id
stringlengths
9
16
title
stringlengths
4
278
categories
stringlengths
5
104
abstract
stringlengths
6
4.09k
cs/0306125
Predicting Response-Function Results of Electrical/Mechanical Systems Through Artificial Neural Network
cs.NE
In the present paper a newer application of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) has been developed i.e., predicting response-function results of electrical-mechanical system through ANN. This method is specially useful to complex systems for which it is not possible to find the response-function because of complexity of the system. The proposed approach suggests that how even without knowing the response-function, the response-function results can be predicted with the use of ANN to the system. The steps used are: (i) Depending on the system, the ANN-architecture and the input & output parameters are decided, (ii) Training & test data are generated from simplified circuits and through tactic-superposition of it for complex circuits, (iii) Training the ANN with training data through many cycles and (iv) Test-data are used for predicting the response-function results. It is found that the proposed novel method for response prediction works satisfactorily. Thus this method could be used specially for complex systems where other methods are unable to tackle it. In this paper the application of ANN is particularly demonstrated to electrical-circuit system but can be applied to other systems too.
cs/0306126
Bayesian Treatment of Incomplete Discrete Data applied to Mutual Information and Feature Selection
cs.LG cs.AI math.PR
Given the joint chances of a pair of random variables one can compute quantities of interest, like the mutual information. The Bayesian treatment of unknown chances involves computing, from a second order prior distribution and the data likelihood, a posterior distribution of the chances. A common treatment of incomplete data is to assume ignorability and determine the chances by the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. The two different methods above are well established but typically separated. This paper joins the two approaches in the case of Dirichlet priors, and derives efficient approximations for the mean, mode and the (co)variance of the chances and the mutual information. Furthermore, we prove the unimodality of the posterior distribution, whence the important property of convergence of EM to the global maximum in the chosen framework. These results are applied to the problem of selecting features for incremental learning and naive Bayes classification. A fast filter based on the distribution of mutual information is shown to outperform the traditional filter based on empirical mutual information on a number of incomplete real data sets.
cs/0306130
Anusaaraka: Machine Translation in Stages
cs.CL cs.AI
Fully-automatic general-purpose high-quality machine translation systems (FGH-MT) are extremely difficult to build. In fact, there is no system in the world for any pair of languages which qualifies to be called FGH-MT. The reasons are not far to seek. Translation is a creative process which involves interpretation of the given text by the translator. Translation would also vary depending on the audience and the purpose for which it is meant. This would explain the difficulty of building a machine translation system. Since, the machine is not capable of interpreting a general text with sufficient accuracy automatically at present - let alone re-expressing it for a given audience, it fails to perform as FGH-MT. FOOTNOTE{The major difficulty that the machine faces in interpreting a given text is the lack of general world knowledge or common sense knowledge.}
cs/0306135
Pruning Isomorphic Structural Sub-problems in Configuration
cs.AI
Configuring consists in simulating the realization of a complex product from a catalog of component parts, using known relations between types, and picking values for object attributes. This highly combinatorial problem in the field of constraint programming has been addressed with a variety of approaches since the foundation system R1(McDermott82). An inherent difficulty in solving configuration problems is the existence of many isomorphisms among interpretations. We describe a formalism independent approach to improve the detection of isomorphisms by configurators, which does not require to adapt the problem model. To achieve this, we exploit the properties of a characteristic subset of configuration problems, called the structural sub-problem, which canonical solutions can be produced or tested at a limited cost. In this paper we present an algorithm for testing the canonicity of configurations, that can be added as a symmetry breaking constraint to any configurator. The cost and efficiency of this canonicity test are given.
cs/0307001
Serving Database Information Using a Flexible Server in a Three Tier Architecture
cs.DC cs.DB
The D0 experiment at Fermilab relies on a central Oracle database for storing all detector calibration information. Access to this data is needed by hundreds of physics applications distributed worldwide. In order to meet the demands of these applications from scarce resources, we have created a distributed system that isolates the user applications from the database facilities. This system, known as the Database Application Network (DAN) operates as the middle tier in a three tier architecture. A DAN server employs a hierarchical caching scheme and database connection management facility that limits access to the database resource. The modular design allows for caching strategies and database access components to be determined by runtime configuration. To solve scalability problems, a proxy database component allows for DAN servers to be arranged in a hierarchy. Also included is an event based monitoring system that is currently being used to collect statistics for performance analysis and problem diagnosis. DAN servers are currently implemented as a Python multithreaded program using CORBA for network communications and interface specification. The requirement details, design, and implementation of DAN are discussed along with operational experience and future plans.
cs/0307002
AWESOME: A General Multiagent Learning Algorithm that Converges in Self-Play and Learns a Best Response Against Stationary Opponents
cs.GT cs.LG cs.MA
A satisfactory multiagent learning algorithm should, {\em at a minimum}, learn to play optimally against stationary opponents and converge to a Nash equilibrium in self-play. The algorithm that has come closest, WoLF-IGA, has been proven to have these two properties in 2-player 2-action repeated games--assuming that the opponent's (mixed) strategy is observable. In this paper we present AWESOME, the first algorithm that is guaranteed to have these two properties in {\em all} repeated (finite) games. It requires only that the other players' actual actions (not their strategies) can be observed at each step. It also learns to play optimally against opponents that {\em eventually become} stationary. The basic idea behind AWESOME ({\em Adapt When Everybody is Stationary, Otherwise Move to Equilibrium}) is to try to adapt to the others' strategies when they appear stationary, but otherwise to retreat to a precomputed equilibrium strategy. The techniques used to prove the properties of AWESOME are fundamentally different from those used for previous algorithms, and may help in analyzing other multiagent learning algorithms also.
