4,191 research outputs found
Agents for educational games and simulations
This book consists mainly of revised papers that were presented at the Agents for Educational Games and Simulation (AEGS) workshop held on May 2, 2011, as part of the Autonomous Agents and MultiAgent Systems (AAMAS) conference in Taipei, Taiwan. The 12 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from various submissions. The papers are organized topical sections on middleware applications, dialogues and learning, adaption and convergence, and agent applications
Classifying Smart Personal Assistants: An Empirical Cluster Analysis
The digital age has yielded systems that increasingly reduce the complexity of our everyday lives. As such, smart personal assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri combine the comfort of intuitive natural language interaction with the utility of personalized and situation-dependent information and service provision. However, research on SPAs is becoming increasingly complex and opaque. To reduce complexity, this paper introduces a classification system for SPAs. Based on a systematic literature review, a cluster analysis reveals five SPA archetypes: Adaptive Voice (Vision) Assistants, Chatbot Assistants, Embodied Virtual Assistants, Passive Pervasive Assistants, and Natural Conversation Assistants
Design behaviors : programming the material world for responsive architecture
The advances of material science, coupled with computation and digital technologies, and applied to the architectural discipline have brought to life unprecedented possibilities for the design and making of responsive, collectively created and intelligent environments. Over the last two decades, research and applications of novel active materials, together with digital technologies such as Ubiquitous Computing, Human-Computer Interaction, and Artificial Intelligence, have introduced a model of Materially Responsive Architecture that presents unique possibilities for designing novel performances and behaviors of the architectural Beyond the use of mechanical systems, sensors, actuators or wires, often plugged into traditional materials to animate space, this dissertation proves that matter itself, can be the agent to achieve monitoring, reaction or adaptation with no need of any additional mechanics, electrical or motorized systems. Materials, therefore, become bits and information uniting with the digital world, while computational processes, such as algorithmic control, circular feedback, input or output, both drive and are driven by the morphogenetic capacities of matter, uniting, therefore, with the material world.
Through the applications and implications of Materially Responsive Architecture we are crossing a threshold in design where physicality follows and reveals information through time and through dynamic configurations. Design is not limited to a finalised form but rather associated to a performance, where the final formal outcome consists in a series of animated and organic topologies rather than static geometries and structures. This new paradigm, is referred to, in this thesis, as the Design Behaviors paradigm (in the double sense of "behaviors of design" and "designing behaviors"), and is characterized by unique exchanges and dialogues between users and the environment, facilitated by the conjunction of human, material and computational intelligence.
Buildings, objects and spaces are able to reconfigure themselves, in both atomic and macro scale, to support environmental changes and users' needs, behavioral and occupational patterns. At the same time the Design Behaviors paradigm places not only matter and the environment at the center of design and morphogenesis, but also the users, that become active participants of their built environment and play the final creative role. This paradigm shift, boosts new relations among the human's perception and body and the inhabited space.
The new design paradigm is also a new cultural one, in which statics, repetition and Cartesian grids, traditionally related with safety, orientation and comfort, give way to motion, unpredictability and organic principles of evolution.
Materially Responsive Architecture and the Design Behaviors paradigm define uniquely enhanced "environments" and "ecologies" where human, nature, artifice and technology collectively and evolutionally co-exist within a framework of increased consciousness and awareness.
