More than just a pretty face: Conversational protocols and the affordances of embodiment

J. Cassell; T. Bickmore; L. Campbell; H. Yan

doi:10.1016/S0950-7051(00)00102-7

More than just a pretty face: Conversational protocols and the affordances of embodiment

J. Cassell
, T. Bickmore
, L. Campbell
, H. Yan

Department of Computer Science

Reykjavik University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Prior research into embodied interface agents has found that users like them and find them engaging. However, results on the effectiveness of these interfaces for task completion have been mixed. In this paper, we argue that embodiment can serve an even stronger function if system designers use actual human conversational protocols in the design of the interface. Communicative behaviors such as salutations and farewells, conversational turn-taking with interruptions, and describing objects using hand gestures are examples of protocols that all native speakers of a language already know how to perform and can thus be leveraged in an intelligent interface. We discuss how these protocols are integrated into Rea, an embodied, multi-modal interface agent who acts as a real-estate salesperson, and we show why embodiment is required for their successful implementation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	55-64
Number of pages	10
Journal	Knowledge-Based Systems
Volume	14
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0950-7051(00)00102-7
Publication status	Published - Mar 2001

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: Thanks to the other members of the REA team — in particular David Mellis and Nina Yu — and to Jennifer Smith and Matthew Stone for their contribution to the work and comments on this paper. Thanks to Candy Sidner and several anonymous reviewers for helpful comments that improved the article. Research leading to the preparation of this article was supported by the National Science Foundation (award IIS-9618939), AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, and other generous sponsors of the MIT Media Lab.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 4 Quality Education
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Access to Document

10.1016/S0950-7051(00)00102-7

Cite this

@article{212a1a4070eb49a69756eeb932730d1d,

title = "More than just a pretty face: Conversational protocols and the affordances of embodiment",

abstract = "Prior research into embodied interface agents has found that users like them and find them engaging. However, results on the effectiveness of these interfaces for task completion have been mixed. In this paper, we argue that embodiment can serve an even stronger function if system designers use actual human conversational protocols in the design of the interface. Communicative behaviors such as salutations and farewells, conversational turn-taking with interruptions, and describing objects using hand gestures are examples of protocols that all native speakers of a language already know how to perform and can thus be leveraged in an intelligent interface. We discuss how these protocols are integrated into Rea, an embodied, multi-modal interface agent who acts as a real-estate salesperson, and we show why embodiment is required for their successful implementation.",

author = "J. Cassell and T. Bickmore and L. Campbell and H. Yan",

note = "Funding Information: Thanks to the other members of the REA team — in particular David Mellis and Nina Yu — and to Jennifer Smith and Matthew Stone for their contribution to the work and comments on this paper. Thanks to Candy Sidner and several anonymous reviewers for helpful comments that improved the article. Research leading to the preparation of this article was supported by the National Science Foundation (award IIS-9618939), AT\&T, Deutsche Telekom, and other generous sponsors of the MIT Media Lab.",

year = "2001",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/S0950-7051(00)00102-7",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

pages = "55--64",

journal = "Knowledge-Based Systems",

issn = "0950-7051",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "1-2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - More than just a pretty face

T2 - Conversational protocols and the affordances of embodiment

AU - Cassell, J.

AU - Bickmore, T.

AU - Campbell, L.

AU - Yan, H.

N1 - Funding Information: Thanks to the other members of the REA team — in particular David Mellis and Nina Yu — and to Jennifer Smith and Matthew Stone for their contribution to the work and comments on this paper. Thanks to Candy Sidner and several anonymous reviewers for helpful comments that improved the article. Research leading to the preparation of this article was supported by the National Science Foundation (award IIS-9618939), AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, and other generous sponsors of the MIT Media Lab.

PY - 2001/3

Y1 - 2001/3

N2 - Prior research into embodied interface agents has found that users like them and find them engaging. However, results on the effectiveness of these interfaces for task completion have been mixed. In this paper, we argue that embodiment can serve an even stronger function if system designers use actual human conversational protocols in the design of the interface. Communicative behaviors such as salutations and farewells, conversational turn-taking with interruptions, and describing objects using hand gestures are examples of protocols that all native speakers of a language already know how to perform and can thus be leveraged in an intelligent interface. We discuss how these protocols are integrated into Rea, an embodied, multi-modal interface agent who acts as a real-estate salesperson, and we show why embodiment is required for their successful implementation.

AB - Prior research into embodied interface agents has found that users like them and find them engaging. However, results on the effectiveness of these interfaces for task completion have been mixed. In this paper, we argue that embodiment can serve an even stronger function if system designers use actual human conversational protocols in the design of the interface. Communicative behaviors such as salutations and farewells, conversational turn-taking with interruptions, and describing objects using hand gestures are examples of protocols that all native speakers of a language already know how to perform and can thus be leveraged in an intelligent interface. We discuss how these protocols are integrated into Rea, an embodied, multi-modal interface agent who acts as a real-estate salesperson, and we show why embodiment is required for their successful implementation.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0035277175

U2 - 10.1016/S0950-7051(00)00102-7

DO - 10.1016/S0950-7051(00)00102-7

M3 - Article

SN - 0950-7051

VL - 14

SP - 55

EP - 64

JO - Knowledge-Based Systems

JF - Knowledge-Based Systems

IS - 1-2

ER -

More than just a pretty face: Conversational protocols and the affordances of embodiment

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this