cs/0307003
How many candidates are needed to make elections hard to manipulate?
cs.GT cs.CC cs.MA
In multiagent settings where the agents have different preferences, preference aggregation is a central issue. Voting is a general method for preference aggregation, but seminal results have shown that all general voting protocols are manipulable. One could try to avoid manipulation by using voting protocols where determining a beneficial manipulation is hard computationally. The complexity of manipulating realistic elections where the number of candidates is a small constant was recently studied (Conitzer 2002), but the emphasis was on the question of whether or not a protocol becomes hard to manipulate for some constant number of candidates. That work, in many cases, left open the question: How many candidates are needed to make elections hard to manipulate? This is a crucial question when comparing the relative manipulability of different voting protocols. In this paper we answer that question for the voting protocols of the earlier study: plurality, Borda, STV, Copeland, maximin, regular cup, and randomized cup. We also answer that question for two voting protocols for which no results on the complexity of manipulation have been derived before: veto and plurality with runoff. It turns out that the voting protocols under study become hard to manipulate at 3 candidates, 4 candidates, 7 candidates, or never.
cs/0307004
State complexes for metamorphic robots
cs.RO cs.CG
A metamorphic robotic system is an aggregate of homogeneous robot units which can individually and selectively locomote in such a way as to change the global shape of the system. We introduce a mathematical framework for defining and analyzing general metamorphic robots. This formal structure, combined with ideas from geometric group theory, leads to a natural extension of a configuration space for metamorphic robots -- the state complex -- which is especially adapted to parallelization. We present an algorithm for optimizing reconfiguration sequences with respect to elapsed time. A universal geometric property of state complexes -- non-positive curvature -- is the key to proving convergence to the globally time-optimal solution.
cs/0307006
BL-WoLF: A Framework For Loss-Bounded Learnability In Zero-Sum Games
cs.GT cs.LG cs.MA
We present BL-WoLF, a framework for learnability in repeated zero-sum games where the cost of learning is measured by the losses the learning agent accrues (rather than the number of rounds). The game is adversarially chosen from some family that the learner knows. The opponent knows the game and the learner's learning strategy. The learner tries to either not accrue losses, or to quickly learn about the game so as to avoid future losses (this is consistent with the Win or Learn Fast (WoLF) principle; BL stands for ``bounded loss''). Our framework allows for both probabilistic and approximate learning. The resultant notion of {\em BL-WoLF}-learnability can be applied to any class of games, and allows us to measure the inherent disadvantage to a player that does not know which game in the class it is in. We present {\em guaranteed BL-WoLF-learnability} results for families of games with deterministic payoffs and families of games with stochastic payoffs. We demonstrate that these families are {\em guaranteed approximately BL-WoLF-learnable} with lower cost. We then demonstrate families of games (both stochastic and deterministic) that are not guaranteed BL-WoLF-learnable. We show that those families, nevertheless, are {\em BL-WoLF-learnable}. To prove these results, we use a key lemma which we derive.
cs/0307010
Probabilistic Reasoning as Information Compression by Multiple Alignment, Unification and Search: An Introduction and Overview
cs.AI
This article introduces the idea that probabilistic reasoning (PR) may be understood as "information compression by multiple alignment, unification and search" (ICMAUS). In this context, multiple alignment has a meaning which is similar to but distinct from its meaning in bio-informatics, while unification means a simple merging of matching patterns, a meaning which is related to but simpler than the meaning of that term in logic. A software model, SP61, has been developed for the discovery and formation of 'good' multiple alignments, evaluated in terms of information compression. The model is described in outline. Using examples from the SP61 model, this article describes in outline how the ICMAUS framework can model various kinds of PR including: PR in best-match pattern recognition and information retrieval; one-step 'deductive' and 'abductive' PR; inheritance of attributes in a class hierarchy; chains of reasoning (probabilistic decision networks and decision trees, and PR with 'rules'); geometric analogy problems; nonmonotonic reasoning and reasoning with default values; modelling the function of a Bayesian network.
cs/0307011
Supporting Out-of-turn Interactions in a Multimodal Web Interface
cs.IR cs.HC
Multimodal interfaces are becoming increasingly important with the advent of mobile devices, accessibility considerations, and novel software technologies that combine diverse interaction media. This article investigates systems support for web browsing in a multimodal interface. Specifically, we outline the design and implementation of a software framework that integrates hyperlink and speech modes of interaction. Instead of viewing speech as merely an alternative interaction medium, the framework uses it to support out-of-turn interaction, providing a flexibility of information access not possible with hyperlinks alone. This approach enables the creation of websites that adapt to the needs of users, yet permits the designer fine-grained control over what interactions to support. Design methodology, implementation details, and two case studies are presented.
cs/0307013
'Computing' as Information Compression by Multiple Alignment, Unification and Search
cs.AI cs.CC
This paper argues that the operations of a 'Universal Turing Machine' (UTM) and equivalent mechanisms such as the 'Post Canonical System' (PCS) - which are widely accepted as definitions of the concept of `computing' - may be interpreted as *information compression by multiple alignment, unification and search* (ICMAUS). The motivation for this interpretation is that it suggests ways in which the UTM/PCS model may be augmented in a proposed new computing system designed to exploit the ICMAUS principles as fully as possible. The provision of a relatively sophisticated search mechanism in the proposed 'SP' system appears to open the door to the integration and simplification of a range of functions including unsupervised inductive learning, best-match pattern recognition and information retrieval, probabilistic reasoning, planning and problem solving, and others. Detailed consideration of how the ICMAUS principles may be applied to these functions is outside the scope of this article but relevant sources are cited in this article.
