Modeling Agent Interactions using Common Ground Knowledge from a Joint Activity Theory Perspective

Abstract

Believability is necessary for agents to establish intimate, real-time collaborations with humans in an interactive game environment. In this paper, the authors model sophisticated interaction patterns to improve believability by adapting Herbert Clark's joint activity theory. The authors use virtual basketball as an environment, where many communicative scenarios occur and common ground knowledge of collaborative actions such as passing is necessary. The authors have completed preliminary implementation of the agents through the use of a unique computational model based on common ground, and evaluations of basketball simulations have been made with respect to believability scenarios.