scholarly journals "Virtual Conversational Character Design for a Behavior simulator in Hospital Environments" (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santiago García Carbajal ◽  
María Pipa ◽  
José Luis Múgica
Keyword(s):  
Speech Therapy ◽  
Directed Graphs ◽  
Modular Architecture ◽  
Waiting Room ◽  
Hospital Environments ◽  
Character Design ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The One ◽  
Real Person ◽  
Training Exercises

UNSTRUCTURED Emergency waiting room is a place where conflicts raise quite often. Nervous relatives in a hostile, unknown environment force security and medical staff to be ready to deal with some awkward situations. Additionally, it’s been said that the medical interview is the first diagnostic and therapeutic tool, involving both intellectual and emotional skills on the practicing physician’s side. At the same time, seems that there is something mysterious about interviewing that cannot be formalized or taught. In this context, Virtual Conversational Characters (VCCs) are progressively present in most e-learning environments. Here we propose and develop a modular architecture for a VCC based Behavior Simulator to be used as a tool for Conflict Avoidance Training. Our behavior simulators are now being used in hospital environments, where Training Exercises must be easily designed and tested. We define Training Exercises as labeled, directed graphs that help an instructor in the design of complex Training Situations. In order to increase the perception of talking to a real person, the simulator must deal with a huge number of sentences that a VCC must understand and react to. These sentences are grouped into sets identified with a common label. Labels are then used to trigger changes in the active node of the graph that encodes the current state of the Training Exercise. As a consequence, we need to be able to map every sentence said by the human user into the set it belongs to, doing it in a fast and robust way. In this work we discuss two different existent String Metrics, and compare them to the one we finally use to assess a designed exercise. Based on the similarities found between different sets, the proposed metric gives us valuable information about ill-defined exercises. We also describe the environment in which our programs are being used, and illustrate it with an example. Initially designed as a tool for the training of the emergency room staff, our software could be of help in many other areas inside the same environment. We are currently exploring the possibility of using it in speech therapy situations

scholarly journals Using String Metrics to Improve the Design of Virtual Conversational Characters: Behavior Simulator Development Study

10.2196/15349 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e15349
Author(s):  
Santiago García-Carbajal ◽  
María Pipa-Muniz ◽  
Jose Luis Múgica
Keyword(s):  
Speech Therapy ◽  
Directed Graphs ◽  
Modular Architecture ◽  
Waiting Room ◽  
Current State ◽  
Hospital Environments ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Complex Training ◽  
Real Person ◽  
Training Exercises

Background An emergency waiting room is a place where conflicts often arise. Nervous relatives in a hostile, unknown environment force security and medical staff to be ready to deal with some awkward situations. Additionally, it has been said that the medical interview is the first diagnostic and therapeutic tool, involving both intellectual and emotional skills on the part of the doctor. At the same time, it seems that there is something mysterious about interviewing that cannot be formalized or taught. In this context, virtual conversational characters (VCCs) are progressively present in most e-learning environments. Objective In this study, we propose and develop a modular architecture for a VCC-based behavior simulator to be used as a tool for conflict avoidance training. Our behavior simulators are now being used in hospital environments, where training exercises must be easily designed and tested. Methods We define training exercises as labeled, directed graphs that help an instructor in the design of complex training situations. In order to increase the perception of talking to a real person, the simulator must deal with a huge number of sentences that a VCC must understand and react to. These sentences are grouped into sets identified with a common label. Labels are then used to trigger changes in the active node of the graph that encodes the current state of the training exercise. As a consequence, we need to be able to map every sentence said by the human user into the set it belongs to, in a fast and robust way. In this work, we discuss two different existing string metrics, and compare them to one that we use to assess a designed exercise. Results Based on the similarities found between different sets, the proposed metric provided valuable information about ill-defined exercises. We also described the environment in which our programs are being used and illustrated it with an example. Conclusions Initially designed as a tool for training emergency room staff, our software could be of use in many other areas within the same environment. We are currently exploring the possibility of using it in speech therapy situations.

