Interruptibility

Interruptibility is a core feature of EVI that enables natural, real-time interaction. Users can speak over the assistant at any time. When they do, EVI detects the interruption, stops generating the response, and immediately notifies the client.

How interruption works

EVI continuously processes incoming audio, even while generating responses. An interruption occurs when speech is detected while the assistant is responding. Upon detecting an interruption, EVI:

• Stops generating the current response
• Stops streaming response audio
• Sends a user_interruption message to the client.

Handling interruptions client-side

To make the interruption perceptible, the client must stop audio playback.

Although EVI halts response generation, the user won’t experience the interruption unless the assistant’s voice also stops.

When a user_interruption message is received, the client should:

1. Stop audio playback: Halt any ongoing playback of the interrupted response.
2. Clear queued audio: Discard any queued audio from the previous assistant response.