@SRI-AI.ARPA:LAWS@SRI-AI.ARPA (03/30/85)
From: AIList Moderator Kenneth Laws <AIList-REQUEST@SRI-AI> AIList Digest Saturday, 30 Mar 1985 Volume 3 : Issue 42 Today's Topics: Administrivia - AIList Mailboxes, Applications - Chemistry AI Expert Systems & Spelling Check Algorithms & Planning in a Dynamic Environment & Associative Processing, Help Wanted - AI Lecturer, AI Tools - MacIntosh Lisp, Games - GO, Recent Articles - Expert System Shells & Survey, Linguistics - Development of Pidgin, Creole, and NL, Description - Edinburgh Intelligent Knowledge Based Designer System, Conference - Workshop on Expert Systems ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri 29 Mar 85 09:51:10-PST From: Ken Laws <Laws@SRI-AI.ARPA> Reply-to: AIList-Request@SRI-AI.ARPA Subject: AIList Mailboxes I have recently been getting many messages in inappropriate mailboxes. In most cases I can deduce the sender's intention and forward to the appropriate mailbox, but it would be a help to me if readers would observe the following convention: AIList@SRI-AI.ARPA - Submissions for broadcast to the list. AIList-Request@SRI-AI.ARPA - Messages related to list administration or policy, for private reply. Laws@SRI-AI.ARPA - Messages unrelated to AIList policy. -- Ken Laws ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Mar 85 12:38:12 EST From: Morton A Hirschberg <mort@BRL-BMD.ARPA> Subject: Request for chemistry AI expert systems I am looking for information about expert systems in chemistry. More specifically, documentation if any exists, such as rules or flow charts. They need not be in the public domain. Of course, more information is better (prices for commercial stuff). Thanks. Mort [Some of the famous systems are Stanford's DENDRAL and META-DENDRAL for mass spectrometry and NMR analysis, SUNY(Stonybrook)'s SYNCHEM system for chemical synthesis, Stanford's MOLGEN and GA1 for DNA analysis and synthesis, Stanford's CRYSALIS for protein crystallography, UCSC's SECHS for chemical synthesis, and Rand's SPILLS for locating and identifying chemical spills. I don't know which of these are commercial systems, though IntelliCorp (formerly IntelliGenetics) has derived commercial systems from some of them. For rules and other info I would suggest that you do a search of the chemical literature or contact the universities for technical reports; the AI conference proceedings and journals would discuss mostly the data structures and reasoning methods. -- KIL] ------------------------------ Date: 03/28/85 13:34:17 From: ADIS@MIT-MC Subject: Spelling Check Algorithms [Forwarded from the MIT bboard by SASW@MIT-MC.] Does anyone know of some good references for spelling checking algorithms? Human or written references acceptable. Andy diSessa (ADIS@MC) [Check the following from Communications of the ACM: J.L. Peterson, Computer Programs for Detecting and Correcting Spelling Errors, Vol. 23, No. 12, Dec. 1980, pp. 676-687. Replys in Vol. 24, No. 5, May 1981, pp. 322 and 331-332; Vol. 24, No. 9, Sep. 1981, pp. 608-609; and Vol. 25, No. 3, Mar. 1982, pp. 220-221. P. Robinson and D. Singer, Another Spelling Correction Program, Vol. 24, No. 5, May 1981, pp. 296-297, followed by R. Nix, Experience witha Space Efficient Way to Store a Dictionary, pp. 297-298. Replys in Vol. 24, No. 9, Sep. 1981, pp. 618-619 [from a pseudonymous Joaquin Miller], and Vol. 25, No. 2, Feb. 1982, p. 159. M. Mor and A.S. Fraenkel, A Hash Code Method for Detecting and Correcting Spelling Errors, Vol. 25, No. 12, Dec. 1982, pp. 935-938. D.J. Dodds, Reducing Dictionary Size by Using a Hashing Technique, Vol. 25, No. 6, June 1982, pp. 368-370. J.J. Pollock and A. Zamora, Automatic Spelling Correction in Scientific and Scholarly Text, Vol. 27, No. 4, Apr. 1984, pp. 358-368. These papers provide references to dozens of others. -- KIL] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Mar 85 08:57:42 pst From: coates%usc-liddy%usc-cse.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa Subject: World models for Planning in a Dynamic Environment Does anyone know of research on representation scemes for world knowledge that facilitate planning for an agent which actually executes in a dynamic domain? I am interested in modelling an agents ability to detect anomalies iplan due to unexpected results during plan execution. Additional complications in plan enactment may occur if the world contains other agents whose behavior is unpredictable. If anyone can recommend papers on appropriate knowledge representations and/or methods for anomally detection in dynamic worlds contact me at: COATES%USC-liddy@USC-CSE.CSNET [I have sent a copy of Les Gasser's reference list. -- KIL] ------------------------------ Date: Fri 29 Mar 85 16:14:33-PST From: MOHAN@USC-ECLC.ARPA Subject: Associative Processing I am working on identifying system software requirements for an array processor (based on associative processing and cellulaer array processing). The processor is to be used primarily for Artificial Intelligence and Image Undersatnding tasks. Main system software requirements would be in the area of a suitable language, its compiler and an operating system. (A host computer is assumed to be attatched to this processor). Some pointers to relevant work and literature will be welcome. Please send mail to me or to AIList. Thanks. Rakesh Mohan ARPA- mohan@eclc US Mail- Rm #224 Powell Hall University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 90007. