AFFECT-SENSITIVE INTELLIGENT TUTORING SYSTEM

• US 20120052476A1
• Filed: 10/05/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthur Carl Graesser, D'Mello, Sidney Keith
• Original Assignee: Arthur Carl Graesser, D'Mello, Sidney Keith
• Inventors: GRAESSER, Arthur Carl, D'MELLO, Sidney Keith
• Granted Patent: US 10,388,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/362
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

An Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) system is provided that is able to identify and respond adaptively to the learner'"'"'s or student'"'"'s affective states (i.e., emotional states such as confusion. frustration, boredom, and flow/engagement) during a typical learning experience, in addition to adapting to the learner'"'"'s cognitive states. The system comprises a new signal processing model and algorithm, as well as several non-intrusive sensing devices, and identifies and assesses affective states through dialog assessment techniques, video capture and analysis of the student'"'"'s face, determination of the body posture of the student, pressure on a pressure sensitive mouse, and pressure on a pressure sensitive keyboard. By synthesizing the output from these measures, the system responds with appropriate conversational and pedagogical dialog that helps the learner regulate negative emotions in order to promote learning and engagement.

Claims

1. An automated affect-sensitive tutoring system, comprising:

a computing device, said computing device comprising a microprocessor, means for receiving input from a user, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program engages in an interactive tutoring session with the user; and

means to determine the posture of the user during the interactive tutoring session.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving input comprises a keyboard, a computer mouse, a microphone, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for determining posture comprises one or more pressure-sensitive pads.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more pressure-sensitive pads are placed on the surface on which the user sits during the interactive tutoring session.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one pressure-sensitive pad is placed on the seat of a chair, and at least one pressure-sensitive pad is placed on the back of the chair.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for determining posture comprises one or more cameras.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for analyzing the user'"'"'s facial expressions during the interactive tutoring session.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for analyzing comprises a camera and a facial expression analysis program.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dialog pattern analysis module, wherein the dialog pattern analysis module detects patterns of dialog that indicate affective states of the user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the dialog pattern analysis module analyzes the correctness of the user'"'"'s answer, the verbosity of the user'"'"'s answer, and the length of the user'"'"'s answer.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the dialog pattern analysis module analyzes the number of attempts by the user to answer a single question.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the dialog pattern analysis module analyzes the number of questions that have been answered in the interactive tutoring session.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system determines the affective state of the user.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the system performs an assessment of the user'"'"'s affective state based upon the classification of the current affective state detected, the confidence level of that affective classification, the previous affective state detected, a measure of the user'"'"'s ability, and the conceptual quality of the user'"'"'s immediate prior response.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the system determines its next interaction with the user based upon the system'"'"'s determination of the user'"'"'s affective state.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the next interaction with the user comprises feedback for the user'"'"'s immediate prior response, an affective statement, the next dialogue move, an emotional display on the face of a system tutor agent on a computer monitor connected to the computer device, and emotional modulation of the voice produced by a text-to-speech engine on the computing device.

17. An automated affect-sensitive tutoring system, comprising:

a computing device, said computing device comprising a microprocessor, means for receiving input from a user, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program engages in an interactive tutoring session with the user;

means to determine the posture of the user during the interactive tutoring session;

means for analyzing the user'"'"'s facial expressions during the interactive tutoring session; and

a dialog pattern analysis module, wherein the dialog pattern analysis module detects patterns of dialog that indicate affective states of the user;

wherein the system determines the affective state of the user based upon input from the posture detecting means, facial expression analyzing means, and the dialog pattern analysis module.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system determines its next interaction with the user based upon the determination of the user'"'"'s affective state.