cs/0307014
Syntax, Parsing and Production of Natural Language in a Framework of Information Compression by Multiple Alignment, Unification and Search
cs.AI cs.CL
This article introduces the idea that "information compression by multiple alignment, unification and search" (ICMAUS) provides a framework within which natural language syntax may be represented in a simple format and the parsing and production of natural language may be performed in a transparent manner. The ICMAUS concepts are embodied in a software model, SP61. The organisation and operation of the model are described and a simple example is presented showing how the model can achieve parsing of natural language. Notwithstanding the apparent paradox of 'decompression by compression', the ICMAUS framework, without any modification, can produce a sentence by decoding a compressed code for the sentence. This is illustrated with output from the SP61 model. The article includes four other examples - one of the parsing of a sentence in French and three from the domain of English auxiliary verbs. These examples show how the ICMAUS framework and the SP61 model can accommodate 'context sensitive' features of syntax in a relatively simple and direct manner.
cs/0307015
Architecture of an Open-Sourced, Extensible Data Warehouse Builder: InterBase 6 Data Warehouse Builder (IB-DWB)
cs.DB
We report the development of an open-sourced data warehouse builder, InterBase Data Warehouse Builder (IB-DWB), based on Borland InterBase 6 Open Edition Database Server. InterBase 6 is used for its low maintenance and small footprint. IB-DWB is designed modularly and consists of 5 main components, Data Plug Platform, Discoverer Platform, Multi-Dimensional Cube Builder, and Query Supporter, bounded together by a Kernel. It is also an extensible system, made possible by the Data Plug Platform and the Discoverer Platform. Currently, extensions are only possible via dynamic linked-libraries (DLLs). Multi-Dimensional Cube Builder represents a basal mean of data aggregation. The architectural philosophy of IB-DWB centers around providing a base platform that is extensible, which is functionally supported by expansion modules. IB-DWB is currently being hosted by sourceforge.net (Project Unix Name: ib-dwb), licensed under GNU General Public License, Version 2.
cs/0307016
Complexity of Determining Nonemptiness of the Core
cs.GT cs.CC cs.MA
Coalition formation is a key problem in automated negotiation among self-interested agents, and other multiagent applications. A coalition of agents can sometimes accomplish things that the individual agents cannot, or can do things more efficiently. However, motivating the agents to abide to a solution requires careful analysis: only some of the solutions are stable in the sense that no group of agents is motivated to break off and form a new coalition. This constraint has been studied extensively in cooperative game theory. However, the computational questions around this constraint have received less attention. When it comes to coalition formation among software agents (that represent real-world parties), these questions become increasingly explicit. In this paper we define a concise general representation for games in characteristic form that relies on superadditivity, and show that it allows for efficient checking of whether a given outcome is in the core. We then show that determining whether the core is nonempty is $\mathcal{NP}$-complete both with and without transferable utility. We demonstrate that what makes the problem hard in both cases is determining the collaborative possibilities (the set of outcomes possible for the grand coalition), by showing that if these are given, the problem becomes tractable in both cases. However, we then demonstrate that for a hybrid version of the problem, where utility transfer is possible only within the grand coalition, the problem remains $\mathcal{NP}$-complete even when the collaborative possibilities are given.
cs/0307017
Definition and Complexity of Some Basic Metareasoning Problems
cs.AI cs.CC
In most real-world settings, due to limited time or other resources, an agent cannot perform all potentially useful deliberation and information gathering actions. This leads to the metareasoning problem of selecting such actions. Decision-theoretic methods for metareasoning have been studied in AI, but there are few theoretical results on the complexity of metareasoning. We derive hardness results for three settings which most real metareasoning systems would have to encompass as special cases. In the first, the agent has to decide how to allocate its deliberation time across anytime algorithms running on different problem instances. We show this to be $\mathcal{NP}$-complete. In the second, the agent has to (dynamically) allocate its deliberation or information gathering resources across multiple actions that it has to choose among. We show this to be $\mathcal{NP}$-hard even when evaluating each individual action is extremely simple. In the third, the agent has to (dynamically) choose a limited number of deliberation or information gathering actions to disambiguate the state of the world. We show that this is $\mathcal{NP}$-hard under a natural restriction, and $\mathcal{PSPACE}$-hard in general.
cs/0307018
Universal Voting Protocol Tweaks to Make Manipulation Hard
cs.GT cs.CC cs.MA
Voting is a general method for preference aggregation in multiagent settings, but seminal results have shown that all (nondictatorial) voting protocols are manipulable. One could try to avoid manipulation by using voting protocols where determining a beneficial manipulation is hard computationally. A number of recent papers study the complexity of manipulating existing protocols. This paper is the first work to take the next step of designing new protocols that are especially hard to manipulate. Rather than designing these new protocols from scratch, we instead show how to tweak existing protocols to make manipulation hard, while leaving much of the original nature of the protocol intact. The tweak studied consists of adding one elimination preround to the election. Surprisingly, this extremely simple and universal tweak makes typical protocols hard to manipulate! The protocols become NP-hard, #P-hard, or PSPACE-hard to manipulate, depending on whether the schedule of the preround is determined before the votes are collected, after the votes are collected, or the scheduling and the vote collecting are interleaved, respectively. We prove general sufficient conditions on the protocols for this tweak to introduce the hardness, and show that the most common voting protocols satisfy those conditions. These are the first results in voting settings where manipulation is in a higher complexity class than NP (presuming PSPACE $\neq$ NP).