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Mar 85 21:23:43 pst From: jeff@aids-unix (Jeff Dean) Subject: wanted: travelling AI lecturer I've just received a request from someone at California State Polytechnic (in San Luis Obispo) for a lecture on "AI" (yes, that provides considerable leeway). Unfortunately, San Luis is a little out of the way for most of us, being halfway between SF and LA (a four hour drive from either place). However, if there are any ("qualified") folks out there who might be interested in making a presentation, please let me know. Thanks... P.S. There is no expiration date on this opportunity, but the presentation should be given during the school year. ------------------------------ Date: Fri 29 Mar 85 09:18:40-PST From: Ken Laws <Laws@SRI-AI.ARPA> Subject: MacIntosh Lisp I have heard a rumor that Expertelligence of Santa Barbara has now come out with their version of a Maclisp/Commonlisp for the 512K MacIntosh, priced just below $500. I haven't checked it out, but (805) 969-7871 was given as the phone number for more information. -- Ken Laws ------------------------------ Date: 29 Mar 1985 0555-PST From: MEYERS%UCI-20A@UCI-ICSA Subject: game of GO In response to a query about Go programs: Wilcox, Bruce and Walter Reitman The Structure and Performance of the Interim.2 Go Program. IJCAI, 1979. pp.711-719. Address: University of Michigan 205 Washtenaw Place Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 Unfortunately, this is the most recent work I know of; it references most other work. Theirs is a long-term, conceptual approach. Also: David J H Brown Hierarchical Reasoning in the Game of Go. IJCAI, 1979. pp.114-116. Address: Computer Science Department Teesside Polytechnic Middlesborough, Cleveland, England Good luck! Amnon Meyers (meyers @ uci) (2-dan) ------------------------------ Date: 29 Mar 1985 09:52-EST From: leff%smu.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa Subject: Recent Articles - Expert System Shells Infoworld April 1, 1985 page 46 Volume 7 no 13 There is a review of a revised version of "Expert Ease." This is a system which sets up a classification system based upon examples given by the user. Many feel that it is not a true "AI" system but rather a decision table development tool that is being marketed by people as an AI system for the purposes of making a fast buck. It is has dropped in price from $2,000 to $695.00 and is being marketed by Human Edge Software. The ratings are: two out of a possible four diskettes performance: good documentation: fair ease of use: good error handling: excellent support: good ____________________________________________________________________________ Electronics Week, March 25, 1985 page 35 NIXDORF has announced an expert system shell which runs on its 32-bit minicomputer, the 8832. The cost is $47,00 at current exchange rates. Nixdorf is also selling a system called Twaice which is designed to build expert systems to help diagnose malfunctioning objects. There is also a joint venture between the British Racal Electroinics and Norway's Norsk data selling an expert system shell. Matra S. A. is selling an AI system for military training. Also there are a few paragraphs on GCLisp's Golden Common Lisp. ------------------------------ Date: 28 Mar 1985 18:10-EST From: leff%smu.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa Subject: Recent Articles - Survey ComputerWorld March 18, 1985 "Engineers behind Expert Systems" A reprint from Patel Harmon, Dave King "AI in business" ____________________________________________________________________________ JACM Vol 32 no 1 Jan 1985 1 Three Approaches to Heuristic Search in Networks A. Bagchi and A. Mahanti 28 And/Or Graph Heuristic Search methods ____________________________________________________________________________ IEEE Trans on Industrial Electronics Vol 32 No 1 Feb 85 Design and Implementation of a Binocular-Vision System for Locating Footholds on a Multi-Legged Walking Robot F. Ozguner S. J. Tsai Page 26 ____________________________________________________________________________ ComputerWorld March 25 1985 Page 11 Usefulness of micro expert systems called limited ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Mar 85 18:40 CDT From: Patrick_Duff <pduff%ti-eg.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa> Subject: Development of Nat. Langs., Pidgin, Creole, Lang. Trans/Unders/Gener. I have a newspaper clipping which quotes Dr. Laurence McNamee, a linquistics professor at East Texas State University, as follows: "Theories on the origin of language became so rife and so romantic that in 1886 the Linguistic Society of Paris passed a resolution outlawing any more theories on this topic, a resolution that has since been reaffirmed. "The truth is that scholars simply do not know how languages developed because they have never observed one develop. We have seen many languages die, and recently even witnessed the rebirth of a language (Hebrew), but never a language from its initial stage." Can anyone elaborate on the resolutions and why the issue came up? Derek Bickerton writes in "Creole Languages" (Scientific American, July 1983, pages 116-122) that new languages have developed... "... many times over