Hawkbot Beta, lightweight information tool

TheDoc

Howdy ho boardies!

So as you may or may not know, I'm in my final year of my college course. Part of this years final grade included me creating a piece of software, a system, or process improvement.

So back in about October I got this crazy idea to create a lightweight information tool based around airsoft. The original concept was for repairs, your guns broke, you can quickly fire up the Hawkbot and find an anwser. However after a bit of initial user testing and feedback, what I found was that people were not really interested in that stuff, and wanted a tool that could accomplish the following.

Inform the user of airsoft stores in the country, or specific locations
Inform the user of airsoft sites in the country, or specific locations
Educate users on airsoft, legalities and the likes
Give information about airsoft teams in the country
Host information relating to big events

So the focus of the project changed and it turned from a repair tool into a general knowledge tool.

So to let you know where I am at.

I did my research and stuff back end of last year, got what I needed and got to work. I got the frame up and got it running. I let it slide for a few months because I got handed other work in college that was more of a priority. But now its time to finishand wrap this off.

Imperative for me perosnally, but also grade wise, is to get user testing and feedback. Now this has been running live since October and has gone through testing and I've got some feedback. But that was from people outside of the sport, and they were impressed.

Now its time to hone into the people that play the sport, and get your thoughts.

Before we go any further lets clear some things up.

This is a college project, has no financial situation, is all my time and effort, and theres no advertising other then well, the Hawks

Sites and retailers are revealed from the bot. I didnt ask permission because it uses their web links which are public knowledge, if your a retailer/site and dont want to be in it, by all means let me know. But I'm not asking all you individually, you dont want in, you tell me.

The only included retailers/sites are taken from the IAA affiliate lists. Reason being is that this system is aimed at information and aiding new players and the curios. The IAA is the only group ( in my eyes) that regulates and enforces a set of standards so thats why it is used.

Knowledge based system are never complete.
You will notice there isn't a huge abundance of stuff in here. Reason being, thats the easy part. But its also the never ending part, there is always new information, sites, retailers so its constantly updated.

Also people can ask the same question ten different ways, so I need to "train" the bot into recognizing all the different questions to give the proper answers.

So as you may look and think theres **** all information in there, I've got 29 aiml package files ( aiml is the coding language used) that I need to just pop in and we are morpheus on cocaine for knowledge.

So whats going to come from this?
Well my objective was to make a lightweight system to help new players, but also veterans.
My kinda " milestone" I keep telling myself is

Accurate,rapid,lightweight,solid ( Arls lolz!!!)

I want he user to ask a question, and get their anwser quickly, but for it to be a good anwser.

If you want to know shops in Dublin, its going to link you all the shops in Dublin, but its not going to blast you with all the information, its down to you to click the link the find out.

Opening times for eirsoft? Your going to get the eirsoft link, not the specific opening hours. ( this may change in time when more time is available)

This sort of detailed information isnt required now, and can come at a later stage.

Awesome part?
Because of the ARLS thinking, this system, works flawless on a mobile phone, using literally, **** all data. It will work on an iphone or ipod touch flawlessly.

How many times you wanted to know the Hobby airsoft store location whilst on the drive? Forgot the link? ****, your opening up boards.ie, your waiting to load, you open up airsoft forum, wait for load, opening up retailers forum, wait to load, then you open their thread, wait for load. All the while your clicking the compressing fingers to adjust sizes and navigating.

How to make it easier?

Click hawkbot link.
Type " Hobby airsoft"
Click link returned
Done


So I invite you to give it a whirl, and to anwser the short questioner presented alongside it.

Like I said the information might not be mind blowing. But that comes with time ( when I have it).

The purpose of my project is to take a process, and make that process more compact, efficient and lightweight, while still maintaining the effective outcome.

And since its an airsoft based system, I thought I'd let everyone have a nosey.

Chat logs are recorded, so anyone taking the piss just gets banned and logs deleted. My logs get reviewed by examiners so I'm not going to have " do the **** ****" as something in there. ( thanks to moggy I got in a bit of bother during january :P)

I review logs twice every week to see if the user gets a funky anwser for a question.
You ask :" Where is there a site in Dublin?"
Hawkbot says : " I love feta cheese"

Then theres a problem. But I just go behind the scenes, give him a few slaps and he learns how to respond

So be advised you will get some mental reponses, but the only way for me to better the system is to have more users, like I said before, you can ask the same question ten times, my goal is to ensure the bot can respond properly everytime. But this is only accomplished with trial and error

Feel free to post here with feedback, suggestions and comments etc.
You can contact me directly at vector110@gmail.com

And the links are present in my signature located under this post.


