Designing an Adaptive Embodied Conversational Agent for Health Literacy

An embodied conversational agent can serve as a relational agent and provide information, motivation, and behavioral skills. To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of My Personal Health Guide, a theory-based mobile-delivered embodied conversational agent intervention to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy in young African American men who have sex with men, we conducted this prospective pilot study using a 3-month pre–post design. Outcome measures included adherence, acceptability, feasibility, pre versus post health literacy, and pre versus post self-efficacy. There were 43 participants. Pill count adherence > 80% improved from 62% at baseline to 88% at follow-up (p = .05). The acceptability of the app was high. Feasibility issues identified included loss of usage data from unplanned participant app deletion. Health literacy improved whereas self-efficacy was high at baseline and follow-up. This pilot study of My Personal Health Guide demonstrated acceptability and preliminary efficacy in improving adherence in this important population.

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Towards modeling embodied conversational agent character profiles using appraisal theory predictions in expression synthesis

Applied Intelligence ◽

10.1007/s10489-007-0076-9 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 58-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

L. Malatesta ◽

A. Raouzaiou ◽

K. Karpouzis ◽

S. Kollias

Keyword(s):

Appraisal Theory ◽

Conversational Agent ◽

Embodied Conversational Agent

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Understanding Conversational and Expressive Style in a Multimodal Embodied Conversational Agent

Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems ◽

10.1145/3411764.3445708 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Deepali Aneja ◽

Rens Hoegen ◽

Daniel McDuff ◽

Mary Czerwinski

Keyword(s):

Conversational Agent ◽

Embodied Conversational Agent

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Toward an Objective Linguistic-Based Measure of Perceived Embodied Conversational Agent Power and Likeability

International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction ◽

10.1080/10447318.2014.888504 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 30 (6) ◽

pp. 495-516 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Matthew D. Pickard ◽

Judee K. Burgoon ◽

Douglas C. Derrick

Keyword(s):

Conversational Agent ◽

Embodied Conversational Agent

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User Requirements Analysis of an Embodied Conversational Agent for Coaching Older Adults to Choose Active and Healthy Ageing Behaviors during the Transition to Retirement: A Cross-National User Centered Design Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189681 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9681

Author(s):

Sara Santini ◽

Vera Stara ◽

Flavia Galassi ◽

Alessandra Merizzi ◽

Cornelia Schneider ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Older Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

End Users ◽

Healthy Ageing ◽

User Requirements ◽

Conversational Agent ◽

Embodied Conversational Agent ◽

Active And Healthy Ageing ◽

Transition To Retirement

Background: Retirement is recognized as a factor influencing the ageing process. Today, virtual health coaching systems can play a pivotal role in supporting older adults’ active and healthy ageing. This study wants to answer two research questions: (1) What are the user requirements of a virtual coach (VC) based on an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) for motivating older adults in transition to retirement to adopt a healthy lifestyle? (2) How could a VC address the active and healthy ageing dimensions, even during COVID-19 times? Methods: Two-wave focus-groups with 60 end-users aged 55 and over and 27 follow-up telephone interviews were carried out in Austria, Italy and the Netherlands in 2019–2020. Qualitative data were analysed by way of framework analysis. Results: End-users suggest the VC should motivate older workers and retirees to practice physical activity, maintain social contacts and emotional well-being. The ECA should be reactive, customizable, expressive, sympathetic, not directive nor patronizing, with a pleasant and motivating language. The COVID-19 outbreak increased the users’ need for functions boosting community relationships and promoting emotional well-being. Conclusions: the VC can address the active and healthy ageing paradigm by increasing the chances of doing low-cost healthy activities at any time and in any place.

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Motivational Embodied Conversational Agent for Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Studies in Health Technology and Informatics - Telehealth Innovations in Remote Healthcare Services Delivery ◽

10.3233/shti210026 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Judith Hocking ◽

Anthony Maeder

Keyword(s):

Brain Injury ◽

Real Life ◽

Memory Loss ◽

User Engagement ◽

Conversational Agent ◽

Injury Rehabilitation ◽

Embodied Conversational Agent ◽

Choice Making ◽

Key Aspects ◽

Beta Testing

The design and development of a motivational embodied conversational agent for brain injury rehabilitation is discussed. Results for initial prototype design and implementation, and alpha and beta testing phases are presented. Key aspects identified during development included supporting user engagement via personalization and choice-making; integrating behaviour change principles into dialogues; addressing clinical needs of cognitive fatigue and memory loss within conversation structure; and optimizing feasibility of use in a real-life clinical setting.

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