This paper describes two systems using embodied conversational agents (ECAs) for language learning. The first system, called Ville, is a virtual language teacher for vocabulary and pronunciation training. The second system, a dialogue system called DEAL, is a role-playing game for practicing conversational skills. Whereas DEAL acts as a conversational partner with the objective of creating and ...

PURPOSE The present study examined the nature of concurrent and predictive associations between conversational language use and reading development during early school-age years. METHOD Language and reading data from 380 twins in the Western Reserve Reading Project were examined via phenotypic correlations and multilevel modeling on exploratory latent factors. RESULTS In the concurrent pred...

W e present proto-dialog skills of a n anthropomo-rphzc robot, Kismet. The implementation is modeled after the proto-conversational skills of human infants. W e have supplemented Kismet’s vocal turn-taking skills with other para-linguistic socaal cues. W e have found that naive subjects intuitavely read and m e these cues to regulate the exchange, making it smoother over time.

When humans interact with one another, socially intelligent conversational behaviors arise from the interaction of a number of different factors: the conversants’ personality, cultural knowledge, the ability to observe and reason about social relationships, and the ability to project and detect affective cues. For virtual agents to be socially intelligent, they must have an expressive conversat...

We describe research in progress on a dialogue system that simulates social conversation between animated characters representing a person with Alzheimer's Disease and his caregiver. The goal of the research is to enable caregivers to practice techniques to improve their assistive conversational skills. These skills are expected to reduce caregiver stress and to improve the quality of life of p...

Regardless of whether the humans involved are virtual or real, well-developed conversational skills are a necessity. The synthesis of interface agents that are not only understandable but also believable can be greatly aided by knowledge of which facial motions are perceptually necessary and sufficient for clear and believable conversational facial expressions. Here, we recorded several core co...