Huan Lu

Zhiyuan Yao, Tianyu Shi, Site Li et al.

Axie infinity is a complicated card game with a huge-scale action space. This makes it difficult to solve this challenge using generic Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms. We propose a hybrid RL framework to learn action representations and game strategies. To avoid evaluating every action in the large feasible action set, our method evaluates actions in a fixed-size set which is determined using action representations. We compare the performance of our method with the other two baseline methods in terms of their sample efficiency and the winning rates of the trained models. We empirically show that our method achieves an overall best winning rate and the best sample efficiency among the three methods.

Yuqian Sun, Hanyi Wang, Pok Man Chan et al.

We address the integration of storytelling and Large Language Models (LLMs) to develop engaging and believable Social Chatbots (SCs) in community settings. Motivated by the potential of fictional characters to enhance social interactions, we introduce Storytelling Social Chatbots (SSCs) and the concept of story engineering to transform fictional game characters into "live" social entities within player communities. Our story engineering process includes three steps: (1) Character and story creation, defining the SC's personality and worldview, (2) Presenting Live Stories to the Community, allowing the SC to recount challenges and seek suggestions, and (3) Communication with community members, enabling interaction between the SC and users. We employed the LLM GPT-3 to drive our SSC prototypes, "David" and "Catherine," and evaluated their performance in an online gaming community, "DE (Alias)," on Discord. Our mixed-method analysis, based on questionnaires (N=15) and interviews (N=8) with community members, reveals that storytelling significantly enhances the engagement and believability of SCs in community settings.

Qin Yang, Huan Lu, Dandan Liang et al.

Autism is a developmental disorder that manifests in early childhood and persists throughout life, profoundly affecting social behavior and hindering the acquisition of learning and social skills in those diagnosed. As technological advancements progress, an increasing array of technologies is being utilized to support the education of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), aiming to improve their educational outcomes and social capabilities. Numerous studies on autism intervention have highlighted the effectiveness of social robots in behavioral treatments. However, research on the integration of social robots into classroom settings for children with autism remains sparse. This paper describes the design and implementation of a group experiment in a collective classroom setting mediated by the NAO robot. The experiment involved special education teachers and the NAO robot collaboratively conducting classroom activities, aiming to foster a dynamic learning environment through interactions among teachers, the robot, and students. Conducted in a special education school, this experiment served as a foundational study in anticipation of extended robot-assisted classroom sessions. Data from the experiment suggest that ASD students in classrooms equipped with the NAO robot exhibited notably better performance compared to those in regular classrooms. The humanoid features and body language of the NAO robot captivated the students' attention, particularly during talent shows and command tasks, where students demonstrated heightened engagement and a decrease in stereotypical repetitive behaviors and irrelevant minor movements commonly observed in regular settings. Our preliminary findings indicate that the NAO robot significantly enhances focus and classroom engagement among students with ASD, potentially improving educational performance and fostering better social behaviors.