cs/0307025
Information Compression by Multiple Alignment, Unification and Search as a Unifying Principle in Computing and Cognition
cs.AI
This article presents an overview of the idea that "information compression by multiple alignment, unification and search" (ICMAUS) may serve as a unifying principle in computing (including mathematics and logic) and in such aspects of human cognition as the analysis and production of natural language, fuzzy pattern recognition and best-match information retrieval, concept hierarchies with inheritance of attributes, probabilistic reasoning, and unsupervised inductive learning. The ICMAUS concepts are described together with an outline of the SP61 software model in which the ICMAUS concepts are currently realised. A range of examples is presented, illustrated with output from the SP61 model.
cs/0307028
Issues in Communication Game
cs.CL
As interaction between autonomous agents, communication can be analyzed in game-theoretic terms. Meaning game is proposed to formalize the core of intended communication in which the sender sends a message and the receiver attempts to infer its meaning intended by the sender. Basic issues involved in the game of natural language communication are discussed, such as salience, grammaticality, common sense, and common belief, together with some demonstration of the feasibility of game-theoretic account of language.
cs/0307030
Parsing and Generation with Tabulation and Compilation
cs.CL
The standard tabulation techniques for logic programming presuppose fixed order of computation. Some data-driven control should be introduced in order to deal with diverse contexts. The present paper describes a data-driven method of constraint transformation with a sort of compilation which subsumes accessibility check and last-call optimization, which characterize standard natural-language parsing techniques, semantic-head-driven generation, etc.
cs/0307031
Automatic Classification using Self-Organising Neural Networks in Astrophysical Experiments
cs.NE astro-ph cs.AI
Self-Organising Maps (SOMs) are effective tools in classification problems, and in recent years the even more powerful Dynamic Growing Neural Networks, a variant of SOMs, have been developed. Automatic Classification (also called clustering) is an important and difficult problem in many Astrophysical experiments, for instance, Gamma Ray Burst classification, or gamma-hadron separation. After a brief introduction to classification problem, we discuss Self-Organising Maps in section 2. Section 3 discusses with various models of growing neural networks and finally in section 4 we discuss the research perspectives in growing neural networks for efficient classification in astrophysical problems.
cs/0307032
Data Management and Mining in Astrophysical Databases
cs.DB astro-ph physics.data-an
We analyse the issues involved in the management and mining of astrophysical data. The traditional approach to data management in the astrophysical field is not able to keep up with the increasing size of the data gathered by modern detectors. An essential role in the astrophysical research will be assumed by automatic tools for information extraction from large datasets, i.e. data mining techniques, such as clustering and classification algorithms. This asks for an approach to data management based on data warehousing, emphasizing the efficiency and simplicity of data access; efficiency is obtained using multidimensional access methods and simplicity is achieved by properly handling metadata. Clustering and classification techniques, on large datasets, pose additional requirements: computational and memory scalability with respect to the data size, interpretability and objectivity of clustering or classification results. In this study we address some possible solutions.
cs/0307037
Supporting Dynamic Ad hoc Collaboration Capabilities
cs.OH cs.AI
Modern HENP experiments such as CMS and Atlas involve as many as 2000 collaborators around the world. Collaborations this large will be unable to meet often enough to support working closely together. Many of the tools currently available for collaboration focus on heavy-weight applications such as videoconferencing tools. While these are important, there is a more basic need for tools that support connecting physicists to work together on an ad hoc or continuous basis. Tools that support the day-to-day connectivity and underlying needs of a group of collaborators are important for providing light-weight, non-intrusive, and flexible ways to work collaboratively. Some example tools include messaging, file-sharing, and shared plot viewers. An important component of the environment is a scalable underlying communication framework. In this paper we will describe our current progress on building a dynamic and ad hoc collaboration environment and our vision for its evolution into a HENP collaboration environment.
cs/0307038
Manifold Learning with Geodesic Minimal Spanning Trees
cs.CV cs.LG
In the manifold learning problem one seeks to discover a smooth low dimensional surface, i.e., a manifold embedded in a higher dimensional linear vector space, based on a set of measured sample points on the surface. In this paper we consider the closely related problem of estimating the manifold's intrinsic dimension and the intrinsic entropy of the sample points. Specifically, we view the sample points as realizations of an unknown multivariate density supported on an unknown smooth manifold. We present a novel geometrical probability approach, called the geodesic-minimal-spanning-tree (GMST), to obtaining asymptotically consistent estimates of the manifold dimension and the R\'{e}nyi $\alpha$-entropy of the sample density on the manifold. The GMST approach is striking in its simplicity and does not require reconstructing the manifold or estimating the multivariate density of the samples. The GMST method simply constructs a minimal spanning tree (MST) sequence using a geodesic edge matrix and uses the overall lengths of the MSTs to simultaneously estimate manifold dimension and entropy. We illustrate the GMST approach for dimension and entropy estimation of a human face dataset.
cs/0307039
Modeling Business
cs.CE
Business concepts are studied using a metamodel-based approach, using UML 2.0. The Notation Independent Business concepts metamodel is introduced. The approach offers a mapping between different business modeling notations which could be used for bridging BM tools and boosting the MDA approach.
