ai-agent / docs /user-guide /chat-interface.md
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# Using the Chat Interface
The AI Imaging Agent provides a conversational interface for discovering and using imaging software. This guide explains how to interact with the chat interface effectively.
## Interface Layout
The interface consists of three main areas:
### Left Panel: Chat Conversation
- **Message History**: Your conversation with the agent
- **Rich Media Rendering**: Images, tool cards, and files are displayed inline
- **Input Box**: Type your messages at the bottom
- **File Upload**: Attach files via the paperclip icon or drag-and-drop
### Right Panel: Sidebar
- **Files Tab**: View uploaded files with format information
- **State Tab**: Debug information showing conversation state
### Header
- **Model Selector**: Choose which AI model to use
- **Settings**: Access configuration options
## Basic Workflow
### 1. Upload Files
Upload images or other files in several ways:
- **Drag and Drop**: Drag files directly onto the upload area
- **Click to Browse**: Click the upload area to select files
- **Attach to Message**: Use the paperclip icon in the input box
Files are automatically processed and metadata is extracted.
### 2. Describe Your Task
Use natural language to describe what you want to do:
!!! example "Good Task Descriptions"
- "I want to segment the lungs from this CT scan"
- "Help me detect tumors in this MRI"
- "I need to register these two brain images"
- "Extract text from this medical report"
- "Classify the organ shown in this ultrasound"
### 3. Review Recommendations
The agent returns ranked tool recommendations with:
- **Tool Cards**: Each tool is presented in a card format
- **Accuracy Scores**: Confidence levels for each recommendation
- **Explanations**: Why each tool matches your request
- **Metadata**: Technical details about compatibility
### 4. Run Demos (Optional)
The agent may offer to run demos:
```
Agent: Would you like me to run the demo with your image?
```
Respond with affirmative language:
- "yes"
- "sure"
- "ok"
- "please"
- "go ahead"
The agent will execute the tool and show results.
## Multi-Turn Conversations
The agent maintains context across multiple messages:
!!! example "Multi-Turn Example"
```
You: I have a lung CT scan [uploads file]
Agent: I can see you have a DICOM CT image. What would you like to do with it?
You: Segment the airways
Agent: [Provides airway segmentation tool recommendations]
You: What about segmenting the whole lung?
Agent: [Provides lung segmentation tools, remembering you're working with CT]
You: Show me alternatives
Agent: [Provides additional options]
```
## Advanced Features
### Excluding Tools
Exclude specific tools using the `[EXCLUDE:...]` tag:
```
Find segmentation tools [EXCLUDE:totalsegmentator|medicalsam]
```
You can exclude multiple tools separated by `|`.
### Requesting Alternatives
Ask the agent to search with different strategies:
```
Can you search for alternatives?
Show me other options
Find different tools for this task
```
The agent can perform up to 3 alternative searches per conversation.
## Understanding Agent Responses
### Recommendation Cards
Each recommendation includes:
#### Header
- **Rank Number**: 1, 2, 3 (1 = best match)
- **Tool Name**: Software/tool identifier
- **Accuracy Score**: 0-100% confidence
#### Body
- **Description**: What the tool does
- **Explanation**: Why it matches your task
- **Demo Link**: Click to visit runnable example
#### Footer Metadata
- **Modalities**: CT, MRI, X-ray, etc.
- **Dimensions**: 2D, 3D, 4D
- **Formats**: Supported file formats (DICOM, NIfTI, etc.)
- **License**: Software license information
- **Tags**: Categorization and keywords
### Execution Traces
When demos run, you'll see execution details:
```
<details>
<summary>Tool Execution Trace</summary>
Image uploaded to Gradio Space
Processing started...
Result: Success
Output saved to: result.png
</details>
```
Click to expand and see full execution logs.
### Clarification Questions
Sometimes the agent needs more information:
```
Agent: I found several segmentation tools. Which organ are you trying to segment?
You: The liver
Agent: [Provides liver-specific segmentation tools]
```
## File Management
### Uploaded Files List
The sidebar shows all uploaded files with:
- **Filename**: Original file name
- **Format**: File type/extension
- **Size**: File size
- **Preview**: Thumbnail (for images)
### Image Previews
Medical images are automatically converted:
- **DICOM**: PNG previews; 3D series use orthogonal composite views (MIPs + central slices) rather than a single slice
- **NIfTI**: PNG previews built from orthogonal composite views of the volume
- **TIFF Stacks**: PNG previews built from orthogonal composite views of the stack
- **Standard 2D Images**: Resized PNG preview of the original image
Previews are used for VLM analysis while preserving original format metadata.
### Removing Files
Click the 'X' button next to a file to remove it from the current session.
## Conversation State
The debug sidebar shows:
### Current State
- **Status**: idle, processing, waiting
- **Conversation Turn**: Current turn number
- **Excluded Tools**: Tools filtered from results
### Preview Images
- Images prepared for VLM analysis
- Format conversions applied
## Tips for Effective Interaction
!!! tip "Be Specific About Requirements"
Mention specific needs:
- "I need a tool that works with NIfTI files"
- "Must support 3D volumes"
- "Looking for open-source options"
!!! tip "Use Conversational Language"
Natural language works best:
- ✅ "Help me find tool that segments kidneys"
- ❌ "kidney_segmentation_tool filter:3D"
!!! tip "Iterate Based on Results"
If initial results aren't perfect, refine:
- "Can you find tools with higher accuracy?"
- "Show me open-source alternatives"
- "What about tools that support DICOM?"
!!! tip "Ask Follow-Up Questions"
The agent maintains context:
- "What about the second recommendation?"
- "Can you compare these two tools?"
- "Which one is fastest?"
## Troubleshooting
### No Recommendations
If the agent can't find suitable tools:
- Try rephrasing your query
- Be more specific about the task
- Check that your file uploaded successfully
- Ensure your task matches the catalog domain (imaging/medical)
### Wrong Recommendations
If recommendations don't match:
- Provide more context about your specific needs
- Mention required file format support
- Specify modality or domain
- Use the exclude feature to filter out irrelevant tools
### Demo Execution Fails
If a demo doesn't run:
- Check your internet connection
- Verify the demo link is still active
- Try a different recommended tool
- Check file format compatibility
## Next Steps
- Learn about [Supported File Formats](file-formats.md)
- Understand [How Recommendations Work](recommendations.md)
- Explore [Running Demos](running-demos.md)
- Check out [Advanced Features](advanced-features.md)