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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.05.27.728118

Gaze information enhances remote skill transfer of piano performance

Oku, T.·Makimoto, Y.·Shioki, M.·Koike, H.·Furuya, S.
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Abstract

Remote instruction is increasingly used to teach complex sensorimotor skills, yet conventional audio-video communication poorly conveys the fine-grained attentional cues that support expert guidance. This study tested whether real-time bidirectional gaze sharing enhances remote transfer of piano performance skill by restoring joint visual attention between teacher and learner. Twenty-seven conservatory-level pianists were randomly assigned either to a group, in which teacher and learner gaze positions were visualized during online instruction, or to a group receiving otherwise identical instruction without gaze cues. We recorded eye movements with wearable eye trackers and evaluated piano performance using a high-resolution key-motion sensing system. Real-time gaze sharing increased learners gaze-pattern similarity to a teacher, which was not evident in the control group. A parallel effect was observed for head-movement similarity. Critically, gaze sharing also reduced variability of the key-descending velocity at the moment of finger-key contact for the right-hand landing after a leap, a feature associated with unstable key-striking velocity. These findings exhibit that gaze information is not merely an auxiliary communication cue but a timing-critical coordination channel for remote motor instruction. By augmenting video-mediated pedagogy with shared attentional dynamics, the proposed system offers a framework for transmitting tacit, high-dexterity skills across distance.

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Oku, T., Makimoto, Y., Shioki, M., Koike, H., Furuya, S.. 2026-05-29. Gaze information enhances remote skill transfer of piano performance. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.27.728118

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