cs/0307040
Bridging the gap between modal temporal logics and constraint-based QSR as an ALC(D) spatio-temporalisation with weakly cyclic TBoxes
cs.AI cs.LO
The aim of this work is to provide a family of qualitative theories for spatial change in general, and for motion of spatial scenes in particular. To achieve this, we consider a spatio-temporalisation MTALC(D_x), of the well-known ALC(D) family of Description Logics (DLs) with a concrete domainan. In particular, the concrete domain D_x is generated by a qualitative spatial Relation Algebra (RA) x. We show the important result that satisfiability of an MTALC(D_x) concept with respect to a weakly cyclic TBox is decidable in nondeterministic exponential time, by reducing it to the emptiness problem of a weak alternating automaton augmented with spatial constraints, which we show to remain decidable, although the accepting condition of a run involves, additionally to the standard case, consistency of a CSP (Constraint Satisfaction Problem) potentially infinite. The result provides an effective tableaux-like satisfiability procedure which is discussed.
cs/0307044
The Linguistic DS: Linguisitic Description in MPEG-7
cs.CL
MPEG-7 (Moving Picture Experts Group Phase 7) is an XML-based international standard on semantic description of multimedia content. This document discusses the Linguistic DS and related tools. The linguistic DS is a tool, based on the GDA tag set (http://i-content.org/GDA/tagset.html), for semantic annotation of linguistic data in or associated with multimedia content. The current document text reflects `Study of FPDAM - MPEG-7 MDS Extensions' issued in March 2003, and not most part of MPEG-7 MDS, for which the readers are referred to the first version of MPEG-7 MDS document available from ISO (http://www.iso.org). Without that reference, however, this document should be mostly intelligible to those who are familiar with XML and linguistic theories. Comments are welcome and will be considered in the standardization process.
cs/0307045
Flexible Camera Calibration Using a New Analytical Radial Undistortion Formula with Application to Mobile Robot Localization
cs.CV
Most algorithms in 3D computer vision rely on the pinhole camera model because of its simplicity, whereas virtually all imaging devices introduce certain amount of nonlinear distortion, where the radial distortion is the most severe part. Common approach to radial distortion is by the means of polynomial approximation, which introduces distortion-specific parameters into the camera model and requires estimation of these distortion parameters. The task of estimating radial distortion is to find a radial distortion model that allows easy undistortion as well as satisfactory accuracy. This paper presents a new radial distortion model with an easy analytical undistortion formula, which also belongs to the polynomial approximation category. Experimental results are presented to show that with this radial distortion model, satisfactory accuracy is achieved. An application of the new radial distortion model is non-iterative yellow line alignment with a calibrated camera on ODIS, a robot built in our CSOIS.
cs/0307046
A New Analytical Radial Distortion Model for Camera Calibration
cs.CV
Common approach to radial distortion is by the means of polynomial approximation, which introduces distortion-specific parameters into the camera model and requires estimation of these distortion parameters. The task of estimating radial distortion is to find a radial distortion model that allows easy undistortion as well as satisfactory accuracy. This paper presents a new radial distortion model with an easy analytical undistortion formula, which also belongs to the polynomial approximation category. Experimental results are presented to show that with this radial distortion model, satisfactory accuracy is achieved.
cs/0307047
Rational Radial Distortion Models with Analytical Undistortion Formulae
cs.CV
The common approach to radial distortion is by the means of polynomial approximation, which introduces distortion-specific parameters into the camera model and requires estimation of these distortion parameters. The task of estimating radial distortion is to find a radial distortion model that allows easy undistortion as well as satisfactory accuracy. This paper presents a new class of rational radial distortion models with easy analytical undistortion formulae. Experimental results are presented to show that with this class of rational radial distortion models, satisfactory and comparable accuracy is achieved.
cs/0307048
Integrating cardinal direction relations and other orientation relations in Qualitative Spatial Reasoning
cs.AI
We propose a calculus integrating two calculi well-known in Qualitative Spatial Reasoning (QSR): Frank's projection-based cardinal direction calculus, and a coarser version of Freksa's relative orientation calculus. An original constraint propagation procedure is presented, which implements the interaction between the two integrated calculi. The importance of taking into account the interaction is shown with a real example providing an inconsistent knowledge base, whose inconsistency (a) cannot be detected by reasoning separately about each of the two components of the knowledge, just because, taken separately, each is consistent, but (b) is detected by the proposed algorithm, thanks to the interaction knowledge propagated from each of the two compnents to the other.
cs/0307050
A ternary Relation Algebra of directed lines
cs.AI
We define a ternary Relation Algebra (RA) of relative position relations on two-dimensional directed lines (d-lines for short). A d-line has two degrees of freedom (DFs): a rotational DF (RDF), and a translational DF (TDF). The representation of the RDF of a d-line will be handled by an RA of 2D orientations, CYC_t, known in the literature. A second algebra, TA_t, which will handle the TDF of a d-line, will be defined. The two algebras, CYC_t and TA_t, will constitute, respectively, the translational and the rotational components of the RA, PA_t, of relative position relations on d-lines: the PA_t atoms will consist of those pairs <t,r> of a TA_t atom and a CYC_t atom that are compatible. We present in detail the RA PA_t, with its converse table, its rotation table and its composition tables. We show that a (polynomial) constraint propagation algorithm, known in the literature, is complete for a subset of PA_t relations including almost all of the atomic relations. We will discuss the application scope of the RA, which includes incidence geometry, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), shape representation, localisation in (multi-)robot navigation, and the representation of motion prepositions in NLP (Natural Language Processing). We then compare the RA to existing ones, such as an algebra for reasoning about rectangles parallel to the axes of an (orthogonal) coordinate system, a ``spatial Odyssey'' of Allen's interval algebra, and an algebra for reasoning about 2D segments.
