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Contribution to Book
Silence, Please!: Interrupting In-Car Phone Conversations
WCIHAI 2017: Proceedings of the 1st Workshop on Conversational Interruptions in Human-Agent Interactions, Co-Located with 17th International Conference on International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2017
  • Soledad López Gambino, Bielefeld University
  • Casey Kennington, Boise State University
  • David Schlangen, Bielefeld University
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
1-1-2017
Disciplines
Abstract

Holding phone conversations while driving is dangerous not only because it occupies the hands, but also because it requires attention. Where driver and passenger can adapt their conversational behavior to the demands of the situation, and e.g. interrupt themselves when more attention is needed, an interlocutor on the phone cannot adjust as easily. We present a dialogue assistant which acts as 'bystander' in phone conversations between a driver and an interlocutor, interrupting them and temporarily cutting the line during potentially dangerous situations. The assistant also informs both conversation partners when the line has been cut, as well as when it has been reestablished. We show that this intervention improves drivers' performance in a standard driving task.

Copyright Statement

Copyright © 2017 for the individual papers by the papers' authors. Copying permitted for private and academic purposes. This volume is published and copyrighted by its editors.

Citation Information
Gambino, Soledad López; Kennington, Casey; and Schlangen, David. (2017). "Silence, Please! Interrupting In-Car Phone Conversations". WCIHAI 2017: Proceedings of the 1st Workshop on Conversational Interruptions in Human-Agent Interactions, Co-Located with 17th International Conference on International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2017, 1943, 9-18.