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Abstract— VoiceXML-based systems are dialogue systems that users interact with using either dual tone multi frequency key input or
speech. These systems are generally limited in their level of intelligence, capability and sophistication essentially because the language they
are built with is a markup language. However, previous work have successfully integrated intelligent component technologies into these sys-
tems so as to enable them generate and understand natural language. This work investigated the viability of building expert systems with
VoiceXML. In achieving the objectives of this work, the VoiceXML architecture was augmented with expert system component technology.
VoiceObjects Desktop for Eclipse was used to develop a dialogue system for diagnosing diseases, and Java expert system shell was used as
the intelligent expert system component technology. The result shows that expert system technology can be seamlessly integrated into
VoiceXML-based systems thereby making these systems smarter, more sophisticated and enhancing their capability. This kind of system is
useful in Africa where the ratio of doctors to citizens is abysmally low, but where the use of mobile phone is on the rise, as a means of aug-
menting healthcare delivery.
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1 INTRODUCTION
Fig. 2. Architecture diagram for VoiceXML application
The VoiceXML gateway is a computer equipped with a
telephone card, able to manage incoming and outgoing
calls, a VoiceXML Interpreter charged to carry out all the
orders programmed in the language, and a connection
with Internet network. It also has the capability for auto‐ Fig. 3. The architecture for the dialogue expert system
matic speech recognition (ASR), and can record audio for diagnosis of diseases
files. Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) telephone key‐
board and voice are the inputs users supply. Text to In the architecture, the VoiceXML architecture is aug‐
Speech (TTS) voice synthesis and restitution of pre‐ mented with an intelligent component. The symptoms
recorded audio files are the outputs the machine can use. provided by the user and captured by the VXML platform
As a gateway, it bridges the world of telephony to other are sent to the intelligent component which in this case is
networks such as Internet and data networks. The Voice‐ the Jess. The symptoms are stored in the working memo‐
XML gateway is responsible for: ry of Jess. The knowledge base contains diagnosis‐specific
1. Processing calls: facts and heuristics useful for determining the nature of
It accepts/rejects incoming calls; the illness. The inference engine applies and operates on
It initiates outgoing calls; the knowledge in the knowledge source to carry out the
It transfers calls. diagnosis. The diagnosed disease stored in the working
2. Interacting with speech related resources: ASR, TTS, memory is extracted and sent to the VoiceXML interpreter
DTMF where it is relayed to the caller.
JOURNAL OF COMPUTING, VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3, MARCH 2011, ISSN 2151-9617
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10. CONTRIBUTIONS
VoiceXML as a markup language cannot be used to de‐
velop expert systems, but with its augmentation with a
suitable intelligent component, this work shows that the
language can be effectively used for developing expert or
knowledge‐based systems. This is useful in Africa and
other developing nations where healthcare is inadequate
as reported by the World Health Organization [14], but
where the use of mobile phone is on the increase [15], [16]
as a means of enhancing healthcare delivery.
This work has also presented an approach that simu‐
lates the thought process of physicians in the diagnosis of
diseases by health dialogue systems. This is in contrast to
Fig. 7. Connector object showing how Jess and the Jar files
are embedded into the dialogue system. the use of clinical rating scales that have been found to
have clinometric shortcomings.
Lastly, the existing health dialogue systems for screen‐
9.2 DISCUSSION ing diseases allow for only the use of DTMF as a mode of
interaction with them, but the provision of a platform for
The idea of integrating an intelligent component for ex‐ both DTMF and speech input in this work caters for the
pert systems into VoiceXML‐based systems to allow the needs of people who have motor disabilities affecting the
development of expert systems is an intuitive one. It is a hands or arms that cannot use DTMF. It is also a means of
way of making these systems smarter, and enhancing and enhancing the utility and user satisfaction of the system.
widening their utility and capability. Generally, markup
languages including VoiceXML do not support building
expert systems. Even VoiceXML 3.0 specification which is 11. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK
the latest enhancement to VoiceXML does not cater for
this [29]. This leaves no option than to work around It has been explained that VoiceXML standard does not
VoiceXML and the notion of integrating a component that support the development of expert systems, but
will make this achievable. Solutions close to service through the augmentation of an intelligent component
oriented architecture philosophy were researched and the into VoiceXML‐based systems, it has been shown that
integration of an intelligent component that would facili‐ it is possible to make VoiceXML applications in general
tate the development of dialogue expert systems was smarter to the level of expert systems.
proposed. A service‐oriented architecture (SOA) is de‐ The existing HDS for screening disease make use of
fined as a collection of services [30] while a service is an clinical rating scales in screening diseases, but these
action carried out by a component called “supplier” to scales have been found out to have reliability problem
the need of a consuming component called “consumer” necessitating the need for an approach that emulates
[31]. The VoiceXML application in this case serves as the the way physicians diagnose diseases. This work has
consumer while Jess serves as the supplier. presented a health dialogue disease diagnosis expert
With the successful integration of Jess into VoiceXML‐ system which emulates the thought process of physi‐
based systems, it has been shown that it is possible to cians when diagnosing diseases. This eliminates the
build expert systems with VoiceXML through the integra‐ limitations of the use of clinical rating scales which
tion of expert system technologies. Furthermore, the exist‐ have been found not to be reliable.
ing HDSs for screening diseases make use of clinical rat‐ The provision of a platform that incorporates the use
ing scales in screening diseases, but these scales have of speech in addition to DTMF takes care of the needs
been found out to have reliability problem, necessitating of the people with motor disabilities affecting the hands
the need for an approach that emulates the way physi‐ or arms that cannot use DTMF. This implementation is
cians diagnose diseases. This work has presented a the first step towards the evaluation of the system to
JOURNAL OF COMPUTING, VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3, MARCH 2011, ISSN 2151-9617
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