A 'companion' ECA with planning and activity modelling

M. O. (Marc) Cavazza; Cameron Smith; Daniel Charlton; Li Zhang; Markku Turunen; Jaakko Hakulinen

A 'companion' ECA with planning and activity modelling

M. O. (Marc) Cavazza
, Cameron Smith
, Daniel Charlton
, Li Zhang
, Markku Turunen
, Jaakko Hakulinen

SCEDT School Executive Team

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the development of an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) implementing the concept of a companion, i.e. an agent supporting the persistent representation of user activities and dialogue-based communication with the user. This first experiment implements a Health and Fitness companion aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle. The system operates by generating an 'ideal' plan of daily activities from background knowledge and dialogue interaction with the user. This plan then becomes an activity model, which will later be instantiated by reports from the user and analysed by the agent from the perspective of initial objectives. At various stages of the day, the plan can still be adapted through further dialogue. The agent is embodied using a wireless rabbit (Nabaztag™) device situated in the user's home. After describing the planning component, based on Hierarchical Task Networks (HTN) and the spoken dialogue system, we present a working example from the system illustrating its behaviour through various phases of user activity generation, updating and re-planning.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the seventh international conference on autonomous agents and multiagent systems
Publisher	ACM
Pages	1281-1284
Volume	3
ISBN (Print)	978098173812X
Publication status	Published - 2008
Event	7th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems - Estoril, Portugal Duration: 12 May 2008 → 16 May 2008

Conference

Conference	7th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems
Country/Territory	Portugal
City	Estoril
Period	12/05/08 → 16/05/08

Bibliographical note

In this paper, we describe the development of an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) implementing the concept of a companion, i.e. an agent supporting the persistent representation of user activities and dialogue-based communication with the user. This first experiment implements a Health and Fitness companion aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle. The system operates by generating an 'ideal' plan of daily activities from background knowledge and dialogue interaction with the user. This plan then becomes an activity model, which will later be instantiated by reports from the user and analysed by the agent from the perspective of initial objectives. At various stages of the day, the plan can still be adapted through further dialogue. The agent is embodied using a wireless rabbit (Nabaztag™) device situated in the user's home. After describing the planning component, based on Hierarchical Task Networks (HTN) and the spoken dialogue system, we present a working example from the system illustrating its behaviour through various phases of user activity generation, updating and re-planning.

Cite this

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title = "A 'companion' ECA with planning and activity modelling",

abstract = "In this paper, we describe the development of an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) implementing the concept of a companion, i.e. an agent supporting the persistent representation of user activities and dialogue-based communication with the user. This first experiment implements a Health and Fitness companion aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle. The system operates by generating an 'ideal' plan of daily activities from background knowledge and dialogue interaction with the user. This plan then becomes an activity model, which will later be instantiated by reports from the user and analysed by the agent from the perspective of initial objectives. At various stages of the day, the plan can still be adapted through further dialogue. The agent is embodied using a wireless rabbit (Nabaztag{\texttrademark}) device situated in the user's home. After describing the planning component, based on Hierarchical Task Networks (HTN) and the spoken dialogue system, we present a working example from the system illustrating its behaviour through various phases of user activity generation, updating and re-planning.",

author = "Cavazza, \{M. O. (Marc)\} and Cameron Smith and Daniel Charlton and Li Zhang and Markku Turunen and Jaakko Hakulinen",

note = "In this paper, we describe the development of an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) implementing the concept of a companion, i.e. an agent supporting the persistent representation of user activities and dialogue-based communication with the user. This first experiment implements a Health and Fitness companion aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle. The system operates by generating an 'ideal' plan of daily activities from background knowledge and dialogue interaction with the user. This plan then becomes an activity model, which will later be instantiated by reports from the user and analysed by the agent from the perspective of initial objectives. At various stages of the day, the plan can still be adapted through further dialogue. The agent is embodied using a wireless rabbit (Nabaztag{\texttrademark}) device situated in the user's home. After describing the planning component, based on Hierarchical Task Networks (HTN) and the spoken dialogue system, we present a working example from the system illustrating its behaviour through various phases of user activity generation, updating and re-planning.; 7th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems ; Conference date: 12-05-2008 Through 16-05-2008",

year = "2008",

language = "English",

isbn = "978098173812X",

volume = "3",

pages = "1281--1284",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the seventh international conference on autonomous agents and multiagent systems",

publisher = "ACM",

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T1 - A 'companion' ECA with planning and activity modelling

AU - Cavazza, M. O. (Marc)

AU - Smith, Cameron

AU - Charlton, Daniel

AU - Zhang, Li

AU - Turunen, Markku

AU - Hakulinen, Jaakko

N1 - In this paper, we describe the development of an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) implementing the concept of a companion, i.e. an agent supporting the persistent representation of user activities and dialogue-based communication with the user. This first experiment implements a Health and Fitness companion aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle. The system operates by generating an 'ideal' plan of daily activities from background knowledge and dialogue interaction with the user. This plan then becomes an activity model, which will later be instantiated by reports from the user and analysed by the agent from the perspective of initial objectives. At various stages of the day, the plan can still be adapted through further dialogue. The agent is embodied using a wireless rabbit (Nabaztag™) device situated in the user's home. After describing the planning component, based on Hierarchical Task Networks (HTN) and the spoken dialogue system, we present a working example from the system illustrating its behaviour through various phases of user activity generation, updating and re-planning.

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - In this paper, we describe the development of an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) implementing the concept of a companion, i.e. an agent supporting the persistent representation of user activities and dialogue-based communication with the user. This first experiment implements a Health and Fitness companion aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle. The system operates by generating an 'ideal' plan of daily activities from background knowledge and dialogue interaction with the user. This plan then becomes an activity model, which will later be instantiated by reports from the user and analysed by the agent from the perspective of initial objectives. At various stages of the day, the plan can still be adapted through further dialogue. The agent is embodied using a wireless rabbit (Nabaztag™) device situated in the user's home. After describing the planning component, based on Hierarchical Task Networks (HTN) and the spoken dialogue system, we present a working example from the system illustrating its behaviour through various phases of user activity generation, updating and re-planning.

AB - In this paper, we describe the development of an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) implementing the concept of a companion, i.e. an agent supporting the persistent representation of user activities and dialogue-based communication with the user. This first experiment implements a Health and Fitness companion aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle. The system operates by generating an 'ideal' plan of daily activities from background knowledge and dialogue interaction with the user. This plan then becomes an activity model, which will later be instantiated by reports from the user and analysed by the agent from the perspective of initial objectives. At various stages of the day, the plan can still be adapted through further dialogue. The agent is embodied using a wireless rabbit (Nabaztag™) device situated in the user's home. After describing the planning component, based on Hierarchical Task Networks (HTN) and the spoken dialogue system, we present a working example from the system illustrating its behaviour through various phases of user activity generation, updating and re-planning.

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 978098173812X

VL - 3

SP - 1281

EP - 1284

BT - Proceedings of the seventh international conference on autonomous agents and multiagent systems

PB - ACM

T2 - 7th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems

Y2 - 12 May 2008 through 16 May 2008

ER -

A 'companion' ECA with planning and activity modelling

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

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