Design and Implementation of a Chatbot for Kurdish Language Speakers Using Chatfuel Platform

Abstract

Chatbot is a software agent that is used to conduct intelligent conversations between machines and humans. Chatbots are mostly depend on Natural Language Processing (NLP). In this paper, the design and implementation of a chatbot are provided to help Kurdish speakers in using online conversations via texts to find answers instead of direct contact with human agents. The NLP-based software agent is implemented using the Chatfuel platform. Chatfuel uses artificial intelligence to communicate with humans by simulating human conversations through voice commands or texts. The proposed chatbot is tested on an electronic tourist guide that helps visitors to the religious places in the mountainous village of Barzanja that is located in Iraqi Kurdistan. The case study is conducted by using three-hundred questions and answers. One hundred volunteers participated in this study. The participant asks a question and the bot provides an answer if it recognizes the question, otherwise it provides a default answer along with a suggestion of how to use the system properly. The data of these experiment is collected, analyzed, and problems regarding Kurdish language are detected. Designing software agents for processing Kurdish texts faces many challenges. Kurdish texts have not yet been processed using natural language processing (NLP). In addition, Kurdish font disorder and the lack of standardized keyboards and writing styles makes processing Kurdish text difficult. Furthermore, Kurdish language consists of variety of different dialects with different typing styles. In this research, we specifically focus on the design of a software agent for the Central Kurdish (Sorani) dialect. We managed to solve some of the problems related to the Kurdish language and suggest solutions to others.