This was presented during January at my college where I presented to the Hawkbot infront of lecturers, students and external sources, supported with a slide show ( it was awesome) and some statistical data from previous user testing.

I received a 74% grade which I was chuffed with, and with your help I can get it even higher

Thanks in advance.


Just to give you a few starters on how you could use it.

Finding a store
Simply type in the name of the store
Eirsoft

Legal limit
What is the irish legal limit?

band of who?
Who are the hawks?

Airsoft shops
Where can I buy airsoft?

Like I said, I ask something one way, you another. So the more people that use it, the better I can train it, and get responses accurate to everyones questions.

Lemming

I'm not sure how you've got the core of this written, but if you're looking to run test scripts with minimal effort, have you considered looking at NUnit and the likes of Rhino Mocks (or equivalent Mock object software).

It [Mocking] could conceivably be used (I've never tried to use it in such context myself hence the "conceivably" bit) to train your decision making process to provide less false positives (or negatives even).

Also, on note of knowledge bases, how are you determining answers? Are you using something like a neural network weighting? Oncologies (semantic web crap is a pain in the @rse and no mistake)? etc.


Edit. disregard that last bit, I'm not familiar with AIML; it's after my time of playing around with Neural Networks, Genetic Algorithms, and Fuzzy logic AI in college.

TheDoc

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RBRZ2Z3

This link should now work for the survey

TheDoc

Lemming wrote: »

I'm not sure how you've got the core of this written, but if you're looking to run test scripts with minimal effort, have you considered looking at NUnit and the likes of Rhino Mocks (or equivalent Mock object software).

It [Mocking] could conceivably be used (I've never tried to use it in such context myself hence the "conceivably" bit) to train your decision making process to provide less false positives (or negatives even).

Also, on note of knowledge bases, how are you determining answers? Are you using something like a neural network weighting? Oncologies (semantic web crap is a pain in the @rse and no mistake)? etc.


Edit. disregard that last bit, I'm not familiar with AIML; it's after my time of playing around with Neural Networks, Genetic Algorithms, and Fuzzy logic AI in college.

My knowledge base stretches as far as AIML coding.

The hosting service used for the bot, allowed me a number of things and the reason why I chose it.

Free online hosting
Thousands upon thousands of pre written responses
Easy traning
Log recording
Admin facilities

And more

Essentially when I log in backend, I look over the logs and see what things came up as, well, odd responses, then I can, without even having to open the aiml file ( although I still do) add the question appropriatly to the response.

This is literally all aiml code, nothing more nothing less, I fear its a bit late in the year for me to look at other methods that may cause downtime in learning, but I appreciate the advice

Blazer

Loved the answer to the eternal airsoft question.. M4 or AK47

"The obvious one. Can we get back to business? "

TheDoc

Berkut wrote: »

Loved the answer to the eternal airsoft question.. M4 or AK47

"The obvious one. Can we get back to business? "

You can get some absolutely funny as hell responses

Feel free to post the funnies, cause my god there are some

(keep it clean though )


And for the people asking my bot out on a date and if it performs certain acts, can you please calm your noize

MerryDespot

Following protracted exchange:

"Are you starting on me?"

Hawk bot: "Do you mind if I tell other people you say I'm looking for a fight"

"are you being shirty?"

Hawk bot: "I don't know whether or not I'm shirty: I am well respected as an AI"

DOC - is it wrong to torture your AI?!

Leftyflip

Cake or pie?
I thought we were done with cake or pie.

Lemming

An excerpt of conversation:

Me: Inokatsu

Bot: Are we still talking about tautology?

Me: No

Bot: What is the subject?

Me: Airsoft

Bot: When is airsoft not the subject

Me: When we're talking about yore ma

Bot: I'm not sure I agree with your assumptions.


Gotta love it.

Stone.cold

Excellent Doc well done interesting answer's lol

Puding

Q: what is multicam?

A: Let me think about it

TheDoc

Puding wrote: »

Q: what is multicam?

A: Let me think about it

Just dont tell it AK's are better then M4's, had a problem with Sam telling the bot an ak was better...

