...
The Nonverbal-Behavior-Generator (NVBG) is the module that generates behavior other than speech, such as gestures, facial expressions and gazes. The NVBG generates the aforementioned behavior these behaviors based on the speech input and other messages that it receives. These Nonverbal behaviors serve to augment and emphasize spoken communication. Based on who speaks and who listens, the NVBG can characterize the NPC as a listener, speaker or a bystander and generate appropriate behavior. These behaviors are configurable using xml files provided as input to NVBG. Using these xml files, we can specify which words or parts-of-speech trigger which animations. We can specify idle animations and idle gazes that get triggered when the character is idle for a specified amount of time.
...