A Command Language for Taskable Virtual Agents

In this paper, we report progress on making synthetic characters more taskable. In particular, we present an English-like command language that lets one specify complex behaviors an agent should carry out in a virtual environment. We also report compilers that translate English commands into a formal notation and formal statements into procedures for ICARUS, an agent architecture that supports reactive execution. To demonstrate the benefits of such taskability, we have integrated ICARUS with TWIG, which provides a simulated physical environment with humanoid agents. We use the command language to specify three complex activities, including responding to an object contingently, collecting and storing a set of objects, and negotiating with another agent in order to purchase an item. We also discuss related work on controlling synthetic characters, along with paths for additional research on taskability.