Virtual Humans for Learning

William Swartout; Ron Artstein; Eric Forbell; Susan Foutz; H. Chad Lane; Belinda Lange; Jacquelyn Morie; Dan Noren; Skip Rizzo; David Traum

doi:10.1609/aimag.v34i4.2487

Virtual Humans for Learning

William Swartout, Ron Artstein, Eric Forbell, Susan Foutz, H. Chad Lane, Belinda Lange, Jacquelyn Morie, Dan Noren, Skip Rizzo, David Traum

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

56 Citations (Scopus)

44 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Virtual humans are computer-generated characters designed to look and behave like real people. Studies have shown that virtual humans can mimic many of the social effects that one finds in human-human interactions such as creating rapport, and people respond to virtual humans in ways that are similar to how they respond to real people. We believe that virtual humans represent a new metaphor for interacting with computers, one in which working with a computer becomes much like interacting with a person and this can bring social elements to the interaction that are not easily supported with conventional interfaces. We present two systems that embody these ideas. The first, the twins are virtual docents in the Museum of Science, Boston, designed to engage visitors and raise their awareness and knowledge of science. The second, Sim- Coach, uses an empathetic virtual human to provide veterans and their families with information about PTSD and depression.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	13-30
Number of pages	18
Journal	AI Magazine
Volume	34
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1609/aimag.v34i4.2487
Publication status	Published - 15 Dec 2013
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1609/aimag.v34i4.2487Licence: CC BY

Final published versionFinal published version, 5.35 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{d28d5ac6f6b54901b7befe024871b2b0,

title = "Virtual Humans for Learning",

abstract = "Virtual humans are computer-generated characters designed to look and behave like real people. Studies have shown that virtual humans can mimic many of the social effects that one finds in human-human interactions such as creating rapport, and people respond to virtual humans in ways that are similar to how they respond to real people. We believe that virtual humans represent a new metaphor for interacting with computers, one in which working with a computer becomes much like interacting with a person and this can bring social elements to the interaction that are not easily supported with conventional interfaces. We present two systems that embody these ideas. The first, the twins are virtual docents in the Museum of Science, Boston, designed to engage visitors and raise their awareness and knowledge of science. The second, Sim- Coach, uses an empathetic virtual human to provide veterans and their families with information about PTSD and depression.",

author = "William Swartout and Ron Artstein and Eric Forbell and Susan Foutz and Lane, {H. Chad} and Belinda Lange and Jacquelyn Morie and Dan Noren and Skip Rizzo and David Traum",

year = "2013",

month = dec,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1609/aimag.v34i4.2487",

language = "English",

volume = "34",

pages = "13--30",

journal = "AI Magazine",

issn = "0738-4602",

publisher = "State Library of New South Wales",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Virtual Humans for Learning

AU - Swartout, William

AU - Artstein, Ron

AU - Forbell, Eric

AU - Foutz, Susan

AU - Lane, H. Chad

AU - Lange, Belinda

AU - Morie, Jacquelyn

AU - Noren, Dan

AU - Rizzo, Skip

AU - Traum, David

PY - 2013/12/15

Y1 - 2013/12/15

N2 - Virtual humans are computer-generated characters designed to look and behave like real people. Studies have shown that virtual humans can mimic many of the social effects that one finds in human-human interactions such as creating rapport, and people respond to virtual humans in ways that are similar to how they respond to real people. We believe that virtual humans represent a new metaphor for interacting with computers, one in which working with a computer becomes much like interacting with a person and this can bring social elements to the interaction that are not easily supported with conventional interfaces. We present two systems that embody these ideas. The first, the twins are virtual docents in the Museum of Science, Boston, designed to engage visitors and raise their awareness and knowledge of science. The second, Sim- Coach, uses an empathetic virtual human to provide veterans and their families with information about PTSD and depression.

AB - Virtual humans are computer-generated characters designed to look and behave like real people. Studies have shown that virtual humans can mimic many of the social effects that one finds in human-human interactions such as creating rapport, and people respond to virtual humans in ways that are similar to how they respond to real people. We believe that virtual humans represent a new metaphor for interacting with computers, one in which working with a computer becomes much like interacting with a person and this can bring social elements to the interaction that are not easily supported with conventional interfaces. We present two systems that embody these ideas. The first, the twins are virtual docents in the Museum of Science, Boston, designed to engage visitors and raise their awareness and knowledge of science. The second, Sim- Coach, uses an empathetic virtual human to provide veterans and their families with information about PTSD and depression.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880670595&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1609/aimag.v34i4.2487

DO - 10.1609/aimag.v34i4.2487

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84880670595

SN - 0738-4602

VL - 34

SP - 13

EP - 30

JO - AI Magazine

JF - AI Magazine

IS - 4

ER -

Virtual Humans for Learning

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this