Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for conducting the entire development process of new products, such as clothing or fashion designs, from conception through production in a virtual world. The virtual world is a multi-user three-dimensional persistent interactive graphical environment in which a plurality of avatars can interact as if interacting in the physical world to develop a new product. The avatars represent actual individuals that are contributors to the product development process. Each avatar can communicate with other avatars, can interact with and modify the graphical environment and can manipulate three-dimensional objects within the graphical environment for purposes of demonstration, explanation or review. Databases containing the necessary elements for product design are provided and are accessible by the avatars within the graphical environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for conducting the entire development process of new products, such as clothing or fashion designs, from conception through production in a virtual world. The virtual world is a multi-user three-dimensional persistent interactive graphical environment in which a plurality of avatars can interact as if interacting in the physical world to develop a new product. The avatars represent actual individuals that are contributors to the product development process. Each avatar can communicate with other avatars, can interact with and modify the graphical environment and can manipulate three-dimensional objects within the graphical environment for purposes of demonstration, explanation or review. Databases containing the necessary elements for product design are provided and are accessible by the avatars within the graphical environment.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing modular conversation policies to agents are provided. The apparatus and method provide a mechanism by which conversation policies are implemented in a modular manner such that modification and personalization of the conversation policies to a particular application in an electronic business system is possible. With the apparatus and method, the conversation policies are implemented as objects that may be downloadable and pluggable into existing electronic business systems. Thus, the apparatus and method allow conversation policies to be obtained from third parties and easily integrated into an established electronic business system.

Abstract: The method of the invention enables the situating of reasoning engines which have the capability to store premises as knowledge representation expressions, as well as to conclude knowledge representation expressions and/or to evaluate (or test), knowledge representation expressions and/or to respond to delivered directive events that request the engine to perform reasoning. The result of the method is a situated reasoning system which extends the given reasoning engine's functionality by augmenting it with procedural attachments, using zero or more provided attached procedures. This extension of functionality permits especially the capabilities for sensing and/or effecting and/or responding to delivered directive events. The method permits attachment of the attached procedures to be dynamic or static.