{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,3]],"date-time":"2025-12-03T11:09:23Z","timestamp":1764760163465,"version":"3.46.0"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,3]],"date-time":"2025-12-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764720000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Project NAIA: Virtual Assistant to Support the University Community Powered by Artificial Intelligence\u2014Uninorte","award":["FOFICO 32101 PE0031"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FOFICO 32101 PE0031"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Systems"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Virtual assistants in academic environments often lack comprehensive multimodal integration and specialized role-based architecture. This paper presents NAIA (Nimble Artificial Intelligence Assistant), a robust artificial intelligence framework designed for multi-role virtual academic assistance through a modular monolithic approach. The system integrates Large Language Models (LLMs), Computer Vision, voice processing, and animated digital avatars within five specialized roles: researcher, receptionist, personal skills trainer, personal assistant, and university guide. NAIA\u2019s architecture implements simultaneous voice, vision, and text processing through a three-model LLM system for optimized response quality, Redis-based conversation state management for context-aware interactions, and strategic third-party service integration with OpenAI, Backblaze B2, and SerpAPI. The framework seamlessly connects with the institutional ecosystem through Microsoft Graph API integration, while the frontend delivers immersive experiences via 3D avatar rendering using Ready Player Me and Mixamo. System effectiveness is evaluated through a comprehensive mixed-methods approach involving 30 participants from Universidad del Norte, employing Technology Acceptance Model (TAM2\/TAM3) constructs and System Usability Scale (SUS) assessments. Results demonstrate strong user acceptance: 93.3% consider NAIA useful overall, 93.3% find it easy to use and learn, 100% intend to continue using and recommend it, and 90% report confident independent operation. Qualitative analysis reveals high satisfaction with role specialization, intuitive interface design, and institutional integration. The comparative analysis positions NAIA\u2019s distinctive contributions through its synthesis of institutional knowledge integration with enhanced multimodal capabilities and specialized role architecture, establishing a comprehensive framework for intelligent human-AI interaction in modern educational environments.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/systems13121091","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,3]],"date-time":"2025-12-03T10:34:01Z","timestamp":1764758041000},"page":"1091","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["NAIA: A Robust Artificial Intelligence Framework for Multi-Role Virtual Academic Assistance"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9554-1752","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adri\u00e1n F. Pab\u00f3n","family":"M.","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 081007, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-1374-284X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kenneth J.","family":"Barrios Q.","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 081007, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-9707-9395","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samuel D.","family":"Solano C.","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 081007, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0918-9375","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian G.","family":"Quintero M.","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla 081007, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Lee, G.-G., Shi, L., Latif, E., Gao, Y., Bewersdorff, A., Nyaaba, M., Guo, S., Liu, Z., Mai, G., and Liu, T. 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