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IRList Digest Volume 2 Number 63
IRList Digest Monday, 1 December 1986 Volume 2 : Issue 63
Today's Topics:
Abstracts - NSF IST Awards for Fiscal Year 1986 - Part 1 of 5
News addresses are ARPANET: fox%vt@csnet-relay.arpa BITNET: foxea@vtvax3.bitnet
CSNET: fox@vt UUCPNET: seismo!vtisr1!irlistrq
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Date: Fri, 21 Nov 86 18:38:14 est
From: vtopus!fox (Ed Fox)
Subject: Information on NSF awards, sent by J. Deken at NSF
Fiscal Year 1986 Research Projects
Funded by the Information Science Program
(now Knowledge and Database Systems Program)
Part 1 of 5
IST-8504726
$42,196 - 12 mos.
James F. Allen
University of Rochester
Plan-Based Approaches to Extended Dialogues
- - -
This research project investigates several basic problems that arise in
constructing a computer system that can carry on a natural language dialogue
with a user. The work is based on previously developed models of discourse
based upon speech acts and plan recognition. Extensions to the dialogue model
include facilities to handle both topic changes and clarification and correction
of misconceptions. Extensions to the knowledge representation system include
improvements to the theory of actions and plans and improved methods for
reasoning about the beliefs of different agents. More theoretical work includes
development of a theory of plan reasoning that integrates both plan construction
and plan recognition.
_____
BNS-8518675
$40,000 - 12 mos.
James A. Anderson
Brown University
Cognitive Applications of Matrix Memory Models
- - -
There has been a good deal of recent interest in what have been called "neural
models" or "connectionist models" as ways of explaining the organization and
computational abilities of the nervous system. This research will continue study
of the properties of a simple connectionist model that has been developed over
the past decade, most recently under BNS- 14728. The particular version of a
connectionist model that is used is called the "BSB" model, and technically, is
a non- linear dynamical system with strengths of interconnections specified by a
conjunctional learning rule (a "Hebbian" rule). It is sufficiently simple so it
can be analyzed mathematically in considerable detail and is easy to simulate on
a digital computer. The model will be used to understand how humans form
concepts. The BSB model has powerful "concept" forming abilities, and
demonstrates these properties both theoretically and in computer simulation.
The BSB model is also studied in its role as a functioning memory, for example,
to see if it can be used to store a large database of related information.
_____
IST-8511531
$19,097 - 12 mos.
Robert Berwick
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Learnability and Parsability
- - -
In this collaborative project, Learnability and Parsability, the two principal
investigators, Drs. Berwick and Wexler, are studying the relationship between
language learning and language understanding. The issue is motivated by the
existence of already known properties shared by grammars which are learnable
and grammars which are parsable. (Grammars which allow a language to be
analyzed into a unique underlying representation are said to be parsable.) A
common framework is being developed for representing grammars. The common
framework allows a comparison of learnability and parsability through the use of
formal proofs. Additionally, child and adult parsers are being compared
formally. The research furthers understanding of formal theories of parsability
and learnability and the relation between the two. These are fundamental issues
for fields concerned with syntactic issues in language. The work ultimately is
aimed at the development of automated language understanding systems which can
both learn and understand natural language.
_____
DCR-8603231
$27,000 - 12 mos.
Alan W. Biermann
Duke University
Dialog Processing for Voice Interactive Problem Solving
- - -
For several years now, Professor Alan W. Biermann at Duke University and
Professor Robert D. Rodman at North Carolina State have collaborated on
research efforts directed at voice interactive computing systems. They are
studying the dynamics of human-machine voice interactive problem solving with
the goal of constructing a fast and efficient voice interactive computer system.
The voice interactive dialogue machine will allow the user to display data on a
computer terminal and manipulate it using voice commands and touch sensitive
imputs to the screen. Each command will result in immediate action visible on
the screen allowing the user to confirm that a proper response has occured. A
natural language computer (NLC) was used and considerable experience has been
gained with subjects using the voice equipment. Among the accomplishments has
been the integrationof a voice and touch facility into the NLC system and the
modification of the system for the idiosyncracies of voice and touch input. The
initial implementation of the voice interactive dialogue machine will address
the equipment repair problem where the human provides the eyes and mechanical
skills to work on a failing device and the machine has the appropriate function-
al diagrams and debugging algorithms. The major issues to be addressed concern
finding characterizations for typical human-machine task oriented dialogues,
developing formalisms for understanding them and for implementing them in a
computer, and measuring the performance of human-machine cooperative efforts
when utilizing such a grammar-driven voice conversational machine.
