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Pacific Rim Knowledge Acquisition Workshop

PKAW 2016: Knowledge Management and Acquisition for Intelligent Systems pp 213–227Cite as

Building a Working Alliance with a Knowledge Based System Through an Embodied Conversational Agent

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 9806))

Abstract

Knowledge is only useful if the intended user is able to utilize the system. In early knowledge based systems, known as expert systems, the user interface provided the means through which knowledge was acquired and accessed. Today it is possible to interact with the knowledge of an expert through a humanlike interface, in the form of an embodied conversational agent (ECA). Through familiar conversational-style interaction, the ECA can obtain the state of the user and provide a recommendation overcoming health literacy barriers and, depending on the nature of the dialogue, build a working alliance with the human that will encourage adherence to the advice. In this paper we describe the eADVICE system in the domain of paediatric incontinence that aims to improve adherence through the use of an ECA as the interface to the domain knowledge. Results of an initial pilot are provided showing that those who used the ECA achieved improved health outcomes and found the experience positive.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Computing Department, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia

    Deborah Richards

  2. Centre for Kidney Research & Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Patrina Caldwell

Authors
  1. Deborah Richards
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  2. Patrina Caldwell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Deborah Richards .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tokyo University of Science , Noda, Japan

    Hayato Ohwada

  2. University of Tsukuba, Tokyo, Japan

    Kenichi Yoshida

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Richards, D., Caldwell, P. (2016). Building a Working Alliance with a Knowledge Based System Through an Embodied Conversational Agent. In: Ohwada, H., Yoshida, K. (eds) Knowledge Management and Acquisition for Intelligent Systems . PKAW 2016. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9806. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42706-5_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42706-5_16

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-42705-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-42706-5

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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