An initial prototype of a new dialogue system is now available in the Arvina tool. Arvina implements the concept of Mixed Initiative Argumentation, whereby a mix of human players and agents enacting AIF resources can take part in a debate and have equal levels of participation: offering claims, asking questions, responding, challenging and so on.

You can see Arvina in action by watching the video below:

Arvina is a proof of concept demonstrator created as a part of the Dialectical Argumentation Machines project.

OVA alpha 2 is the latest release of OVA, ARG:dundee’s drag-and-drop interface for analysing textual arguments.

What’s New in OVA alpha 2:

• Analyse your own text as well as any web page
• Edit the text for INodes
• Colour coding for different node types
• Edge styles for different scheme types
• Easier selection of default schemes
• New user interface design
• Add participants to analyse dialogue (this feature is currently experimental)

Issues fixed in this release:

• Problems with deleting nodes
• Dragging nodes off screen and back again
• Edge positioning after moving nodes

OVA can be found at http://ova.computing.dundee.ac.uk

As ever, we welcome your feedback.

Analyses of argumentation schemes developed in the group here have been adapted for use in Compendium, a popular discussion mapping tool. This is a nice example of the sort of re-use that XML (and Araucaria‘s AML) allows, and that the AIF is designed to simplify. There are more details at the Compendium site.