tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15832687.post864896182478431642..comments2023-10-03T06:16:00.300-07:00Comments on Chas' Compilation: Clarissa: a HAL type computer for the ISS?Chashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18165615466886851925noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15832687.post-17535664729831941492008-03-25T09:59:00.000-07:002008-03-25T09:59:00.000-07:00The last link in my post is to the on-line version...The last link in my post is to the on-line version of "Ultra Hal". It's a program you can talk to by typing, but you can also add a voice to it and have it talk to you. I downloaded it, and may do a post about it in the future.<BR/><BR/>Such "talkbots" are becoming increasingly common. The Ultra Hal link has a demo talkbot that is dedicated to talking only about Hamsters. It's a useful source of information about Hamsters, and such a talkbot could be programed to help with any number of topics. We are going to see them more and more, and they will get better and better.<BR/><BR/>But the Hamster talkbot isn't the only one on the site, there is a more general one that actually can learn from what you say and try to converse. The results aren't always convincing, but sometimes it's brilliant. Ultra Hal won an award last year for being the most "convincing" human-like talking computer.<BR/><BR/>It's a science that's in it's infancy, and I think it's going to grow into something really impressive.Chashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18165615466886851925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15832687.post-66078081096109057182008-03-25T06:16:00.000-07:002008-03-25T06:16:00.000-07:00Interesting. I had a friend, way back in 1989 or ...Interesting. I had a friend, way back in 1989 or so who did his dissertation on computer-human conversation. <BR/><BR/>In that case, the dialogue took place all on a keyboard, of course, and involved a book. The computer would ask questions about the book and a student would type answers. Then the computer had to be able to analyze the written answer and followup. Seems to me the questions were yes/no. So the object was to see if they could write a program so good that a student would not be able to see whether he was speaking to a computer or a human. I think it took about five minutes before a student knew they were talking to a computer.<BR/><BR/>Similar thing happened to me last month on a computer support site. I was asking questions and suddenly I realized I was getting online support from a freaking computer. I just clicked out.Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10512819792748140484noreply@blogger.com