cs/0307051
An Analytical Piecewise Radial Distortion Model for Precision Camera Calibration
cs.CV
The common approach to radial distortion is by the means of polynomial approximation, which introduces distortion-specific parameters into the camera model and requires estimation of these distortion parameters. The task of estimating radial distortion is to find a radial distortion model that allows easy undistortion as well as satisfactory accuracy. This paper presents a new piecewise radial distortion model with easy analytical undistortion formula. The motivation for seeking a piecewise radial distortion model is that, when a camera is resulted in a low quality during manufacturing, the nonlinear radial distortion can be complex. Using low order polynomials to approximate the radial distortion might not be precise enough. On the other hand, higher order polynomials suffer from the inverse problem. With the new piecewise radial distortion function, more flexibility is obtained and the radial undistortion can be performed analytically. Experimental results are presented to show that with this new piecewise radial distortion model, better performance is achieved than that using the single function. Furthermore, a comparable performance with the conventional polynomial model using 2 coefficients can also be accomplished.
cs/0307053
Hamevol1.0: a C++ code for differential equations based on Runge-Kutta algorithm. An application to matter enhanced neutrino oscillation
cs.CE
We present a C++ implementation of a fifth order semi-implicit Runge-Kutta algorithm for solving Ordinary Differential Equations. This algorithm can be used for studying many different problems and in particular it can be applied for computing the evolution of any system whose Hamiltonian is known. We consider in particular the problem of calculating the neutrino oscillation probabilities in presence of matter interactions. The time performance and the accuracy of this implementation is competitive with respect to the other analytical and numerical techniques used in literature. The algorithm design and the salient features of the code are presented and discussed and some explicit examples of code application are given.
cs/0307054
Contributions to the Development and Improvement of a Regulatory and Pre-Regulatory Digitally System for the Tools within Flexible Fabrication Systems
cs.CE cs.SE
The paper reports the obtained results for the projection and realization of a digitally system aiming to assist the equipment for a regulatory and pre-regulatory tools and holding tools within the flexible fabrication systems (FFS). Moreover, based on the present results, the same methodology can be applied for assisting tools from the point of view of their integrity and to wear compensation in the FFS framework.
cs/0307055
Learning Analogies and Semantic Relations
cs.LG cs.CL cs.IR
We present an algorithm for learning from unlabeled text, based on the Vector Space Model (VSM) of information retrieval, that can solve verbal analogy questions of the kind found in the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). A verbal analogy has the form A:B::C:D, meaning "A is to B as C is to D"; for example, mason:stone::carpenter:wood. SAT analogy questions provide a word pair, A:B, and the problem is to select the most analogous word pair, C:D, from a set of five choices. The VSM algorithm correctly answers 47% of a collection of 374 college-level analogy questions (random guessing would yield 20% correct). We motivate this research by relating it to work in cognitive science and linguistics, and by applying it to a difficult problem in natural language processing, determining semantic relations in noun-modifier pairs. The problem is to classify a noun-modifier pair, such as "laser printer", according to the semantic relation between the noun (printer) and the modifier (laser). We use a supervised nearest-neighbour algorithm that assigns a class to a given noun-modifier pair by finding the most analogous noun-modifier pair in the training data. With 30 classes of semantic relations, on a collection of 600 labeled noun-modifier pairs, the learning algorithm attains an F value of 26.5% (random guessing: 3.3%). With 5 classes of semantic relations, the F value is 43.2% (random: 20%). The performance is state-of-the-art for these challenging problems.
cs/0307056
From Statistical Knowledge Bases to Degrees of Belief
cs.AI
An intelligent agent will often be uncertain about various properties of its environment, and when acting in that environment it will frequently need to quantify its uncertainty. For example, if the agent wishes to employ the expected-utility paradigm of decision theory to guide its actions, it will need to assign degrees of belief (subjective probabilities) to various assertions. Of course, these degrees of belief should not be arbitrary, but rather should be based on the information available to the agent. This paper describes one approach for inducing degrees of belief from very rich knowledge bases, that can include information about particular individuals, statistical correlations, physical laws, and default rules. We call our approach the random-worlds method. The method is based on the principle of indifference: it treats all of the worlds the agent considers possible as being equally likely. It is able to integrate qualitative default reasoning with quantitative probabilistic reasoning by providing a language in which both types of information can be easily expressed. Our results show that a number of desiderata that arise in direct inference (reasoning from statistical information to conclusions about individuals) and default reasoning follow directly {from} the semantics of random worlds. For example, random worlds captures important patterns of reasoning such as specificity, inheritance, indifference to irrelevant information, and default assumptions of independence. Furthermore, the expressive power of the language used and the intuitive semantics of random worlds allow the method to deal with problems that are beyond the scope of many other non-deductive reasoning systems.