E-Learning-Based Speech Therapy: A Web Application for Speech Training

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilian J. Beijer ◽  
Toni C.M. Rietveld ◽  
Marijn M.A. van Beers ◽  
Robert M.L. Slangen ◽  
Henk van den Heuvel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Web Application ◽  
Speech Therapy ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Speech Training

scholarly journals Risk Factors and Microbiological Control of Soils, Surfaces and Medical-technical Equipment at the Abomey-Calavi / So-Ava University Hospital Center, Benin

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akim Socohou ◽  
Haziz Sina ◽  
Cyriaque C. Degbey ◽  
Helène Ahouandjinou ◽  
Houssenatou Gounou-Kora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Microbiological Quality ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Technical Equipment ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Hospital Environments ◽  
Microbiological Control ◽  
Biochemical Analyses ◽  
The One ◽  
Staphylococcus Spp

Aims: The aim of our work was, on the one hand, to evaluate the risk factors for infectious contamination in hospital environments and, on the other hand, to carry out a microbiological control of surfaces at the Abomey-Calavi / So-Ava hospital in Benin. Methodology: The risk factors were evaluated using structured interviews based on the questionnaire. Fifty-five health care workers were surveyed and the questionnaire focused on: i) knowledge of care-associated infections and risk factors, ii) services most affected by care-associated infections and iii) origin of care-associated infections. For the microbial quality control of medical surfaces and materials, samples were collected by the dry swab method and the microbial isolation was carried out on Chapman and EMB agar plates. The biochemical analyses were carried out for the confirmations. Results: Out of 55 respondents, the 93% think that bacterial germs are often involved in care-associated infections. In addition, 80% of respondents believe that the healthcare environment may be the source of care-associated infections. Regarding the microbiological quality of the surfaces, out of 96 samples collected, 77% were contaminated with Staphylococcus spp and 30% with Enterobacteria. Concerning units’ contamination, the highest prevalence was observed in paediatrics with 92% of samples contaminated with Staphylococcus spp followed by the operating theatre (87%). Conclusion: It is clear from our work that hygiene managers must carry out preventive and corrective actions for the respect of the principles of hygiene. It would also be important to conduct regular microbiological monitoring of surfaces to identify any contamination.

scholarly journals Tertiary Teachers Strike (TTS) and e-Learning Deficit amidst Covid-19 Crisis in Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Okoro Ukaogo ◽  
◽  
Florence Onyebuchi Orabueze ◽  
Chika Kate Ojukwu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Group Discussion ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Learning Deficit ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
The World ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The One ◽  
Participant Observer

Amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic across the world and the debilitating tertiary teachers strike in Nigeria, this study’s objective seeks to examine the prevailing un-lived experiences of Nigerian tertiary students in e-learning. The study argues that Covid-19 has widened the digital divide between Nigerian universities and other universities in other parts of the world on the one hand and between public and private tertiary institutions in Nigeria on the other. This e-learning deficit is worsened by university teachers’ strikes, constituting a twin inhibition into which higher education is consigned in Nigeria. The study identifies poor funding of education as a major constraint to virtual learning and instruction faced by public tertiary students especially in the era of the pandemic. Data collection for the study will be carried out through oral interviews basically focus group discussion (FGD) from a sample population of 50 university students (male and female) in three universities across the southeast region of Nigeria, newspaper reports, and participant-observer methods of research analysis.

A Highly Scalable, Modular Architecture for Computer Aided Assessment e-Learning Systems

2011 ◽  
pp. 45-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Gierlowski ◽  
Krzysztof Nowicki
Keyword(s):  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Learning Systems ◽  
Skill Assessment ◽  
Knowledge Assessment ◽  
Great Success ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Modular Architecture ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Assessment Tasks ◽  
E Learning

In this chapter, the authors propose a novel e-learning system, dedicated strictly to knowledge assessment tasks. In its functioning it utilizes web-based technologies, but its design differs radically from currently popular e-learning solutions which rely mostly on thin-client architecture. The authors’ research proved that such architecture, while well suited for didactic content distribution systems is ill-suited for knowledge assessment products. In their design, they employed loosely-tied distributed system architecture, strict modularity, test and simulation-based knowledge and skill assessment and an our original communications package called Communication Abstraction Layer (ComAL), specifically designed to support communication functions of e-learning systems in diverse network conditions (including offline environment and content aware networks).The system was tested in production environment on Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Technical University of Gdansk with great success, reducing staff workload and increasing efficiency of didactic process. The tests also showed system’s versatility in classroom, remote and blended learning environments.

Software Tools Used in Math Refresher Courses at the University of Alcalá, Spain

2012 ◽  
pp. 327-349
Author(s):  
J.G. Alcázar ◽  
M. Marvá ◽  
D. Orden ◽  
F. San Segundo
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Education ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Software System ◽  
General Description ◽  
Software Suite ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The One ◽  
The University

We describe our experience of using the following mathematical tools: an e-learning platform (Moodle), several components of the WIRIS software suite for mathematics education (the formula editor, WIRIS CAS, and WIRIS-Quizzes), the dynamical geometry package GeoGebra, the computational knowledge engine Wolfram Alpha, and the mathematics software system SAGE. Our aim in this chapter is two-fold: on the one hand, we report the use of these tools in Math refresher courses. On the other, we provide sufficient information about them for readers to decide on the usefulness of these tools in their own particular context (maybe different from that of a refresher course). More specifically, for each tool we give a general description, some comments on its use in Math refresher courses, and a list of (general) advantages and drawbacks.

