Feature/interrupt handler Pranav Khunt

[pranav6905]

Pranav Khunt
Video Link: Demo

🚀 Intelligent Interruption Gating for LiveKit Voice Agents

Summary

This PR implements an intelligent interruption gating system that prevents LiveKit voice agents from stopping on passive backchanneling (e.g., "yeah", "ok", "hmm") while maintaining immediate responsiveness to meaningful user interruptions.

Key Changes

• Implemented is_filler_speech() NLP function to distinguish backchannels from real interruptions
• Added double-hook protection in _interrupt_by_audio_activity and on_end_of_turn to prevent false triggers
• Environment-based configuration with customizable IGNORE_WORDS list for scalability
• Real-time transcript analysis with punctuation removal and case normalization
• Blocked agent pause/stop on filler words while preserving interruption on meaningful speech

Result

• Smooth, uninterrupted agent responses during user acknowledgements
• No hiccups or restarts when users say "okay", "yeah", "mhm"
• Production-ready architecture with locale/language extensibility
• Natural, human-like conversation flow

This implementation directly addresses the "Hiccup Problem" and delivers a seamless voice AI experience aligned with production standards.