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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Virtual Agent for Real-Time Motivational Interviewing by Integrating Adaptive Nonverbal Behavior and Language Models

Virtual Agent for Real-Time Motivational Interviewing by Integrating Adaptive Nonverbal Behavior and Language Models

Published on: December 23, 2025

Intelligent virtual agents as language trainers facilitate multilingualism.

Manuela Macedonia¹, Iris Groher², Friedrich Roithmayr²

¹Department of Information Engineering, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria ; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Research Group Neural Mechanisms of Human Communication Leipzig, Germany.

Frontiers in Psychology

|May 1, 2014

Summary

Intelligent virtual agents (IVAs) effectively teach foreign language vocabulary, matching human teacher performance. Both adults and children accept these virtual tutors, making language learning more accessible.

Keywords:

enactment effect intelligent virtual agent memory enhancement mobile device multilingualism

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Area of Science:

Human-Computer Interaction
Educational Technology
Artificial Intelligence

Background:

Traditional language learning methods face accessibility and personalization challenges.
Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVAs) offer a novel approach to supplement or replace traditional language instruction.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce and evaluate an IVA named Billie as a foreign language vocabulary trainer.
To assess the acceptance of IVAs as educational tools by both adult and child learners.

Main Methods:

Development and deployment of Billie, an IVA with a human appearance for vocabulary training.
Conducting studies to compare IVA effectiveness with human teachers.
Gathering user feedback on acceptance and experience with the IVA.

Main Results:

Billie demonstrated comparable training effectiveness to human teachers in foreign language vocabulary acquisition.
High acceptance rates of Billie as a trainer were observed among both adult and child participants.
IVAs offer advantages such as individualized training, motivational support, and 24/7 accessibility.

Conclusions:

IVAs represent a viable and effective tool for foreign language vocabulary training.
The acceptance of IVAs by diverse user groups indicates their potential for widespread educational application.
IVAs can significantly enhance language learning accessibility and promote global multilingualism.