AHCI RESEARCH GROUP
Publications
Papers published in international journals,
proceedings of conferences, workshops and books.
OUR RESEARCH
Scientific Publications
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You can use the tag cloud to select only the papers dealing with specific research topics.
You can expand the Abstract, Links and BibTex record for each paper.
2022
Augello, Agnese
Unveiling the Reasoning Processes of Robots through Introspective Dialogues in a Storytelling System: A Study on the Elicited Empathy Journal Article
In: Cognitive Systems Research, vol. 73, pp. 12–20, 2022, ISSN: 13890417.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: ACT-R, Anthropomorphic Robots, Cognitive Architectures, Cognitive Systems, Empathy, Gestural user interfaces, Introspective Dialogs, Personality, Reasoning, Social Agents, Social Practices, Storytelling Robots
@article{augelloUnveilingReasoningProcesses2022,
title = {Unveiling the Reasoning Processes of Robots through Introspective Dialogues in a Storytelling System: A Study on the Elicited Empathy},
author = { Agnese Augello},
doi = {10.1016/j.cogsys.2021.11.006},
issn = {13890417},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-01-01},
journal = {Cognitive Systems Research},
volume = {73},
pages = {12--20},
abstract = {The work studies the empathy elicited by a storytelling system in which the characters in the story are interpreted by humanoid robots and modelled as cognitive agents. The ACT-R architecture is exploited to shape the characters' personalities and equip them with knowledge and behaviours typical of social practices. The narration is enriched with gestures and emotional expressions obtained by setting parameters that can be correlated to some emotions, such as the pitch and speech rate, the LEDs colour and the head inclination. The system has been evaluated by comparing a simple narrative modality with an enhanced one, where an introspective dialogue is adopted to explain and let transparent the internal reasoning processes of the characters. The obtained results show that storytelling affected the cognitive component of empathy, especially through the advanced narrative mode. textcopyright 2022 Elsevier B.V.},
keywords = {ACT-R, Anthropomorphic Robots, Cognitive Architectures, Cognitive Systems, Empathy, Gestural user interfaces, Introspective Dialogs, Personality, Reasoning, Social Agents, Social Practices, Storytelling Robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The work studies the empathy elicited by a storytelling system in which the characters in the story are interpreted by humanoid robots and modelled as cognitive agents. The ACT-R architecture is exploited to shape the characters' personalities and equip them with knowledge and behaviours typical of social practices. The narration is enriched with gestures and emotional expressions obtained by setting parameters that can be correlated to some emotions, such as the pitch and speech rate, the LEDs colour and the head inclination. The system has been evaluated by comparing a simple narrative modality with an enhanced one, where an introspective dialogue is adopted to explain and let transparent the internal reasoning processes of the characters. The obtained results show that storytelling affected the cognitive component of empathy, especially through the advanced narrative mode. textcopyright 2022 Elsevier B.V.
2021
Augello, Agnese; Citt`a, Giuseppe; Gentile, Manuel; Lieto, Antonio
A Storytelling Robot Managing Persuasive and Ethical Stances via ACT-R: An Exploratory Study Journal Article
In: International Journal of Social Robotics, 2021, ISSN: 18754791.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Cognitive Architectures, Covid-19, Dialogue Management, Ethical Argumentation, Ethics, Persuasive Systems, Social Robots, Storytelling Robots
@article{augelloStorytellingRobotManaging2021,
title = {A Storytelling Robot Managing Persuasive and Ethical Stances via ACT-R: An Exploratory Study},
author = { Agnese Augello and Giuseppe Citt{`a} and Manuel Gentile and Antonio Lieto},
doi = {10.1007/s12369-021-00847-w},
issn = {18754791},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-01-01},
journal = {International Journal of Social Robotics},
abstract = {We present a storytelling robot, controlled via the ACT-R cognitive architecture, able to adopt different persuasive techniques and ethical stances while conversing about some topics concerning COVID-19. The main contribution of the paper consists in the proposal of a needs-driven model that guides and evaluates, during the dialogue, the use (if any) of persuasive techniques available in the agent procedural memory. The portfolio of persuasive techniques tested in such a model ranges from the use of storytelling to framing techniques and rhetorical-based arguments. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first attempt of building a persuasive agent able to integrate a mix of explicitly grounded cognitive assumptions about dialogue management, storytelling and persuasive techniques as well as ethical attitudes. The paper presents the results of an exploratory evaluation of the system on 63 participants. textcopyright 2021, The Author(s).},
keywords = {Cognitive Architectures, Covid-19, Dialogue Management, Ethical Argumentation, Ethics, Persuasive Systems, Social Robots, Storytelling Robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
We present a storytelling robot, controlled via the ACT-R cognitive architecture, able to adopt different persuasive techniques and ethical stances while conversing about some topics concerning COVID-19. The main contribution of the paper consists in the proposal of a needs-driven model that guides and evaluates, during the dialogue, the use (if any) of persuasive techniques available in the agent procedural memory. The portfolio of persuasive techniques tested in such a model ranges from the use of storytelling to framing techniques and rhetorical-based arguments. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first attempt of building a persuasive agent able to integrate a mix of explicitly grounded cognitive assumptions about dialogue management, storytelling and persuasive techniques as well as ethical attitudes. The paper presents the results of an exploratory evaluation of the system on 63 participants. textcopyright 2021, The Author(s).
