Jens Edlund

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About

Jens Edlund is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction and spoken dialogue systems, with a particular focus on the subtle mechanics of non-verbal communication. His work centers on how gaze, facial animation, and physical presence shape the flow and effectiveness of interaction between humans and machines. Edlund’s major contributions include pioneering studies on gaze perception in dialogue, demonstrating how animated facial expressions on robotic heads can manage conversational turn-taking, attention, and deictic referencing. His highly cited paper “Taming Mona Lisa” (2012, 75 citations) is a landmark study that reveals how even subtle gaze cues profoundly influence communication dynamics, challenging simplistic models of interaction. Edlund’s research bridges cognitive science, linguistics, and robotics, offering practical insights for designing more intuitive and socially aware artificial agents. His work on co-presence and embodiment further explores how physical versus virtual presence alters user engagement. With a career dedicated to making robots more responsive and human-like in their communicative behaviors, Edlund’s findings are essential reading for anyone interested in the future of collaborative human-robot teams and natural user interfaces.