cs/0307060
Neural realisation of the SP theory: cell assemblies revisited
cs.AI cs.NE
This paper describes how the elements of the SP theory (Wolff, 2003a) may be realised with neural structures and processes. To the extent that this is successful, the insights that have been achieved in the SP theory - the integration and simplification of a range of phenomena in perception and cognition - may be incorporated in a neural view of brain function. These proposals may be seen as a development of Hebb's (1949) concept of a 'cell assembly'. By contrast with that concept and variants of it, the version described in this paper proposes that any one neuron can belong in one assembly and only one assembly. A distinctive feature of the present proposals is that any neuron or cluster of neurons within a cell assembly may serve as a proxy or reference for another cell assembly or class of cell assemblies. This device provides solutions to many of the problems associated with cell assemblies, it allows information to be stored in a compressed form, and it provides a robust mechanism by which assemblies may be connected to form hierarchies, grammars and other kinds of knowledge structure. Drawing on insights derived from the SP theory, the paper also describes how unsupervised learning may be achieved with neural structures and processes. This theory of learning overcomes weaknesses in the Hebbian concept of learning and it is, at the same time, compatible with the observations that Hebb's theory was designed to explain.
cs/0307061
Boundary knot method for Laplace and biharmonic problems
cs.CE cs.MS
The boundary knot method (BKM) [1] is a meshless boundary-type radial basis function (RBF) collocation scheme, where the nonsingular general solution is used instead of fundamental solution to evaluate the homogeneous solution, while the dual reciprocity method (DRM) is employed to approximation of particular solution. Despite the fact that there are not nonsingular RBF general solutions available for Laplace and biharmonic problems, this study shows that the method can be successfully applied to these problems. The high-order general and fundamental solutions of Burger and Winkler equations are also first presented here.
cs/0307063
An Alternative to RDF-Based Languages for the Representation and Processing of Ontologies in the Semantic Web
cs.AI
This paper describes an approach to the representation and processing of ontologies in the Semantic Web, based on the ICMAUS theory of computation and AI. This approach has strengths that complement those of languages based on the Resource Description Framework (RDF) such as RDF Schema and DAML+OIL. The main benefits of the ICMAUS approach are simplicity and comprehensibility in the representation of ontologies, an ability to cope with errors and uncertainties in knowledge, and a versatile reasoning system with capabilities in the kinds of probabilistic reasoning that seem to be required in the Semantic Web.
cs/0307064
Implementing an Agent Trade Server
cs.CE
An experimental server for stock trading autonomous agents is presented and made available, together with an agent shell for swift development. The server, written in Java, was implemented as proof-of-concept for an agent trade server for a real financial exchange.
cs/0307068
Web Access to Cultural Heritage for the Disabled
cs.CY cs.HC cs.IR
Physical disabled access is something that most cultural institutions such as museums consider very seriously. Indeed, there are normally legal requirements to do so. However, online disabled access is still a relatively novel and developing field. Many cultural organizations have not yet considered the issues in depth and web developers are not necessarily experts either. The interface for websites is normally tested with major browsers, but not with specialist software like text to audio converters for the blind or against the relevant accessibility and validation standards. We consider the current state of the art in this area, especially with respect to aspects of particular importance to the access of cultural heritage.
cs/0307069
A logic for reasoning about upper probabilities
cs.AI cs.LO
We present a propositional logic %which can be used to reason about the uncertainty of events, where the uncertainty is modeled by a set of probability measures assigning an interval of probability to each event. We give a sound and complete axiomatization for the logic, and show that the satisfiability problem is NP-complete, no harder than satisfiability for propositional logic.
cs/0307070
Modeling Belief in Dynamic Systems, Part I: Foundations
cs.AI cs.LO
Belief change is a fundamental problem in AI: Agents constantly have to update their beliefs to accommodate new observations. In recent years, there has been much work on axiomatic characterizations of belief change. We claim that a better understanding of belief change can be gained from examining appropriate semantic models. In this paper we propose a general framework in which to model belief change. We begin by defining belief in terms of knowledge and plausibility: an agent believes p if he knows that p is more plausible than its negation. We then consider some properties defining the interaction between knowledge and plausibility, and show how these properties affect the properties of belief. In particular, we show that by assuming two of the most natural properties, belief becomes a KD45 operator. Finally, we add time to the picture. This gives us a framework in which we can talk about knowledge, plausibility (and hence belief), and time, which extends the framework of Halpern and Fagin for modeling knowledge in multi-agent systems. We then examine the problem of ``minimal change''. This notion can be captured by using prior plausibilities, an analogue to prior probabilities, which can be updated by ``conditioning''. We show by example that conditioning on a plausibility measure can capture many scenarios of interest. In a companion paper, we show how the two best-studied scenarios of belief change, belief revisionand belief update, fit into our framework.
cs/0307071
Modeling Belief in Dynamic Systems, Part II: Revisions and Update
cs.AI cs.LO
The study of belief change has been an active area in philosophy and AI. In recent years two special cases of belief change, belief revision and belief update, have been studied in detail. In a companion paper, we introduce a new framework to model belief change. This framework combines temporal and epistemic modalities with a notion of plausibility, allowing us to examine the change of beliefs over time. In this paper, we show how belief revision and belief update can be captured in our framework. This allows us to compare the assumptions made by each method, and to better understand the principles underlying them. In particular, it shows that Katsuno and Mendelzon's notion of belief update depends on several strong assumptions that may limit its applicability in artificial intelligence. Finally, our analysis allow us to identify a notion of minimal change that underlies a broad range of belief change operations including revision and update.
