This paper introduces the understanding system HAM-RPM, which simulates a dialogue partner conversing about a real-life domain. After outlining the system's overall structure, we discuss three of its distinguishing features: The first is its organisation of spatial data in a redundant multiple data base, inspired by certain aspects characteristic of visual search in humans. A new algorithm for ...

Given the value of face-to-face interaction in communication and learning, our persistent goal has been to develop, evaluate, and apply animated agents to produce realistic and accurate speech. We have implemented these agents as computer-assisted speech and language tutors for hard of hearing and autistic children, and other children with language challenges. Our languagetraining program utili...

The authors discuss Guru, a conversational expert ITS. Guru is designed to mimic expert human tutors using advanced applied natural language processing techniques including natural language understanding, knowledge representation, and natural language generation. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-447-5.ch011

This paper presents a reflection on the ethical implications of conversational agents. The reflection is motivated by recent empirical findings showing that, when interacting in natural language with artificial partners, users tend to indulge in disinhibited behaviour, such as flaming, bullying and sexual harassment. The paper then addresses the question whether conversational agents open any e...

This paper addresses the design decisions present in the field of virtual conversational character scripting languages. These languages combine narrative and physical actions (of the face, body, voice etc.) to “direct” the performance of a virtual conversational character. VHML is one such language and will be used to give a real-world example context to a discussion of design decisions underly...

With the advent of software agents and assistants, the concept of so called conversational user interfaces evolved, incorporating natural language interaction, dialogue management, and anthropomorphic representations. Today's challenge is to build a suitable visualization architecture for anthropomorphic conversational user interfaces, and to design believable and appropriate face-to-face inter...

We have developed two systems, FN and ANDD, that use natural language and graphical displays, respectively, to communicate information about objects to human users. Both systems must deal with the fundamental problem of ensuring that their output does not carry unwanted and inappropriate conversational implicatures. We describe the types of conversational implicatures that FN and ANDD can avoid...

The Semantic Web is about to become a rich source of knowledge whose potential will be squandered if it is not accessible for everyone. Intuitive interfaces like conversational agents are needed to better disseminate this knowledge, either on request or even proactively in a context-aware manner. This paper presents work on extending an existing conversational agent, Max, with abilities to acce...

We introduce Olympus, a freely available framework for research in conversational interfaces. Olympus’ open, transparent, flexible, modular and scalable nature facilitates the development of large-scale, real-world systems, and enables research leading to technological and scientific advances in conversational spoken language interfaces. In this paper, we describe the overall architecture, seve...