This thesis argues that, while there is no doubt that our future cities will consist in an extensive layer of distributed sensors, actuators and digital interfaces, they will also consist in an additional layer of novel materials, that are dynamic and soft, rather than rigid and hard, able to sense as sensors, actuate as motors, and be programmed as a software. The new materiality of our cities relies on the advances of material science, coupled with the cybernetic and computational power, and can be actuated by the environment to change states (Re-Active Matter), can be controlled by the users to respond (Co-Active Matter), and eventually can be designed and programmed to learn and evolve as living organisms do (Self-Active Matter). The physical space of the city is, thus, the seamless intertwining of digital and material content, becoming an active agent in the dynamic relationship between the environment and humans.Los avances en la ciencia de los materiales, junto con la computación y las tecnologías digitales, y aplicados a la disciplina arquitectónica, han dado vida a posibilidades sin precedentes para el diseño y la realización de entornos responsivos, inteligentes y creados de forma colectiva. En las últimas dos décadas, la investigación y aplicación de nuevos materiales activos junto con tecnologías digitales como la Computación Ubicua, la Interacción Hombre-Ordenador y la Inteligencia Artificial, han introducido el modelo de Materially Responsive Architecture (Arquitectura Materialmente Responsiva), que presenta posibilidades únicas para el diseño de nuevas actuaciones y comportamientos del espacio arquitectónico. Más allá del uso de sistemas mecánicos, sensores, o motores, a menudo conectados a materiales tradicionales para activar el espacio, esta disertación demuestra que la materia en sí misma puede ser el agente que consiga monitoreo o reactividad sin necesidad de añadir ningún sistema mecánico o eléctrico. Los materiales, en este caso, se convierten en bits e información fundiéndose con el mundo digital, mientras que los procesos computacionales, como el feedback circular y el input o output, a la vez impulsan y son impulsados por la capacidad morfogenética de la materia, uniéndose, por lo tanto, con el mundo material. A través de las aplicaciones y las implicaciones de la Materially Responsive Architecture, estamos cruzando un umbral en el diseño donde el mundo físico sigue y revela información a través de configuraciones dinámicas en el tiempo. El diseño no se limita a una forma finalizada, sino se relaciona a una performance, donde el resultado formal final consiste en una serie de topologías orgánicas y animadas en lugar de estructuras y geometrías estáticas. En esta tesis doctoral, este nuevo paradigma se denomina paradigma de Design Behaviours (en el doble sentido de "comportamientos de diseño" y de "diseño de comportamientos") y se caracteriza por intercambios únicos entre el usuario y el entorno, facilitados por la conjunción de inteligencia humana, material y computacional. Los edificios, objetos y espacios pueden reconfigurarse a sí mismos, tanto a nivél atómico como a macro escala, para responder a los cambios ambientales y a las necesidades de los usuarios. Al mismo tiempo, el paradigma Design Behaviors coloca en el centro del diseño y la morfogénesis no solo la materia y el medio ambiente, sino también a los usuarios, que se convierten en participantes de su entorno construido y desempeñan el papel creativo final. El nuevo paradigma define "entornos" y "ecologías" aumentados de manera singular, donde el ser humano, la naturaleza, el artificio y la tecnología coexisten de manera colectiva y evolutiva dentro de un marco de mayor conciencia consciente. El nuevo paradigma de diseño es también un nuevo paradigma cultural, en el que las redes estáticas, repetitivas y cartesianas, tradicionalmente relacionadas con la seguridad, la orientación y el confort, dan paso al movimiento, la imprevisibilidad y la evolución orgánica. Esta tesis sostiene que, si bien no hay duda de que nuestras ciudades futuras consistirán en una capa extensa de sensores distribuidos e interfaces digitales, también contarán con una capa adicional de materiales dinámicos y suaves, en lugar de rígidos y duros, capaces de sentir como sensores, actuar como motores y ser programados como un software. La nueva materialidad de nuestras ciudades puede ser activada por el medio ambiente para cambiar su estado (Re-Active Matter), puede ser controlada por los usuarios para responderles (Co-Active Matter), y eventualmente puede diseñarse y programarse para aprender y evolucionar por sí misma así como lo hacen los organismos vivos (Self-Active Matter). El espacio físico de la ciudad es, por lo tanto, el entrelazado holístico entre contenido digital y material, convirtiéndose en un agente activo en la relación dinámica entre el medio ambiente y los humanos
Contributos para suportar o desenvolvimento de sistemas de diálogo
With the increase of technology present in our daily routine, a specific area
rose exponentially. Spoken dialogue systems are increasingly popular and
useful: they provide an easier and more versatile access to large and diverse
sets of information.
Nowadays there is a vast knowledge base regarding this topic, as well as different
systems capable of performing numerous tasks just by simply processing
voice input. There are also an increasing set of tools for their development.
Despite recent advances, development of dialog systems continues to be challenging.
