Virtual Human Project What is it Embodied Conversational

Virtual Human Project

What is it? • Embodied Conversational Agents • Fake real intelligence! – No deep understanding – No real NLP

Tools • AIMLpad – • Source: – Web locations: • http: //program-n. sourceforge. net// (has a great tutorial) • Also on sourceforge

AIMLpad • Notepad based for Windows • Has hooks for – Wordnet – Open. CYC – Built-in script langauge – Editor interface – Microsoft agent interface

How do you build one? • Pick your topic areas. • Define the knowledge for the area. • Build scripts using AIML – (Covered in another talk) • But How Do You Make It Really Work?

Process • Choose a topic area for your bot • Design Elements – Personality – Quirks, habits and verbal idiosyncrasies – Backstory – Humor • Write and test – Add AIML and have your group and friends try it out

Backstory • • Character Sketch Past history Friends Family • The elements that make a person have depth

Features of Uniqueness • Personality – Personal comments – “In my opinion” • Quirks • Habits • Verbal idiosyncrasies – Ways of phrasing – Idiomatic expressions – cool, “fur surely”, etc.

Humor • Funny comments • Side or snide remarks • Tell a joke?

Project Document • • Describe your chatbot Describe your design process Lessons learned Submit the bot to me in a zip file.

Resources • AIML and Alice. Bot http: //www. alicebot. org/ • Cyn project • Tutorials for AIMLpad program • AIMLpad is downloadable from my AI page

Install AIMLpad • Get the zip files from the web • Unzip into a directory – point all the unzips a the same target and the files will go to the right place • Run the exe and when the window appears click on the “cartoon speech bubble”