A bit of self-promotion: Together with my colleagues Doron Shiffer-Sebba and Yoav Goldstein, I just published an article in Sociological Methods & Research outlining a new way to analyze social interaction. We call the approach “3D Social Research” (3DSR). In a nutshell, 3DSR uses CV and 3D camera footage to study kinesics and proxemics, two core elements of social interaction. More specifically, 3DSR allows analyzing physical distance, movement in space, and movement rate at scale and in great detail. As a sneak preview, below is a visualization of the movement pattern and physical distance between two individuals. The interaction was filmed from a regular camera angle (~90º to the individuals on screen). 3DSR allows locating the individuals seamlessly and automatically in 3D space throughout the interaction, can also track the physical distance between actors continuously, and allows visualizing their movement and distance from a bird’s-eye perspective. For more capabilities of 3DSR, check out our article. Also, keep your eyes peeled for new developments, we will keep working in this space and publish exciting new opportunities Computer Vision offers for studying social interactions.

From: Goldstein, Legewie, and Shiffer-Sebba (2023): 3D Social Research –
Analysis of Social Interaction Using Computer Vision