Annerieke Heuvelink

TACOP: a cognitive agent for a naval training simulation environment

This paper describes how cognitive modeling can be exploited in the design of software agents that support naval training sessions. The architecture, specifications, and embedding of the cognitive agent in a simulation environment are described. Subsequently, the agents functioning was evaluated in complex, real life training situations for naval officers.

Intelligent Agents for Training On-Board Fire Fighting

Simulation-based training in complex decision making often requires ample personnel for playing various roles (e.g. team mates, adversaries). Using intelligent agents may diminish the need for staff. However, to achieve goal-directed training, events in the simulation as well as the behavior of key players must be carefully controlled. We propose to do that by using a director agent (DA). A DA can be seen as a supervisor, capable of instructing agents and steering the simulation. We explain and illustrate the concept in the context of training in on-board fire fighting.

Characters with personality

Serious games offer an opportunity for learning communication skills by practicing conversations with one or more virtual characters, provided that the character(s) behave in accordance with their assigned properties and strategies. This paper presents an approach for developing virtual characters by using the Belief-Desire-Intentions (BDI) concept. The BDI-framework was used to equip virtual characters with personality traits, and make them act accordingly. A sales game was developed as context: the player-trainee is a real-estate salesman; the virtual character is a potential buyer. The character could be modeled to behave either extravert or introvert; agreeable or non-agreeable; and combinations thereof. A human subjects study was conducted to examine whether naive players experience the personality of the virtual characters in accordance with their assigned profile. The results unequivocally show that they do. The proposed approach is shown to be effective in creating individualized characters, it is flexible, and it is relatively easy to scale, adapt, and re-use developed models.

Using agent technology to build a real-world training application

Using staff personnel for playing roles in simulation-based training (e.g. team mates, adversaries) elevates costs, and imposes organizational constraints on delivery of training. One solution to this problem is to use intelligent software agents that play the required roles autonomously. BDI modeling is considered fruitful for developing such agents, but have been investigated typically in toy-worlds only. We present the use of BDI agents in training a complex real-world task: on-board fire fighting. In a desktop simulation, the trainee controls the virtual character of the commanding officer. BDI-agents are developed to generate the behavior of all other officers involved. Additionally, agents are implemented to manage the information flow between the agents and the simulation, to control the scenario, and to tutor the trainee. In this paper we describe the design of the application, the functional and technical requirements, and our experiences during implementation.

A cognitive model for social role compliant behavior of virtual agents

This paper presents research on how to model the characteristics of social groups into the constituent members of that group. A (virtual) person can belong to different social groups simultaneously (e.g. family, religious community; war tribe, etc). Each group has their own characteristics, such as common goals or a set of norms, which (partly) determine the behavior of the individuals. We developed a method to generate behavior of virtual characters as a function of the social groups they belong to. This is achieved through calculating plan utilities by taking into account the social groups, personal preferences, and the situational context. The method is tested using a military house-search scenario, revealing that our virtual characters acted in accordance with their social groups, even in the face of conflict between groups, by expressing behavior relevant to one or more of their social roles.