_____
IST-8612177
$9,747 - 12 mos.
Jeffrey Bonar
University of Pittsburgh
Partial Support for Third International Conference on Artificial Intelligence
and Education, Pittsburgh, PA, May 1987
- - -
This project is a workshop for researchers from areas supported by Information
Science. The workshop explores issues in artificial intelligence, cognitive
psychology, and education. At the meeting, artifical intelligence methodology
is applied to issues of student performance, learning, diagnosis of student
errors and instruction. This goal is achieved by considering strategies for
teaching, research on learning, methods for inferring cognitive states from
behavior, architectures for tutoring systems and interface design. The broad
goal of the workshop is to facilitate interaction between intelligent tutoring
systems researchers and educational researchers on currently unaddressed issues.
The results of the workshop will be produced as conference proceedings. The
workshop will benefit the study of Information Science by bringing together top
researchers and allowing them to look at newly emerging issues and currently
unanswered questions.
____
IST-8604923
$64,660 - 12 mos.
Alan H. Borning
University of Washington
Automatic Generation of Interactive Displays
- - -
This project seeks a way to construct user-system interfaces with less effort
than is currently required and at the same time to achieve a higher degree of
uniformity among interfaces than is currently found. The approach taken is to
relate a source object (such as some information in an application program) and
view object (such as a graphical image on the computer's screen) by means of a
"filter". By this term is meant a program which can satisfy some constraint on
the two objects is relates. Filters are to be bidirectional: if the source
changes, the view must be updated; if the view is edited, the system must find a
corresponding change to the source to keep the constraint satisfied. An
important property of filters is that they can be composed in a variety of ways,
so that new filters can be defined using other filters as parts. One objective
of the research is a formal theory which will allow transformations between
equivalent systems of filters. The results are to be tested by implementing a
prototype system for generating user interfaces. The research is carried out in
collaboration with David Maier, of the Oregon Graduate Center, and Ralph London,
of Tektronix, Inc.
_____
IST-8643739
$121,074 - 12 mos.
Bruce C. Buchanan
Stanford University
Information Structure and Use in Knowledge-Based Expert Systems
- - -
Expert systems and other knowledge-based computer models provide an
important application of computer models as intelligent information systems.
Among the problems confronting the design of such systems is the flow of
knowledge between the expert and the builders of the models. In addition, a
transfer of information problem exists between the users and the systems
themselves. This research will test and analyze models developed by the
research team for the improved transfer of information in the above situations.
Specifically, the research proposes to explore; (1) a model for constructing
knowledge-based programs by transferring expertise from a person to a program
interactively and iteratively, and (2) a model for using such programs in a
"critiquing" mode, as opposed to a "consulting" mode. At present one of the
great bottlenecks in the construction of expert systems is the process of
transferring information between the experts and the system. A great improve-
ment in the expert system building process will be gained if the PIs are
successful in the construction of a model to expediate and automate this
procedure.
_____
IST-8607303
$10,000 - 12 mos.
Kathleen M. Carley
Carnegie-Mellon University
Knowledge Acquisition as a Social Phenomenon
- - -
The research develops a model of knowledge acquisition in an environment where
information is incomplete and uncertain. The model explores the relationship
between the individual's private cognitive world, in terms of knowledge
acquisition, and the social world, in terms of social position, interactive
patterns and shared knowledge. In particular, the model examines predictions
about both the social processing of information and the related shifts in social
structure, information flow and storage. The theoretical underpinnings for the
model are based upon prior research in sociology, artificial intelligence,
cognitive psychology and communication research. The research methods are
mathematical modeling, simulation and model validation with field data. The
research is relevant to an understanding of the diffusion of new ideas and
information between and within groups, effective distribution of information in
a multi-person, distributed decision making environment, and contributes to an
understanding of the necessary and sufficient conditions for effective
communication.
