the workshop was fostering collaboration across disciplines, including Speech Pathology, Speech Technology, Conversation Analysis and Ethnomethodology, Design, Human-Computer and Human-Robot Interaction, and AAC. The open and fishbowl discussions were particularly instrumental in sparking future discussions and collaborations. Online forms were also used to gather questions and continue discussions after the event, facilitating ongoing interdisciplinary dialogue and exploring the potential of AI and related technologies for atypical communicators. Participants identified common research challenges and networked with peers interested in technology-mediated communication, communication disabilities, and the role of technology, AI, LLMs, and social robotics, and follow-up meetings will be organised to ensure continued collaboration and progress toward the workshop goals.

JTS Grassroot Grant

This valuable opportunity for professional development, knowledge exchange, and community building was made possible, along with LOT – Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics, by the generous support of the Jantina Tammes School Grassroots Grant. This grant was instrumental in providing essential materials, facilitating event logistics, and contributing directly to the workshop's overall success. We extend our sincere thanks to the Jantina Tammes School for their commitment to fostering these important interdisciplinary activities within its community and for recognizing the potential of this research to impact the lives of atypical communicators!