Deictic Communication (DCOMM)

Professor of Psychology at UEA, Kenny Coventry, DCOMM coordinator, said at the start of the project: "Deictic communication is critical to understanding not only how communication develops typically in a range of spoken and signed languages, but also when communication can potentially break down in a range of clinical and atypically developing populations, from stroke patients to those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Understanding deictic communication is also essential to develop robots with better communication skills, and to understand how people can most effectively interact when communicating with each other about the spatial world, for example, in architectural design or through mobile phones and other technology applications. DCOMM will train researchers in both the basic science of deictic communication and in application, with a broad range of potential beneficiaries in both the private and public sectors.”  

Professor Coventry added: "UEA is delighted to be leading this interdisciplinary training network that brings together an exciting mix of leading scientists and industrial partners to understand deictic communication both conceptually and in application." 

Impact

The programme trained the next generation of scientists in methods necessary to make significant progress in understanding deictic communication. The research and training was structured around two key themes – understanding deictic communication and deictic communication in application.