Maintaining the Identity of Dynamically Embodied Agents

Virtual agents are traditionally constrained in their embod- iment, as they are restricted to one form of body. We propose allowing them to change their embodiment in order to expand their capabili- ties. This presents users with a number of di±culties in maintaining the identity of the agents, but these can be overcome by using identity cues, certain features that remain constant across embodiment forms. This pa- per outlines an experiment that examines these identity cues, and shows that they can be used to help address this identity problem

A User study on visualization of agent migration between two companion robots

In order to provide continuous user assistance in different physical situations and circumstances, it is desirable that an agent can maintain its identity as it migrates between different physical embodiments. A user study was conducted, with 21 primary school students which investigated the use of three different visual cues to support the user's belief that they are still interacting with the same agent migrating between different robotic embodiments.Non peer reviewe

Video prototyping of dog-inspired non-verbal affective communication for an appearance constrained robot

Original article can be found at: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org “This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder." “Copyright IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.”This paper presents results from a video human-robot interaction (VHRI) study in which participants viewed a video in which an appearance-constrained Pioneer robot used dog-inspired affective cues to communicate affinity and relationship with its owner and a guest using proxemics, body movement and orientation and camera orientation. The findings suggest that even with the limited modalities for non-verbal expression offered by a Pioneer robot, which does not have a dog-like appearance, these cues were effective for non-verbal affective communication

Form Follows Function: Designing For Tensions Of Conversational Agents In Service Encounters

The proliferation of conversational agents (CAs) promises efficiency and quality improvements while enabling a more seamless integration of technology into service encounters. However, it remains unclear how CAs should be designed to provide the optimal experience for the key users: clients and frontline employees. Based on qualitative research with those key users, this study delivers a vision of an adaptable CA. It proposes a differentiated approach toward the design of CA: there is no one-size-fits-all design regarding the level of social presence, autonomy, or agency. The analysis reveals three tensions in user expectations leading to inconsistent design requirements for CAs. To resolve those tensions, CAs should be adapted to the changing context of a service encounter considering the appropriate level of autonomy, task complexity, interpersonal intimacy, and social role of the CA. The study contributes three design principles emphasizing the importance of the context for which a CA is designed

Companheiros virtuais em dispositivos móveis: o caso do pequeno Mozart

Mestrado em Comunicação MultimédiaA presente investigação enquadra-se na problemática da migração de software de ambiente PC para dispositivos móveis. Neste sentido, pretende-se estudar os aspectos a considerar, ao nível tecnológico e de design, para a migração de software entre plataformas. Desta forma, os resultados obtidos são apresentados através de um estudo de caso que incidiu na implementação de um protótipo concebido para dispositivos móveis com o objectivo de avaliar as limitações na migração entre dispositivos. Participaram neste estudo trinta e três alunos do 2º ano de escolaridade de duas escolas, situadas no concelho de Coimbra. A recolha de dados foi realizada com base em observações e inquérito por entrevista. Com a presente investigação, pretende-se, portanto, contribuir para o estudo da utilização de dispositivos móveis e dos aspectos a considerar na migração de software entre plataformas.This investigation is focused on the problem related to the migration of software from PC for mobile devices. The issues to consider in this study are connected to the technology and design characteristics, associated with the migration of software between platforms. Thus, the results are presented through a case study that focused on implementing a prototype designed for mobile devices in order to assess the limitations on migration between devices. Participated in these study thirty-three students in the 2nd grade of two schools, located in the district of Coimbra. Data collection was based on observation and interview survey. In this research, it is intended, to contribute to the study of the use of mobile devices and the points to consider in the migration of software between platforms