Script development systems and methods useful therefor

A script definition method comprising:

• accepting a user's definition of a speech recognition script element including a designation of a plurality of keywords to be recognized;
• and
• providing a flowchart generation user interface operative to facilitate generation of a flowchart by a user representing a script defined by the user, the script including at least one verbal response by at least one figure to at least verbal input analyzed with speech recognition, the flowchart including a conditional flowchart element representing the speech recognition script element, the providing step comprising prompting the user to associate each branch of the conditional flowchart element with one of the plurality of keywords,
• wherein the script involves at least one physical animated figure.

A verbal interaction development system providing a visual environment for developing a verbal interaction, the system comprising:

• a visual computing environment within which a user of the system can visually program a verbal interaction,
• the visual computing environment including a visual representation of at least one of a speech recognition function and a speech articulation function,
• the verbal interaction including at least one verbal response by at least one figure to at least verbal input analyzed with speech recognition,
• wherein the verbal interaction involves at least one physical animated figure.

A verbal interaction development system providing a visual environment for developing a verbal interaction, the system comprising:

• a computing environment within which a user of the system can program a verbal interaction,
• the computing environment including a representation of at least one of a speech recognition function and a speech articulation function,
• the speech recognition function comprising:
• a speech template generator operative to accept, for at least one speech input, a user's definition of a set of templates, to each of which the speech input is to be compared;
• and
• a template recognition probability evaluator operative to evaluate the probability of correct matching of at least one speech input to each of the templates in the set,
• the verbal interaction including at least one verbal response by at least one figure to at least verbal input analyzed with speech recognition,
• wherein the verbal interaction involves at least one physical animated figure.

A script definition method comprising:

• accepting a user's definition of a speech recognition script element including a designation of a plurality of keywords to be recognized;
• and
• providing a flowchart generation user interface operative to facilitate generation of a flowchart by a user representing a script defined by the user, the script including at least one verbal response by at least one figure to at least verbal input analyzed with speech recognition, the flowchart including a conditional flowchart element representing the speech recognition script element, the providing step comprising prompting the user to associate each branch of the conditional flowchart element with one of the plurality of keywords,
• wherein the script involves at least one figure wirelessly connected to a computer receiving the script.

A verbal interaction development system providing a visual environment for developing a verbal interaction, the system comprising:

• a visual computing environment within which a user of the system can visually program a verbal interaction,
• the visual computing environment including a visual representation of at least one of a speech recognition function and a speech articulation function,
• the verbal interaction including at least one verbal response by at least one figure to at least verbal input analyzed with speech recognition,
• wherein the verbal interaction involves at least one figure wirelessly connected to a computer receiving the script.

A verbal interaction development system providing a visual environment for developing a verbal interaction, the system comprising:

• a computing environment within which a user of the system can program a verbal interaction,
• the computing environment including a representation of at least one of a speech recognition function and a speech articulation function,
• the speech recognition function comprising:
• a speech template generator operative to accept, for at least one speech input, a user's definition of a set of templates, to each of which the speech input is to be compared;
• and
• a template recognition probability evaluator operative to evaluate the probability of correct matching of at least one speech input to each of the templates in the set,
• the verbal interaction including at least one verbal response by at least one figure to at least verbal input analyzed with speech recognition,
• wherein the verbal interaction involves at least one figure wirelessly connected to a computer receiving the script.