Marvin - Intelligent Corridor Guide

Abstract

Intelligent helpers are becoming increasingly popular as computer systems are being used in new areas and by new users every day. Programs and robots that communicate with users in a human-like way offer friendlier and easier use, especially for systems that are used by a random selection of people who shouldn't need prior knowledge of the interface. This project considers an intelligent helping system that performs a specific human-like task in a real world environment. The system is named Marvin and is going to be a guide for people who are unfamiliar with a building. Imagine entering a building full of hallways and doors, not knowing where to go, and having a robot greet you. You can speak to the robot just as if it was a human being and it will give you the information that you need or even lead you to the place where you want to go. In this project, a prototype simulator of Marvin is implemented to work in the third floor of the building of The Department of Computer and Information Science at Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Questions and requests to Marvin can be made through written natural language. The program answers questions with natural language sentences, additional map presentations, and simulated robot movement.