PhD Study : Should smart speakers and chatbots be polite, caring and emotionally intelligent?

Summary

Conversational user interfaces or ‘chatbots’, accessible via ‘smart’ speakers’ or social media ‘direct messaging’ are software applications that engage in interactions with humans, either to automate task-related interactions, such as booking a table at a restaurant, or to engage in chat for purposes such as entertainment or companionship. The demands on chatbots to have a capability to understand the conversation with humans is opening up new research avenues as the topics of conversation turn to mental health and as digital natives seek answers in anonymity from chatbots on their phones and in their homes.

This PhD research will explore the different perspectives on how computers as chatbots interact with humans. People relate to and appreciate if an interaction with a machine is designed to take account of their ‘humanness’. This is the Computer As Social Agent (CASA) perspective. Another perspective is the Uncanny Valley of Mind (UVM) perspective, where the machine is very human-like but with some slight defect and this makes a human uncomfortable without necessarily knowing why.

The PhD study will build experiments using chatbot development frameworks employing these UVM and CASE perspectives and will explore which interaction paradigms work best with people, across ‘smart’ speakers’ and social media ‘direct messaging’ modalities. The work builds on a significant track record of success at Ulster University in chatbot research, including European, UK and Northern Ireland funding.

This is an opportunity to be part of a growing interdisciplinary research team in this exciting area, with researchers from computer science, psychology, and business researchers in the University all contributing to the team.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

• Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
• Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
• Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

• Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
• Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
• Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living