Course co-ordinator(s): Prof Oliver Lemon (Edinburgh), Dr Verena Rieser (Edinburgh).
Aims:
This course aims to give students the opportunity to develop:
- Knowledge and understanding of design, implementation and evaluation techniques for conversational agents and spoken language processing.
- An awareness of current research and emerging issues in the field of conversational agents and spoken language processing.
- Knowledge that covers a range of interdisciplinary research methods and specialised practical skills involved in building working conversational interfaces.
Detailed Information
Course Description: Link to Official Course Descriptor.
Pre-requisite course(s): F29AI Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Agents or equivalent. Programming skills..
Location: Edinburgh.
Semester: 2.
Syllabus:
This course covers current and emerging topics in conversational agents, spoken language processing, and multimodal interfaces, including:
- Introduction to research areas, such as spoken dialogue systems, multi-modal interaction, natural language processing, and human robot interaction.
- Spoken input processing and interpretation.
- Interaction Management.
- Output generation, multimodal fission, speech and gesture synthesis
- System development and evaluation.
Learning Outcomes: Subject Mastery
Understanding, Knowledge and Cognitive Skills Scholarship, Enquiry and Research (Research-Informed Learning)
- Knowledge and understanding of how to review, critically analyse, evaluate and synthesize previous research in the field of conversational agents and spoken language processing.
- Use of current technologies.
- Acquire knowledge in applying algorithmic and interdisciplinary methods on conversational interfaces.
- Make informed judgments about appropriate methodologies for developing and evaluating conversational interfaces.
- Practice in implementing conversational interfaces using a suitable programming language and software tools.
- Experience in the use of multimodal sensors and existing Natural Language Processing technologies.
Learning Outcomes: Personal Abilities
Industrial, Commercial & Professional Practice Autonomy, Accountability & Working with Others Communication, Numeracy & ICT
- Identification, representation and solution of problems.
- Time management and resource organisation.
- Research skills and report writing.
- Practise in the use of ICT, numeracy and presentation skills.
- Experience in group work: Take responsibility for their own and other’s work by contributing effectively and conscientiously to the work of a group, actively maintaining, good working relationships with group members, and leading the direction of the group where appropriate.
Assessment Methods:
Assessment: Coursework 1 Presentation : (weighting – 20%) Coursework 2 Demo : (weighting – 20%) Written report (weighting – 60%)
Re-assessment: None
SCQF Level: 10.
Credits: 15.