CHARLIE: An AIML-based chatterbot which works as an interface among INES and humans

INES (INtelligent Educational System) is a functional prototype of an online learning platform, which combines three essential capabilities related to e-learning activities. These capabilities are those concerning to a LMS (learning management system), a LCMS (learning content management system), and an ITS (intelligent tutoring system). To carry out all this functionalities, our system, as a whole, comprises a set different tools and technologies, as follows: semantic managing users (administrators, teachers, students...) and contents tools, an intelligent chatterbot able to communicate with students in natural language, an intelligent agent based on BDI (believes, desires, intentions) technology that acts as the brain of the system, an inference engine based on JESS (a rule engine for the Java platform) and ontologies (to modelled the user, his/her activities, and the learning contents) that contribute with the semantics of the system, etc. At the present paper we will focus on the chatterbot, CHARLIE (CHAtteR Learning Interface Entity), developed and used in the platform, which is an AIML-based (artificial intelligence markup language) bot. We will specifically address its performance and its contribution to INES.