the past 500 years among the children of slaves and laborers who were pressed into service by the European colonial powers. "These laborers, who were shipped from many parts of the world to tend and harvest crops in Africa, the Indian Ocean region, the Orient, the Caribbean and Hawaii, were obliged to communicate within their polygot community by means of the rudimentary speech system called pidgin. Pidgin speech is extremely impoverished in syntax and vocabulary, but for the children born into the colonial community it was the only common language available. From these modest beginnings, new native languages evolved among the children, which are generically called creole languages. It can be shown that they exhibit the complexity, nuance and expressive power universally found in the more established languages of the world." "... scholars have noted a remarkable similarity of structure among all the creole languages. It can now be demonstrated, by considering the origin of creole language in Hawaii, that similarities among creoles cannot be accounted for by contact with other languages, either indigenous or imported. The finding suggests that what is common to creole languages may indeed form the basis of the acquisition of language by children everywhere. There is now an impressive body of evidence to support this hypothesis: between the ages of two and four the child born into a community of linguistically competent adults speaks a variety of language whose structure bears a deep resemblance to the structure of creole languages...." Besides recommending that interested parties read this Scientific American article, I'm curious about whether it would be useful to use a creole language as an intermediate language for translation, what "pidgin speech" with its "impoverished syntax and vocabulary" could tell us about how to design command languages for computer systems, whether the current state-of-the-art in natural language parsers and generators are up to the task of using pidgin or creole, etc.. After looking at some of the sample sentences in the article, it seems to me that it would be easier for a computer program to generate or understand a sentence in Pidgin or Hawaiian Creole than it would be for it to handle the English equivalent. regards, Patrick Patrick S. Duff, ***CR 5621*** pduff.ti-eg@csnet-relay 5049 Walker Dr. #91103 214/480-1905 (work) The Colony, TX 75056-1120 214/370-5363 (home) (a suburb of Dallas, TX) ------------------------------ Date: Friday, 29-Mar-85 17:06:35-GMT From: GIDEON FH (on ERCC DEC-10) <G.Sahar%edxa@ucl-cs.arpa> Subject: Edinburgh Intelligent Knowledge Based Designer System UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH DEPARTMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Alvey Large Scale Demonstrator Project "Design to Product" at the University of Edinburgh: The Alvey Directorate have awarded a major contract to a consortium of companies and universities: GEC Electrical Projects, GEC Marconi Research Centre, GEC Avionics, Lucas CAV, the National Engineering Laboratory and Edinburgh, Leeds and Loughborough Universities. The part of the project to be carried out at Edinburgh will involve the development of a novel Intelligent Knowledge Based Designer System. This Designer System will enable a design engineer to communicate interactively the conceptual function and form of a design, and to interface the resulting product description to a manufacturing capability. It will be implemented in POP-11, Prolog and Lisp, running in the Poplog environment, under the UNIX operating system. Further information is also to be had from tims%edxa@ucl-cs.arpa. If you are interested and have questions, don't hesitate to ask them. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Mar 85 18:03:46 cst From: porter@anl-mcs (Porter) Subject: Workshop on Expert Systems Workshop on Knowledge Engineering/Expert Systems The twenty-fourth annual workshop sponsored by the Western Committee of the IEEE Computer Society will be held September 4- 6, 1985 at the UCLA Conference Center at Lake Arrowhead. The subject of the workshop is: "Knowledge Engineering: How?" Sessions are planned on knowledge acquisition, knowledge representation, inferencing strategies, and programming environments. Topics of discussion include the following: Are there domain- specific approaches to knowledge acquisition? How can an expert system tell when it is in an area outside of its competence? What is the best way to choose inference strategies? How much can expert system builders help? How important are user models? How does one deal with the uniqueness of an expert's knowledge? How do questions of acquisition relate to representation and inference strategies? Due to the limited facilities, attendence will be by invitation. People working in the knowledge engineering and expert systems area are encouraged to contact the program chairperson, Greg Kearsley, Courseware, Inc., 10075 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, Ca 92131, (619) 578-1700 or the general chairperson, Sig Porter, Merdan Group, Inc. 4617 Ruffner Street, Box 17098, San Diego, CA 92117 (619-571-8565). (note: Greg will be out of communication until about April 20, and Sig will also be unreachable until April 8.) ------------------------------ End of AIList Digest ********************