EMPATHY INJECTION FOR QUESTION-ANSWERING SYSTEMS

摘要

Exemplary methods and devices herein receive an inquiry and automatically analyze words used in the inquiry, potential answers, and data maintained by evidence sources using the computerized device to determine the sensitivity level associated with the inquiry. The sensitivity level associated with the inquiry represents an emotional and cognitive state of the user. Such methods and devices automatically generate at least one follow-up question based on the sensitivity level associated with the inquiry and receive a follow-up response into the computerized device in response to the follow-up question(s). The methods and devices also automatically produce scores for the potential answers using the computerized device based on the inquiry, the follow-up responses, and ratings of the evidence sources. Following this, these methods and devices automatically generate output answers to the inquiry based on the sensitivity level associated with the inquiry using the computerized device.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving an inquiry into a computerized device; automatically performing an initial analysis of said inquiry, using said computerized device, said initial analysis produces potential answers to said inquiry from evidence sources; automatically analyzing words used in said inquiry, using said computerized device, to determine an emotional state of a user by at least one of:
automatically identifying words in said inquiry that are associated with a specific emotional state;automatically identifying sentence structure in said inquiry that is associated with a specific emotional state; automatically generating at least one response to said inquiry based on said potential answers to format said response to be relatively more empathetic or relatively less empathetic based on said emotional state; and outputting said response.