DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Education
Dutch news & articles
Hearing heartbeat just like looking each other in the eye
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Hearing heartbeat just like looking each other in the eye

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:

Related Stories

Work-Life Balance: Your choice to respondWork-Life Balance: Your choice to respond
Top open-air cinemas in the NetherlandsTop open-air cinemas in the Netherlands
The 9 most beautiful libraries in EuropeThe 9 most beautiful libraries in Europe
New Year’s resolutions for expats in the NetherlandsNew Year’s resolutions for expats in the Netherlands
Interesting buildings in UtrechtInteresting buildings in Utrecht
Exciting new developments in Amsterdam's schoolsExciting new developments in Amsterdam's schools
Dutch museums reopened with many exhibitions extendedDutch museums reopened with many exhibitions extended
A site-seeing weekend in UtrechtA site-seeing weekend in Utrecht
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemapRSS feeds
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairsWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Apr 7, 2011

Hearing the heartbeat of someone you are talking to gives the same feeling of personal contact as looking each other in the eye. This is the remarkable conclusion of research at TU/e with Stanford University and Philips Research. The research focuses on improving human contact when using digital communication channels.

Distance
In the research, performed by doctoral candidate Joris Janssen of TU/e, the test subjects were placed in an immersive virtual environment with a "virtual" partner.

When the test subjects heard a natural heartbeat belonging to their partner, they automatically kept a greater distance in the same way as people do in everyday situations. The test subjects also indicated that they experienced closer contact with their virtual discussion partner because of the heartbeat. The effect was found to be just as great as looking each other in the eye. This effect was measured in virtual reality (VR).

Earlier research shows that VR findings of this kind are also applicable to "real life."

Loneliness
The aim of the research is to find ways to improve the quality of digital communication. In other words: that users experience the communication as more personal, with the underlying goals of combating loneliness and improving wellbeing and health. Seeing each other is an important factor, and being aware of the other person’s heartbeat strengthens the feeling of personal contact still further.

This does not have to be through sound, Joris Janssen explains. The heartbeat can also be transmitted by a beating (tactile) feeling, for example by wearing a special ring, which has the same effect. So he does not expect heartbeats to actually be heard during conversations in the future.

Source: TU/e