TIL

Full name:

Toruń Interaction Lab

Appointment of the team:

2025

Human interaction is the basic mechanism of social life. Humans communicate through various channels: words, tone of voice, gestures, mimics, gaze. We also rely on other senses, such as touch and smell.

Most often these modes are analysed separately, but the Toruń Interaction Lab focuses on researching multichannel interactions, how they shape human communication, and co-create meaning in interactions.

The research group combines multiple fields, such as linguistics, psychology, neuroscience. The studies will focus on integrating various scientific research methods with modern technologies, such as eye-tracking or VR/XR.

Moreover, TIL wants the research to have real world impact, especially in the area of accessible communication, consciously focusing on the needs of the Deaf and hard of hearing communities.

Team Leader

Portrait of Sławomir Wacewicz

Sławomir Wacewicz

Bio:

Sławomir Wacewicz is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Experimental Linguistics at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, currently also Director of the IMSErt University Center of Excellence. A linguist, cognitive scientist and evolutionary researcher, he is co-founder and former Director of NCU’s Centre for Language Evolution Studies. His research examines the evolution of human communication, especially pantomime, gesture, cooperation, signalling and the role of the eyes, including the human white sclera, in social cognition. He developed the “platform of trust” account of language evolution and co-created resources such as the Apemen Faces Database. He has authored or co-authored over 100 publications, a substantial part in leading journals such as the Journal of Language Evolution, Cognitive Science, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Evolutionary Human Sciences and Scientific Data.

Meet the research team

Portrait of Marek Placiński

Marek Placiński

Portrait of Marta Sibierska

Marta Sibierska

Portrait of Vojtěch Fiala

Vojtěch Fiala

Portrait of Oliwia Kowalczyk

Oliwia Kowalczyk

Portrait of Ewa Ratajczak

Ewa Ratajczak

Portrait of Przemysław Żywiczyński

Przemysław Żywiczyński

Portrait of Dominik Piotrowski

Dominik Piotrowski

Portrait of Antoni Żyndul

Antoni Żyndul

Portrait of Neon Balasiński

Neon Balasiński

Portrait of Aleksandra Ćwiek

Aleksandra Ćwiek

Portrait of Agnieszka Hamerlińska

Agnieszka Hamerlińska

Portrait of Monika Boruta

Monika Boruta

Portrait of Michael Pleyer

Michael Pleyer

Portrait of Veslava Osińska

Veslava Osińska