The main objective of this thesis is to contribute and make possible
and simple the development of new dialogue systems for Portuguese: by selecting,
adapting and combining existing tools/frameworks.
Supported by the enhancements made to the selected basis framework, two
different dialog systems were developed: the first is an assistant aimed at a
Smart Home environment - one of areas that benefited the most with the development
of dialog systems - and the second targeting accessible tourism.
The first assistant was developed aligned with the Smart Green Homes
project. It implied the definition of scenarios and requirements that later helped
defining the ontology and the system. Another requirement for this system
was the inclusion of the back-end system developed previously as part of the
Smart Green Homes project.
The second was aligned with the project ACTION in the area of Tourism. It
was developed for users with accessibility needs, e.g., impaired movement or
vision.Com o aumento da tecnologia presente na nossa rotina diária, uma área específica
subiu exponencialmente. Os sistemas de diálogo são cada vez mais
populares e úteis: proporcionam um acesso mais fácil e versátil a grandes e
diversificados conjuntos de informação.
Hoje em dia existe uma vasta base de conhecimento sobre este tema, bem
como diferentes sistemas capazes de executar inúmeras tarefas através do
processamento de uma entrada de voz. Há também um conjunto crescente
de ferramentas para o seu desenvolvimento.
Apesar dos avanços recentes, o desenvolvimento de sistemas de diálogo continua
a ser um desafio. O principal objetivo desta tese é contribuir e tornar
possível e simples o desenvolvimento de novos sistemas de diálogo que suportem
português: selecionando, adaptando e combinando ferramentas existentes.
Baseado nas melhorias feitas nas ferramentas bases selecionadas, foram desenvolvidos
dois sistemas de diálogo diferentes: o primeiro é um assistente
dirigido a um ambiente Smart Home - uma das áreas que mais beneficiou
com o desenvolvimento de sistemas de diálogo - e o segundo visando o turismo
acessível.
O primeiro assistente foi desenvolvido alinhado com o projeto Smart Green
Homes. Implicou a definição de cenários e requisitos que mais tarde ajudaram
a definir a ontologia e o sistema. Outro requisito para este sistema foi
a inclusão do sistema back-end desenvolvido anteriormente como parte do
projeto Smart Green Homes.
O segundo assistente foi alinhado com o projeto ACTION na área do Turismo.
Foi desenvolvido para utilizadores com necessidades de acessibilidade, por
exemplo, deficiência motora ou invisualidade.Mestrado em Engenharia de Computadores e Telemátic
Proceedings of the 2nd IUI Workshop on Interacting with Smart Objects
These are the Proceedings of the 2nd IUI Workshop on Interacting with Smart Objects. Objects that we use in our everyday life are expanding their restricted interaction capabilities and provide functionalities that go far beyond their original functionality. They feature computing capabilities and are thus able to capture information, process and store it and interact with their environments, turning them into smart objects
Context-aware management of multi-device services in the home
MPhilMore and more functionally complex digital consumer devices are becoming
embedded or scattered throughout the home, networked in a piecemeal fashion and
supporting more ubiquitous device services. For example, activities such as watching
a home video may require video to be streamed throughout the home and for multiple
devices to be orchestrated and coordinated, involving multiple user interactions via
multiple remote controls.
The main aim of this project is to research and develop a service-oriented multidevice
framework to support user activities in the home, easing the operation and
management of multi-device services though reducing explicit user interaction. To do
this, user contexts i.e., when and where a user activity takes place, and device
orchestration using pre-defined rules, are being utilised.
A service-oriented device framework has been designed in four phases. First, a simple
framework is designed to utilise OSGi and UPnP functionality in order to orchestrate
simple device operation involving device discovery and device interoperability.
Second, the framework is enhanced by adding a dynamic user interface portal to
access virtual orchestrated services generated through combining multiple devices.
Third the framework supports context-based device interaction and context-based task
initiation. Context-aware functionality combines information received from several
sources such as from sensors that can sense the physical and user environment, from
user-device interaction and from user contexts derived from calendars. Finally, the
framework supports a smart home SOA lifecycle using pre-defined rules, a rule
engine and workflows
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