HP Labs Technical Reports

Human-Agent Communication

Dickinson, Ian

HPL-98-130

Keyword(s): agent technology; human-agent interaction; HCI

Abstract: Agent-based systems are potentially extremely powerful, but agent properties such as autonomy and proactivity raise significant challenges for usability. This paper argues that too little attention is being paid to human-agent communication from the user's perspective. To justify the aspirations of agent designers, fundamental usability questions must be addressed more systematically than is currently the case. The paper outlines some of the problems that are foreseen, and surveys some of the many research activities currently underway that will contribute to eventual solutions.

9 Pages

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