Catálogo de publicaciones - libros

We describe a computational treatment of certain sorts of affect-conveying metaphorical utterances. This is part of an affect detection system used by intelligent conversational agents (ICAs) operating in an edrama system.

In this paper we describe a case-based representation of intelligent virtual agent’s interaction experience. This allows us to develop an approach to creation of IVAs by using case-based reasoning. We called this agent CBRIVA. We can define a CBRIVA as an entity that selects the next step based on previous interaction experience. A CBRIVA’s interaction experience is represented in the form of the three types of cases:

Current virtual agent [1] control architectures involve representations of the environment that must be adequate for effective deliberative behaviour rather than simple encoding of the environment’s state. Hence, they must take into account the element of uncertainty that is inherent to perceptual processes, in the form of predicting the future state of perceivable parts of the environment or the current state of non-perceivable parts. A number of approaches have been proposed to deal with uncertainty. A large proportion introducing uncertainty as a means towards increased perceptual believability [2]. A different group attempts to deal with inherent uncertainty in a variety of ways [3,4]. Although substantial benefits are gained in both cases, prediction over time is rarely addressed, while potential knowledge on targets’ intentions remains largely unexploited.

The technology and commercial experience of Cantoche put a new light on applications using avatars.

CereProc® Ltd. have recently released a beta version of a commercial unit selection synthesiser featuring XML control of speech style. The system is freely available for academic use and allows fine control of the rendered speech as well as full timings to interface with avatars and other animation.

VirtuOz is a software company that develops and sells an interactive agent technology capable of efficiently collaborating with clients’ customer service departments in order to provide its users with an innovative, immediate, assistance service based on artificial intelligence.

Tracking is an essential tool for virtual agents. It provides (a) the pose of the interacting person for a correct 3d view of the virtual agent, (b) Motion Capture data of real persons that can be transferred to an avatar to obtain realistic movements or for interacting, (c) details of such movements like hands and fingers. This can be used for interactions like gesture recognition, too. With the example of tracking hands and fingers, the related problems and solutions are discussed: wireless active markers, addressing for identification, marker positions at finger tips, finger calibration etc.

We claim that it is more effective to simulate intelligence than it is to recreate it. To this end several of the classic social psychological theories suggest strategies to transform the dialogue into an encounter with a consistent and cohesive personality. The secret is to use the mind-set of the user to the advantage of the conversation, and to provoke the user into showing typical behavior. This is presented in an online system: Elbot.com.