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Visually detectable facial mimicry in response to android facial expressions
Dongsheng Yang1,2, Wataru Sato3, Chun-Ting Hsu2
1Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
Scientific Reports
|November 21, 2025
Summary
Humanlike androids can trigger visible facial mimicry. Observing an android's expressions of anger and happiness elicited measurable facial muscle activity and visible actions in participants, suggesting potential for human-robot interaction.
Area of Science:
- Human-computer interaction
- Social robotics
- Cognitive neuroscience
Background:
- Facial mimicry is vital for human communication and social bonding.
- Previous research confirmed spontaneous mimicry in response to human facial expressions using EMG and video analysis.
- While android expressions can elicit EMG-detected mimicry, visual detectability remained unconfirmed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if humanlike android facial expressions can induce visually detectable spontaneous facial mimicry in humans.
- To investigate the specific facial actions (brow lowering, lip-corner pulling) associated with android-induced mimicry.
Main Methods:
- Participants observed dynamic facial expressions (anger, happiness) from the android Nikola.
- Facial electromyography (EMG) recorded corrugator supercilii and zygomatic major muscle activity.
- Video recordings captured participants' faces, automatically coded for brow lowering and lip-corner pulling actions.
Main Results:
- Android's angry expressions significantly increased corrugator supercilii activity (EMG) and brow lowering (video).
- Android's happy expressions significantly increased zygomatic major activity (EMG) and lip-corner pulling (video).
- These mimicry responses were visually detectable in participants' facial actions.
Conclusions:
- Humanlike androids' facial expressions can elicit visually detectable spontaneous mimicry in humans.
- This finding supports the potential for using android facial expressions to enhance human-robot interaction and coordination.
- Visually detectable mimicry suggests a deeper level of social responsiveness to androids.
Keywords:
AndroidAutomated Facial Action Coding System (FACS)Facial electromyography (EMG)Facial expressions of emotion: Facial mimicryMore Related Videos
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