2020
Bono, Adriana; Augello, Agnese; Pilato, Giovanni; Vella, Filippo; Gaglio, Salvatore
An ACT-R Based Humanoid Social Robot to Manage Storytelling Activities Journal Article
In: Robotics, vol. 9, no. 2, 2020, ISSN: 22186581.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: ACT-R, Cognitive Architectures, Education, Humanoid Robots, Introspective Dialogs, Social Practices, Social Robots, Storytelling Robots
@article{bonoACTRBasedHumanoid2020,
title = {An ACT-R Based Humanoid Social Robot to Manage Storytelling Activities},
author = { Adriana Bono and Agnese Augello and Giovanni Pilato and Filippo Vella and Salvatore Gaglio},
doi = {10.3390/ROBOTICS9020025},
issn = {22186581},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
journal = {Robotics},
volume = {9},
number = {2},
abstract = {This paper describes an interactive storytelling system, accessible through the SoftBank robotic platforms NAO and Pepper. The main contribution consists of the interpretation of the story characters by humanoid robots, obtained through the definition of appropriate cognitive models, relying on the ACT-R cognitive architecture. The reasoning processes leading to the story evolution are based on the represented knowledge and the suggestions of the listener in critical points of the story. They are disclosed during the narration, to make clear the dynamics of the story and the feelings of the characters. We analyzed the impact of such externalization of the internal status of the characters to set the basis for future experimentation with primary school children. textcopyright 2020 by the authors.},
keywords = {ACT-R, Cognitive Architectures, Education, Humanoid Robots, Introspective Dialogs, Social Practices, Social Robots, Storytelling Robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This paper describes an interactive storytelling system, accessible through the SoftBank robotic platforms NAO and Pepper. The main contribution consists of the interpretation of the story characters by humanoid robots, obtained through the definition of appropriate cognitive models, relying on the ACT-R cognitive architecture. The reasoning processes leading to the story evolution are based on the represented knowledge and the suggestions of the listener in critical points of the story. They are disclosed during the narration, to make clear the dynamics of the story and the feelings of the characters. We analyzed the impact of such externalization of the internal status of the characters to set the basis for future experimentation with primary school children. textcopyright 2020 by the authors.
Bono, Adriana; Augello, Agnese; Pilato, Giovanni; Gaglio, Salvatore
Exploiting Cognitive Architectures to Design Storytelling Activities for NarRob Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings - 4th IEEE International Conference on Robotic Computing, IRC 2020, pp. 428–429, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2020, ISBN: 978-1-72815-237-0.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Cognitive Architectures, Cognitive Process, Education, Interactive Storytelling, Social Robots, Storytelling Robots
@inproceedings{bonoExploitingCognitiveArchitectures2020,
title = {Exploiting Cognitive Architectures to Design Storytelling Activities for NarRob},
author = { Adriana Bono and Agnese Augello and Giovanni Pilato and Salvatore Gaglio},
doi = {10.1109/IRC.2020.00078},
isbn = {978-1-72815-237-0},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings - 4th IEEE International Conference on Robotic Computing, IRC 2020},
pages = {428--429},
publisher = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.},
abstract = {In this work, we exploited the potential of a cognitive architecture to model the characters of a story in an interactive storytelling system. The system is accessible through NarRob, a humanoid storyteller robot. Our main goal was to implement the cognitive processes of the agents played by the robot within a narrative context environment. textcopyright 2020 IEEE.},
keywords = {Cognitive Architectures, Cognitive Process, Education, Interactive Storytelling, Social Robots, Storytelling Robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
In this work, we exploited the potential of a cognitive architecture to model the characters of a story in an interactive storytelling system. The system is accessible through NarRob, a humanoid storyteller robot. Our main goal was to implement the cognitive processes of the agents played by the robot within a narrative context environment. textcopyright 2020 IEEE.
2019
Augello, Agnese; Pilato, Giovanni
An Annotated Corpus of Stories and Gestures for a Robotic Storyteller Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings - 3rd IEEE International Conference on Robotic Computing, IRC 2019, pp. 630–635, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2019, ISBN: 978-1-5386-9245-5.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Annotated Corpus, Robotics, Semantic Computing, Storytelling Robots
@inproceedings{augelloAnnotatedCorpusStories2019,
title = {An Annotated Corpus of Stories and Gestures for a Robotic Storyteller},
author = { Agnese Augello and Giovanni Pilato},
doi = {10.1109/IRC.2019.00127},
isbn = {978-1-5386-9245-5},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings - 3rd IEEE International Conference on Robotic Computing, IRC 2019},
pages = {630--635},
publisher = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.},
abstract = {This paper describes a system which has been used to automatically create an annotated corpus of stories. This corpus can be exploited by a robotic storyteller. In a first phase stories were retrieved from a repository. The textual content of each story was semantically analyzed in order to locate meaningful terms in the sentences that can be accompanied by proper gestures and possible emotions that can be expressed. Once the whole story is properly labelled, it can be dramatized by a robot storyteller. We discuss a demonstration of the use of this approach with NarRob, a storyteller robot that we have designed within our institute. textcopyright 2019 IEEE.},
keywords = {Annotated Corpus, Robotics, Semantic Computing, Storytelling Robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
This paper describes a system which has been used to automatically create an annotated corpus of stories. This corpus can be exploited by a robotic storyteller. In a first phase stories were retrieved from a repository. The textual content of each story was semantically analyzed in order to locate meaningful terms in the sentences that can be accompanied by proper gestures and possible emotions that can be expressed. Once the whole story is properly labelled, it can be dramatized by a robot storyteller. We discuss a demonstration of the use of this approach with NarRob, a storyteller robot that we have designed within our institute. textcopyright 2019 IEEE.