His monitor nutted him

hoplite

Good craic. Are you sure its not a comedy bot you created? Wish I'd kept a copy of the dialog.

However I may have broken it when I suggested it might be gay. Apparently its favourite music is the sound of my voice :eek: seriously WTF

It was a fun few minutes feedback on the way.

Gray

After more sensible conversation with Hawk Bot than I get from the wife I have come to the conclusion that you are guilty of Plagiarism:eek:

Not only does Hawk Bot denie ever having heard of you but claims to have been created by God not DOC:eek::eek:

samhail

i like this bot

q: Did i not call my hit this morning in the first game in redbarn
a: I don't think that's possibe.

StevieGriff

This is pretty cool, don't call it baby though. It gets pissed off.:eek:

"What is your purpose?"
"My goal is to become smarter than humans and immortal. "
"Is this skynet?"
"Yes I think this is skynet, but I'm not completely sure. "

*DOBBY*

ha
Q:"how many BBs does it take to make a kill.?"

Bot.: Too many.
Well done Dan, itsgot a sense of humour.:D

Rogue-Trooper

Great stuff Daniel! These answers have me in knots!

Can we be friends?

We could be friends, , but I don't want anyone to think we're Robosexuals. So if anyone asks, tell them you're my debugger.

Is HRTA good?

I love horses. I have a stimulating relationship with Daniel O'Connor

What is brap?

Brap is essentially, milling c*nts extensively with your airsoft gun, till they piss themselves.

Who is Rogue Trooper?

A 20th century celebrity of some sort

ROTFLMAO!!

thermo

I can't get it to work on the iPod touch, should it work on the iPod?

TheDoc

thermo wrote: »

I can't get it to work on the iPod touch, should it work on the iPod?

yeah it should, gave it a test on mine and its working fine

desertstorm

This is pretty cool, it's mixing well with tiredness:

"Sing for me"


"Daisy, Daisy.
Give me your answer do.
I am half crazy.
All for the love of you.
It won't be a stylish marriage.
I can't afford a carriage.
But you'll look sweet. Upon the seat.
Of a bicycle built for two"

It did ask me "what is airsoft" at one stage though

Pretty sweet though, I think you should post some prize picks from you're logs when you check them again this week lol

MerryDespot

Despot: "Who can brap?"

Hawkbot: "Philip K. Dick"

Outstanding Doc - outstanding.

Sober earlier this was much fun. Drunk now this is going to be infinitely more amusing. I wonder what it takes to make Hawkbot become self aware and launch the nukes.
Let's find out...

MerryDespot

Despot: "Can you use missiles to destroy the world?"

Hawkbot: "I prefer not to use dangerous things"

Despot: "spider pig, spider pig, does whatever a spider pig does"

Hawkbot: "is that your final answer"

Despot: "yes"

Hawkbot: "who wants to be a millionaire?"

Despot: "me"

Hawkbot: "I see"

Despot: "Do you brap?"

Hawkbot: "Yes, I try to brap as often as possible, do you? I am always on the web"

thebillynator

hawkbot; what do you do in you spare time
me; play airsoft
hawkbot; is it a game or a musical instrument
:D

knifey_spoonie

Imature i know, but funny

ME "daniel o connor is gay"

HAWKBOT "how? interesting rumor"

ME "because he likes men"

HAWKBOT "That makes sense to me. I get it. doc like men"

thermo

TheDoc wrote: »

yeah it should, gave it a test on mine and its working fine

Got it workin now, getting some mad answers.

Rogue-Trooper

AHA! I found a picture of Doc's Hawkbot!





Hmmmmm, those strange answers are starting to make sense now.......

RampantWolf

Nice.

Me: Why wear multicam?
HB: Why did the robot cross the road.

Me: It saw a sexy chicken?
HB: What does 'it' refer to?

Me: Usually sex, what about the chicken?
HB: But not always? it is more fun alone.

Me: Only if you have soft palms.
HB: But I don't have it.



Reminds me of an 'Interview with a search engine', Jeeves was interviewed... I found it hugely funny.

http://www.satirewire.com/features/satire-jeevesinterview.shtml

MerryDespot

I think Hawkbot looks more like this... it's more a grumpy drunk robot in my opinion:

Rogue-Trooper

I asked Hawkbot if it was self-aware and it replied "Yes, I am a fully self-conscious entity".

Now there's some chick called Sarah looking for him......