Inquisitive Motion Generation System based on a Free-Energy Model of Curiosity and Interest

Inquisitive Motion Generation System based on a Free-Energy Model of Curiosity and Interest | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Inquisitive Motion Generation System based on a Free-Energy Model of Curiosity and Interest Shimon Honda, Hideyoshi Yanagisawa This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4233880/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 15 Jul, 2025 Read the published version in Research in Engineering Design → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Product motion is a crucial design element, blending functionality with aesthetic appeal. Such motions establish an emotional bond between the product and its user. Engaging with the product stimulates curiosity and interest in its motion, encouraging repeated use. This study aims to formulate indicators for curiosity and interest in motion and to implement a computational system to generate motions that provoke inquiry. This study situates curiosity and interest as emotions crucial to the inquiry cycle, proposing that optimal prediction error (deviation from expected motion patterns) cultivates interest, while fluctuations in prediction error spark curiosity. Our analysis is based on the inquiry cycle, a mathematical model of emotions rooted in the free energy principle of brain function. We developed curiosity, motion, and interest measures from the model based on prediction error variation and reduction. The developed system can independently control prediction errors and their variations for a given open-loop mechanism. This system generates motions that control the magnitude of prediction errors by deviating from the trajectory of energy-minimizing motions. Using the semantic differential method and eye-tracking experiments measuring gaze duration, we found that interest correlates with prediction error in an upward-convex manner, and its variability induces curiosity. These results align with our model. The novelty of this study lies in experimentally verifying that applying moderate prediction errors and fluctuations in prediction errors is effective in increasing interest and curiosity in motion design. This research contributes design insights for engineers and designers seeking to enhance the appeal of product motions. Motion Design Curiosity Interest Surprise Inquiry Cycle Free Energy Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 15 Jul, 2025 Read the published version in Research in Engineering Design → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 26 Feb, 2025 Reviews received at journal 17 Feb, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Jan, 2025 Reviews received at journal 01 Dec, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Nov, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 14 Jun, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 20 Apr, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 09 Apr, 2024 First submitted to journal 08 Apr, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4233880","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":289301356,"identity":"dddc26e2-5487-4714-a953-adfc5159811b","order_by":0,"name":"Shimon Honda","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The University of Tokyo","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shimon","middleName":"","lastName":"Honda","suffix":""},{"id":289301357,"identity":"70c3e137-b36b-4642-90c9-6fdce175e5fc","order_by":1,"name":"Hideyoshi Yanagisawa","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABAklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACA2YGA4YPIAZMRAJKM+PTwjgDrAWsxoAILSBdPNi04ATm7MwbH9vm2MibM/AfAOr9Iyc5I/kAw48aBnZzHFosm9mKjXO3pRnubGBmAGoxMJaWSEtg7DnGwGzZgMNhh3nMpHO3HU4wOADUwvvPIHGeRI4BA28DA7PBAZxazH9bbvsP0QK0BayF8S9+LWbMjNsOILTMBmphxm8LW7Fk77Zkww2HmQ0OzmEwNpbseZZwWOaYBG6/nD+88cPPbXbyBscbHz54wyAnJ3E8+eDDNzU2ybhCDAGA0QJxiUACiCGRbIBXOQrgh+i0I0HLKBgFo2AUDG8AANDaTKLrfbUeAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"The University of Tokyo","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hideyoshi","middleName":"","lastName":"Yanagisawa","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-04-08 04:40:03","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4233880/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4233880/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00163-025-00456-y","type":"published","date":"2025-07-15T16:05:42+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":87220655,"identity":"2f48c664-4650-4e55-ac5b-6abdffd380c5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-21 16:12:56","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4497757,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"2402REDIMSE.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4233880/v1_covered_83c6db6f-dfd0-41ab-8ef5-ab09578a9a63.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Inquisitive Motion Generation System based on a Free-Energy Model of Curiosity and Interest","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"research-in-engineering-design","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ried","sideBox":"Learn more about [Research in Engineering Design](http://link.springer.com/journal/163)","snPcode":"163","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/163/3","title":"Research in Engineering Design","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Motion Design, Curiosity, Interest, Surprise, Inquiry Cycle, Free Energy","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4233880/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4233880/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Product motion is a crucial design element, blending functionality with aesthetic appeal. 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