_____
IST-8515005
$75,900 - 12 mos.
Eugene Charniak
Brown University
A Single-Semantic-Process Theory of Parsing
- - -
Current automated text understanding systems have numerous components
(modules with identifiably different functions). All of the components use
semantic and pragmatic information in accomplishing tasks such as word-sense
disambiguation. However, each makes only limited use of the semantic and
pragmatic imformation available. This researcher implements an understanding
system with only two components through a technique called "marker passing".
In "marker passing" pieces of semantic information, i.e., markers, are passed
throughout the system, making full pragmatic and semantic information
available to all components. This advance in implementation stems from the
underlying theoretical perspective of the researcher; all components of a system
should take full, rather than partial, advantage of semantic and pragmatic
information. The system, as a result, makes the larger number of components
usually found in such systems unnecessary. The first component of this system
generates possible meanings for a given sentence and the second component then
chooses among them. The research offers a more parsimonious theory of natural
language comprehension and implements it as a natural language understanding
system. The ultimate aim of a system which implements this type of theory is
the automated understanding of ambiguous statements.
_____
IST-8644629
$60,449 - 12 mos.
Eugene Charniak
Brown University
An Approach to Abductive Inference in Artificial Intelligence Systems
- - -
The ability to explain observed events is an important capability in artificial
intelligence systems for many different kinds of applications. In order to
accomplish this, a system must be able to postulate a possible cause and then
determine whether or not it is reasonable. Looking for possible explanations
involves matching observed actions with appropriate parts of the system's
knowledge base. In this research the knowledge base is assumed to be structured
into script or plans which are formally represented. A major goal is to
determine appropriate and efficient algorithms, based on this formal
representation for determining if possible explanations are consistent with the
knowledge base of the system. The research focuses on the kinds of problems
that arise in the analysis of short narrative texts. This research will
contribute to the understanding of intelligent computer-based systems.
_____
IST-8608362
$172,9212 - 12 mos.
Richard Cullingford
Georgia Institute of Technology
Robust Interaction and Natural Problem-Solving in Advice-Giving Systems
- - -
The purpose of this research is to develop an intelligent advisory system. The
system functions as an aid during problem solving, it both volunteers and takes
advice and is able to accept ungrammatical input. Several research issues
underlie the development of this problem solving aid: memory and reasoning are
modeled and used in the advisory process; natural language capabilities are
developed; and the reasoning and language elements of the system are integrated.
Artificial intelligence advisory systems need to be able to interact with humans
in a flexible fashion. In order to be flexible, these systems need to be able
to understand ungrammatical input and to be able to take, as well as give,
advice. This research deals with these issues and contributes to the develop-
ment of more sophisticated computer systems.
_____
IST-8506706
$60,942 - 12 mos.
Donald Dearholt
New Mexico State University
Properties of Networks Derived from Proximities
- - -
The purpose of this project is to develop a way of using networks to represent
the relationships among sets of related concepts. An algorithm for finding the
salient relationships is developed. It is based on human proximity judgments of
the conceptual closeness of the members of a set of concepts. The algorithm is
implemented as a computer system. The system produces a network structure
which makes the relationships between concepts salient. Experiments are con-
ducted to test that the relationships identified by the algorithm are actually
judged salient by humans. The project will allow large databases to be used more
fully and more flexibly. For example, the system can supply users of a database
with keywords which are either prototypical or atypical for a category in the
database.
_____
IST-8518706
$37,243 - 12 mos.
Andre de Korvin
Indiana University Foundation
Modeling Goal Uncertainty and Goal Shaping in a Generalized
Information System
- - -
This project is a study of the effectiveness of information in a generalized
information system, which is a formal model of information flow and decision
analysis. Mathematical analysis is used to determine the effectiveness of
feedback processes based on utility functions. The results of previous work
illuminate how information should be selected, when stopping points can be
reached, and how long information must be gathered before convergence is
achieved. This project builds upon and expands earlier findings to cover the
case where the goals of the decision manager are not known and fixed. In the
expanded and more realistic model, goals themselves are uncertain and subject
to change by the information gathering process.
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END OF IRList Digest
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