Perception of eye contact in video teleconsultation

During patient consultations by videoconferencing, clinicians often sit as close as 1 m from the videoconferencing units, creating a significant eye gaze angle (i.e. the angle between the eye and the camera, and the eye and the centre of the display). Eye gaze angle may adversely affect the satisfaction with videoconferencing. Four videoconferencing environments were examined: desktop PC, portable telehealth unit, videoconferencing room, and a boardroom equipped with a ceiling-mounted camera and a projection screen. Two still images of each of the three subjects were captured: one at a 7 degrees eye gaze angle and the other at 15 degrees. Each of 53 observers ranked four pairs of images for each of the three subjects. In 87% of cases, the observers perceived better eye contact at an eye gaze angle of 7 degrees than 15 degrees. Also, 92% of observers responded that the difference in the perceived eye contact was important to them as patients. Improved eye contact can be realized by increasing the horizontal distance of participants from the videoconferencing unit.