Simulating the Emotion Dynamics of a Multimodal Conversational Agent

We describe an implemented system for the simulation and visualisation of the emotional state of a multimodal conversational agent called Max. The focus of the presented work lies on modeling a coherent course of emotions over time. The basic idea of the underlying emotion system is the linkage of two interrelated psychological concepts: an emotion axis – representing short-time system states – and an orthogonal mood axis that stands for an undirected, longer lasting system state. A third axis was added to realize a dimension of boredom. To enhance the believability and lifelikeness of Max, the emotion system has been integrated in the agent’s architecture. In result, Max’s facial expression, gesture, speech, and secondary behaviors as well as his cognitive functions are modulated by the emotional system that, in turn, is affected by information arising at various levels within the agent’s architecture.

[1]  C. Elliott.  The affective reasoner: a process model of emotions in a multi-agent system , 1992 .

[2]  P. Johnson-Laird,et al.  Towards a Cognitive Theory of Emotions , 1987 .

[3]  Ipke Wachsmuth,et al.  Max - A Multimodal Assistant in Virtual Reality Construction , 2003, Künstliche Intell..

[4]  J. Lerner,et al.  inuences on judgement and choice , 2000 .

[5]  李幼升,et al.  Ph , 1989 .

[6]  Andrew Ortony,et al.  The Cognitive Structure of Emotions , 1988 .

[7]  W. Wundt,et al.  Vorlesungen über die menschen- und tierseele , 1921 .

[8]  Thomas Rist,et al.  Integrating Models of Personality and Emotions into Lifelike Characters , 1999, IWAI.

[9]  Xuan Zhang,et al.  Emotional Communication with Virtual Humans , 2003, MMM.

[10]  Stephen J. Vodanovich,et al.  The essence of boredom. , 1993 .

[11]  J. Velásquez.  Modeling Emotion-Based Decision-Making , 1998 .

[12]  W. S. Reilly,et al.  Believable Social and Emotional Agents. , 1996 .

[13]  P. Ekman,et al.  Facial signs of emotional experience. , 1980 .

[14]  J. Cassell,et al.  Embodied conversational agents , 2000 .

[15]  A. Mehrabian.  Framework for a comprehensive description and measurement of emotional states. , 1995, Genetic, social, and general psychology monographs.

[16]  P. Petta,et al.  Towards a Tractable Appraisal-Based Architecture for Situated Cognizers , 1998 .

[17]  Elizabeth F. Churchill,et al.  “May I help you?”: designing embodied conversational agent allies , 2001 .

[18]  Catherine Pelachaud,et al.  From Greta's mind to her face: modelling the dynamics of affective states in a conversational embodied agent , 2003, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud..