LINGUIST List 8.331

Sat Mar 8 1997

FYI: Spoken Dialogue Systems, Parsers

Editor for this issue: T. Daniel Seely <seelylinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Yvonne van Holsteijn, Course: Spoken Dialogue Systems
2. Anne Sing, Parsers on the web

 *** FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT ***

Please note that there are still places available, and that
PhD students and participants from CEENIS-countries may apply
for an ELSNET grant covering half of the fee. Applications
should be received by March 19 at the latest.

=================================================================
 ELSNET Bullet Course on
 Designing and Testing Spoken Dialogue Systems

 April 16 - 18, 1997
 Utrecht, The Netherlands
=================================================================

For spoken-dialogue systems to be effective in real-world use,
dialogues need to be expertly designed and carefully
tested. ELSNET's first bullet course will equip participants with
skills in this area. It will provide them with basic knowledge of
interaction design, which will enable them to develop new
applications; and practical knowledge emerging from field experience,
which will enable them to create dialogues that work.

Course content
===============
- Principles of interaction and context in designing dialogues.
- Fundamentals of the dialogue design process, including the
 application of dialogue theory to specific domains.
- Dialogue management techniques.
- Design and acceptance testing.
- Real-world experience with dialogue systems.

Key points will be illustrated through the building of a prototype
dialogue system; this way participants will gain concrete experience,
getting expert feedback in the process.

Lecturers
=========
Harald Aust, Philips Research (Germany)
Norman Fraser, Vocalis (UK)
David G. Novick, EURISCO (France)

Who should attend?
==================
The course is intended for potential users of state-of-the-art
technology in Spoken Dialogue Systems. These include technology
providers as well as companies who want to make their services more
efficient or cost-effective (e.g. call centres). The course is geared
particularly towards personnel at (sub) management level for whom it
is useful to get acquainted with the possibilities (and limitations)
of spoken dialogue technologies.

Course Format
=============
This is an international three-day course, consisting of seven 3-hour
sessions, starting at lunch time on day one. The course language will
be English. Participation will be limited to 25 people.

Course site
===========
The course will be held at the conference centre Oud London near
Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Fee
===
The fee for the course, which includes accommodation, breakfast, lunch
and dinner, and documentation is HFL 2950,- (1375 ECU). ELSNET members
are offered a 10% reduction. The topic for this course was selected on
the basis of a questionnaire distributed to ELSNET members earlier
this year. Those who replied to this questionnaire will get a 15%
reduction.

Registration deadline
=====================
March 19, 1997

For more information
====================
WEB: http://www.elsnet.org/training/bulletDialog.html
or the ELSNET Coordintaion.


European Network in Language and Speech
____________________________________________________________
email: elsnetlet.ruu.nl
mail : Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS,
 Trans 10, 3512 JK, Utrecht, The Netherlands
tel : +31 30 253 6039
fax : +31 30 253 6000
www : http://www.elsnet.org

For a very interesting web site concerning commericial proucts, try


www.nuance.com

It would be interesting to know what sorts of linguistics is behind their
technology.


Phil Bralich