A Computational Interaction Model for a Virtual Medical Assistant Using Situational Leadership

Abstract

In a medical emergency in which an amateur caregiver is separated from medical experts by space and/or time, a virtual assistant could be useful in order to guide the caregiver through the required procedure successfully. A successful procedure is one that preserves and improves the health of the patient and maintains a positive interaction between the caregiver and the assistant. Regardless of whether the caregiver is experienced in the tasks in the procedure, the assistant must be able to guide them through each step. To manage the interaction between the assistant and caregiver, we employ situational leadership. We propose an agent system for (1) obtaining caregiver behavior during the procedure, (2) assigning a follower style to the caregiver, (3) determining the appropriate leadership style for the assistant, and (4) generating appropriate agent behavior to progress the procedure and maintain a positive interaction with the caregiver.