Intelligent Agents for E-Learning

2011 ◽  
pp. 25-42
Author(s):  
Ralf Bruns ◽  
Jürgen Dunkel
Keyword(s):  
Web Sites ◽  
Intelligent Agents ◽  
Domain Knowledge ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Semantic Web Technologies ◽  
Private Data ◽  
Intelligent Software Agents ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The One ◽  
New Generation

We propose the software architecture of a new generation of advisory systems using Intelligent Agent and Semantic Web technologies. Multi-agent systems provide a well-suited paradigm to implement negotiation processes in consultancy situations. Intelligent software agents act as clients and advisors using their knowledge in order to assist human users. In the proposed architecture the domain knowledge is semantically modeled by means of XML-based ontology languages such as OWL. Using an inference engine the agents reason on base of their knowledge to make decisions or proposals. The agent knowledge consists of different types of data: on the one hand private data, which has to be protected against unauthorized access, and on the other hand publicly accessible data spread over different web sites. Comparable to a real consultancy situation, an agent only reveals sensitive private data if it is indispensable for finding a solution. In addition, depending on the actual consultancy situation each agent dynamically expands its knowledge base by accessing OWL knowledge sources from the Internet. The usefulness of our approach is proved by the implementation of an advisory system whose objective is to develop virtual student advisers that render support to university students in order to successfully organize und perform their studies.

A Strategy to Join Adaptive and Reputation-Based Social-Collaborative E-Learning, Through the Zone of Proximal Development

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 12-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria De Marsico ◽  
Andrea Sterbini ◽  
Marco Temperini
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Zone Of Proximal Development ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Proximal Development ◽  
Student Model ◽  
Web Based ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Learning Paths ◽  
The One

The educational concept of “Zone of Proximal Development”, introduced by Vygotskij, stems from the identification of a strong need for adaptation of the learning activities, both traditional classroom and modern e-learning ones, to the present state of learner’s knowledge and abilities. Furthermore, Vygotskij’s educational model includes a strong bent towards social and collaborative learning. The joint answer to these two trends can be concretely implemented through a tight integration between personalized learning paths and collaborative learning activities. Along this line, the authors designed the combination of the functions of two pre-existing prototypes of web-based systems, to investigate how the above integration can merge adaptive and social e-learning. LECOMPS is a web-based e-learning environment for the automated construction of adaptive learning paths. SOCIALX is a web-based system for shared e-learning activities, which implements a reputation system to provide feedback to its participants. The authors propose a two-way tunneling strategy to integrate the above prototypes. The result is twofold: on the one hand the use of the student model supported by LECOMPS in an adaptive e-learning course is extended to support choosing exercise activities delivered through SOCIALX; on the other hand the reputation and the skills gained during social-collaborative activities are used to update the student model. Under the social perspective induced by the integration, the authors present a mapping between the student model and the definition of Vygotskij’s Autonomous Problem Solving and Proximal Development regions, with the aim to provide the learner with better guidance, especially in the selection of available social learning activities.

Enhanced Speech-Enabled Tools for Intelligent and Mobile E-Learning Applications

2010 ◽  
pp. 147-165
Author(s):  
S. A. Selouani ◽  
T. H. Lê ◽  
Y. Benahmed ◽  
D. O’Shaughnessy
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Recognition Performance ◽  
User Profile ◽  
Learning Material ◽  
Speech Technology ◽  
Web Based ◽  
C Language ◽  
Web Based Learning ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The One

Web-based learning is rapidly becoming the preferred way to quickly, efficiently, and economically create and deliver training or educational content through various communication media. This chapter presents systems that use speech technology to emulate the one-on-one interaction a student can get from a virtual instructor. A Web-based learning tool, the Learn IN Context (LINC+) system, designed and used in a real mixed-mode learning context for a computer (C++ language) programming course taught at the Université de Moncton (Canada) is described here. It integrates an Internet Voice Searching and Navigating (IVSN) system that helps learners to search and navigate both the web and their desktop environment through voice commands and dictation. LINC+ also incorporates an Automatic User Profile Building and Training (AUPB&T) module that allows users to increase speech recognition performance without having to go through the long and fastidious manual training process. New Automated Service Agents based on the Artificial Intelligence Markup Language (AIML) are used to provide naturalness to the dialogs between users and machines. The portability of the e-learning system across a mobile platform is also investigated. The findings show that when the learning material is delivered in the form of a collaborative and voice-enabled presentation, the majority of learners seem to be satisfied with this new media, and confirm that it does not negatively affect their cognitive load.

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