Dialogue with computers: dialogue games in action

With the advent of digital personal assistants for mobile devices, systems that are marketed as engaging in (spoken) dialogue have reached a wider public than ever before. For a student of dialogue, this raises the question to what extent such systems are genuine dialogue partners. In order to address this question, this study proposes to use the concept of a dialogue game as an analytical tool. Thus, we reframe the question as asking for the dialogue games that such systems play. Our analysis, as applied to a number of landmark systems and illustrated with dialogue extracts, leads to a fine-grained classification of such systems. Drawing on this analysis, we propose that the uptake of future generations of more powerful dialogue systems will depend on whether they are self-validating. A self-validating dialogue system can not only talk and do things, but also discuss the why of what it says and does, and learn from such discussions

Epistemic Logic with Partial Dependency Operator

In this paper, we introduce $\textit{partial}$ dependency modality $\mathcal{D}$ into epistemic logic so as to reason about $\textit{partial}$ dependency relationship in Kripke models. The resulted dependence epistemic logic possesses decent expressivity and beautiful properties. Several interesting examples are provided, which highlight this logic's practical usage. The logic's bisimulation is then discussed, and we give a sound and strongly complete axiomatization for a sub-language of the logic

Dynamic Semantics

This article focuses on foundational issues in dynamic and static semantics, specifically on what is conceptually at stake between the dynamic framework and the truth-conditional framework, and consequently what kinds of evidence support each framework. The article examines two questions. First, it explores the consequences of taking the proposition as central semantic notion as characteristic of static semantics, and argues that this is not as limiting in accounting for discourse dynamics as many think. Specifically, it explores what it means for a static semantics to incorporate the notion of context change potential in a dynamic pragmatics and denies that this conception of static semantics requires that all updates to the context be eliminative and distributive. Second, it argues that the central difference between the two frameworks is whether semantics or pragmatics accounts for dynamics, and explores what this means for the oft-heard claim that dynamic semantics blurs the semantics/pragmatics distinction

Faculty Excellence

Each year, the University of New Hampshire selects a small number of its outstanding faculty for special recognition of their achievements in teaching, scholarship and service. Awards for Excellence in Teaching are given in each college and school, and university-wide awards recognize public service, research, teaching and engagement. This booklet details the year\u27s award winners\u27 accomplishments in short profiles with photographs and text

Towards FollowMe User Profiles for Macro Intelligent Environments

We envision an Ambient Intelligent Environment as an environment with technology embedded within the framework of that environment to help enhance an users experience in that environment. Existing implementations , while working effectively, are themselves an expensive and time consuming investment. Applying the same expertise to an environment on a monolithic scale is very inefficient, and thus, will require a different approach. In this paper, we present this problem, propose theoretical solutions that would solve this problem, with the guise of experimentally verifying and comparing these approaches, as well as a formal method to model the entire scenario

The Lyons Den - Creative Honors Thesis

Daniel is walking to Luke’s house as Luke\u27s mom gives the keys to her 1980s pink Cadillac to Luke. Luke is opposed to driving the Cadillac; however, Daniel is completely for it. Luke reluctantly takes the keys, drives away, hides the car, and walks to school. Rusty, the bully, approaches the boys, and banter starts. Angered, Luke starts to throw a punch. The duo ends up in the principal’s office. Mrs. Francois lightly scolds the boys, but they all leave with smiles. Logan, running for class president, smooth-talks students into voting for him. However, Luke thinks he\u27s up to something. After school, Daniel and Luke start walking home. In the background, Logan and Rusty shake hands. They walk over to eavesdrop behind the fence; it seems as if Logan is blackmailing Rusty. After Logan leaves, Rusty picks up his backpack and throws it against the fence which falls and reveals the duo. Rusty\u27s furious about them spying on him and charges Luke and Daniel who run for their lives. They escape. Daniel and Luke then figure out that Logan is blackmailing Rusty who is trying to get information to exonerate his dad from jail. Information which Logan has

The Seedling Sanctuary: Automated Cold Frame for Gardner Elementary

The purpose of this report is to provide the details of the Seedling Sanctuary, a mechanical engineering senior design project. The project in question is an automated cold frame designed specifically for Gardner Academy, a local elementary school in San Jose. A cold frame is a miniature greenhouse that opens like a chest and is made from clear plastic. Automated ventilation and watering systems create a microclimate within this greenhouse structure to create the ideal growing conditions for seeds. The main purposes of the cold frame are to lengthen the growing season, be maintenance free, and enhance garden education. From testing, the project goals were verified to have been achieved through several performance metrics. First, the system’s ability to lengthen the growing season is dependent on germinating seedlings that can be planted earlier in the season. The automated system maintained the seedlings at the proper soil moisture levels to grow. The system also implemented passive temperature control systems to maintain the plants in ideal conditions. With the ventilation and thermal mass, the system is able to be cooler at the hottest times of day and warmer at night than unprotected plants. The system has also successfully automated the care of the seedlings, achieving our goal of being maintenance free. Finally, the enhancement of garden education was incorporated through community engagement with the design and building of the cold frame, as well as the Bluetooth application which will be used in the school curriculum

Barnes Hospital Record

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/bjc_barnes_record/1200/thumbnail.jp