Augello, Agnese; Infantino, Ignazio; Maniscalco, Umberto; Pilato, Giovanni; Vella, Filippo
Introducing NarRob, a Robotic Storyteller Proceedings Article
In: Gentile, M; Allegra, M; Sobke, H (Ed.): GAMES AND LEARNING ALLIANCE, GALA 2018, pp. 387–396, SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG, GEWERBESTRASSE 11, CHAM, CH-6330, SWITZERLAND, 2019, ISBN: 978-3-030-11548-7 978-3-030-11547-0.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Bullying, Chatbots, Conversational Agents, Education, Robotics, Social Practices, Storytelling Robots
@inproceedings{augelloIntroducingNarRobRobotic2019,
title = {Introducing NarRob, a Robotic Storyteller},
author = { Agnese Augello and Ignazio Infantino and Umberto Maniscalco and Giovanni Pilato and Filippo Vella},
editor = { M Gentile and M Allegra and H Sobke},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-11548-7_36},
isbn = {978-3-030-11548-7 978-3-030-11547-0},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
booktitle = {GAMES AND LEARNING ALLIANCE, GALA 2018},
volume = {11385},
pages = {387--396},
publisher = {SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG},
address = {GEWERBESTRASSE 11, CHAM, CH-6330, SWITZERLAND},
series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science},
abstract = {In this work we introduce NarRob, a robot able to engage in conversations and tell stories, by accompanying the speech with proper gestures. We discuss about the main components of the robot's architecture, and some possible education experiments that we are planning to carry out in real scholastic contexts.},
keywords = {Bullying, Chatbots, Conversational Agents, Education, Robotics, Social Practices, Storytelling Robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
In this work we introduce NarRob, a robot able to engage in conversations and tell stories, by accompanying the speech with proper gestures. We discuss about the main components of the robot's architecture, and some possible education experiments that we are planning to carry out in real scholastic contexts.
Augello, Agnese; Infantino, Ignazio; Maniscalco, Umberto; Pilato, Giovanni; Vella, Filippo
NarRob: A Humanoid Social Storyteller with Emotional Expression Capabilities Proceedings Article
In: relax AV Samsonovich, (Ed.): BIOLOGICALLY INSPIRED COGNITIVE ARCHITECTURES 2018, pp. 9–15, SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG, GEWERBESTRASSE 11, CHAM, CH-6330, SWITZERLAND, 2019, ISBN: 978-3-319-99316-4 978-3-319-99315-7.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Education, Emotion Recognition, Gestural user interfaces, Robotics, Storytelling Robots
@inproceedings{augelloNarRobHumanoidSocial2019,
title = {NarRob: A Humanoid Social Storyteller with Emotional Expression Capabilities},
author = { Agnese Augello and Ignazio Infantino and Umberto Maniscalco and Giovanni Pilato and Filippo Vella},
editor = { {relax AV} Samsonovich},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-99316-4_2},
isbn = {978-3-319-99316-4 978-3-319-99315-7},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
booktitle = {BIOLOGICALLY INSPIRED COGNITIVE ARCHITECTURES 2018},
volume = {848},
pages = {9--15},
publisher = {SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG},
address = {GEWERBESTRASSE 11, CHAM, CH-6330, SWITZERLAND},
series = {Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing},
abstract = {In this paper we propose a model of a robotic storyteller, focusing on its abilities to select the most appropriate gestures to accompany the story, trying to manifest also emotions related to the sentence that is being told. The robot is endowed with a repository of stories together with a set of gestures, inspired by those typically used by humans, that the robot learns by observation. The gestures are annotated by a number N of subjects, according to their particular meaning and considering a specific typology. They are exploited by the robot according to the story content to provide an engaging representation of the tale.},
keywords = {Education, Emotion Recognition, Gestural user interfaces, Robotics, Storytelling Robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
In this paper we propose a model of a robotic storyteller, focusing on its abilities to select the most appropriate gestures to accompany the story, trying to manifest also emotions related to the sentence that is being told. The robot is endowed with a repository of stories together with a set of gestures, inspired by those typically used by humans, that the robot learns by observation. The gestures are annotated by a number N of subjects, according to their particular meaning and considering a specific typology. They are exploited by the robot according to the story content to provide an engaging representation of the tale.