GRACE (Groups’ Analysis for automated Cohesion Estimation) is a fundamental research project funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) within the frame of its JCJC program (GRACE, project ANR-18-CE33-0003-01). The project contributes to the axis 3 “Interaction, Robotique – Intelligence Artificielle” of the challenge 7 “Société de l’information et de la communication”.
The project started on April 1st 2019 and ended on September 30th 2022.

Using AI for a better understanting of the cohesion

The project aims at developing a computational model of cohesion among humans able to integrate the task and social dimensions of cohesion and also accounting for their relationship and their development over time. The model will be fed with multi-modal nonverbal descriptors of cohesion computed at individual as well as group’s level.

Scientific and technological impact

GRACE will produce a relevant scientific breakthrough by providing solid foundations from experimental evidence for developing models and algorithms for automated estimation of cohesion. The knowledge produced by GRACE will also be useful to identify novel requirements for a future generation of software applications (killer apps) able to provide feedback on group and team processes in several scenarios (e.g. meetings, surgery, education, sport training).

Societal and industrial impact

GRACE intends to spread light on and proactively support major mechanisms that are responsible for group effectiveness and well-being. It is well known that emergent states are important antecedents of team effectiveness and are heavily influenced by the use of information technology