cs/0307072
Camera Calibration: a USU Implementation
cs.CV
The task of camera calibration is to estimate the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of a camera model. Though there are some restricted techniques to infer the 3-D information about the scene from uncalibrated cameras, effective camera calibration procedures will open up the possibility of using a wide range of existing algorithms for 3-D reconstruction and recognition. The applications of camera calibration include vision-based metrology, robust visual platooning and visual docking of mobile robots where the depth information is important.
cs/0307073
Search and Navigation in Relational Databases
cs.DB
We present a new application for keyword search within relational databases, which uses a novel algorithm to solve the join discovery problem by finding Memex-like trails through the graph of foreign key dependencies. It differs from previous efforts in the algorithms used, in the presentation mechanism and in the use of primary-key only database queries at query-time to maintain a fast response for users. We present examples using the DBLP data set.
cs/0308001
Two- versus three-dimensional connectivity testing of first-order queries to semi-algebraic sets
cs.LO cs.CG cs.DB
This paper addresses the question whether one can determine the connectivity of a semi-algebraic set in three dimensions by testing the connectivity of a finite number of two-dimensional ``samples'' of the set, where these samples are defined by first-order queries. The question is answered negatively for two classes of first-order queries: cartesian-product-free, and positive one-pass.
cs/0308002
Quantifying and Visualizing Attribute Interactions
cs.AI
Interactions are patterns between several attributes in data that cannot be inferred from any subset of these attributes. While mutual information is a well-established approach to evaluating the interactions between two attributes, we surveyed its generalizations as to quantify interactions between several attributes. We have chosen McGill's interaction information, which has been independently rediscovered a number of times under various names in various disciplines, because of its many intuitively appealing properties. We apply interaction information to visually present the most important interactions of the data. Visualization of interactions has provided insight into the structure of data on a number of domains, identifying redundant attributes and opportunities for constructing new features, discovering unexpected regularities in data, and have helped during construction of predictive models; we illustrate the methods on numerous examples. A machine learning method that disregards interactions may get caught in two traps: myopia is caused by learning algorithms assuming independence in spite of interactions, whereas fragmentation arises from assuming an interaction in spite of independence.
cs/0308003
A Family of Simplified Geometric Distortion Models for Camera Calibration
cs.CV
The commonly used radial distortion model for camera calibration is in fact an assumption or a restriction. In practice, camera distortion could happen in a general geometrical manner that is not limited to the radial sense. This paper proposes a simplified geometrical distortion modeling method by using two different radial distortion functions in the two image axes. A family of simplified geometric distortion models is proposed, which are either simple polynomials or the rational functions of polynomials. Analytical geometric undistortion is possible using two of the distortion functions discussed in this paper and their performance can be improved by applying a piecewise fitting idea. Our experimental results show that the geometrical distortion models always perform better than their radial distortion counterparts. Furthermore, the proposed geometric modeling method is more appropriate for cameras whose distortion is not perfectly radially symmetric around the center of distortion.
cs/0308004
DPG: A Cache-Efficient Accelerator for Sorting and for Join Operators
cs.DB cs.DS
We present a new algorithm for fast record retrieval, distribute-probe-gather, or DPG. DPG has important applications both in sorting and in joins. Current main memory sorting algorithms split their work into three phases: extraction of key-pointer pairs; sorting of the key-pointer pairs; and copying of the original records into the destination array according the sorted key-pointer pairs. The copying in the last phase dominates today's sorting time. Hence, the use of DPG in the third phase provides an accelerator for existing sorting algorithms. DPG also provides two new join methods for foreign key joins: DPG-move join and DPG-sort join. The resulting join methods with DPG are faster because DPG join is cache-efficient and at the same time DPG join avoids the need for sorting or for hashing. The ideas presented for foreign key join can also be extended to faster record pair retrieval for spatial and temporal databases.
cs/0308005
Disabled Access for Museum Websites
cs.CY cs.HC cs.IR
Physical disabled access is something that most museums consider very seriously. Indeed, there are normally legal requirements to do so. However, online disabled access is still a relatively novel field. Most museums have not yet considered the issues in depth. The Human-Computer Interface for their websites is normally tested with major browsers, but not with specialist browsers or against the relevant accessibility and validation standards. We consider the current state of the art in this area and mention an accessibility survey of some museum websites.
cs/0308008
A Grid Based Architecture for High-Performance NLP
cs.DC cs.CL
We describe the design and early implementation of an extensible, component-based software architecture for natural language engineering applications which interfaces with high performance distributed computing services. The architecture leverages existing linguistic resource description and discovery mechanisms based on metadata descriptions, combining these in a compatible fashion with other software definition abstractions. Within this architecture, application design is highly flexible, allowing disparate components to be combined to suit the overall application functionality, and formally described independently of processing concerns. An application specification language provides abstraction from the programming environment and allows ease of interface with high performance computational grids via a broker.
cs/0308009
The Generalized Riemann or Henstock Integral Underpinning Multivariate Data Analysis: Application to Faint Structure Finding in Price Processes
cs.CE cs.CV
Practical data analysis involves many implicit or explicit assumptions about the good behavior of the data, and excludes consideration of various potentially pathological or limit cases. In this work, we present a new general theory of data, and of data processing, to bypass some of these assumptions. The new framework presented is focused on integration, and has direct applicability to expectation, distance, correlation, and aggregation. In a case study, we seek to reveal faint structure in financial data. Our new foundation for data encoding and handling offers increased justification for our conclusions.
cs/0308013
A Robust and Computational Characterisation of Peer-to-Peer Database Systems
cs.DC cs.DB
In this paper we give a robust logical and computational characterisation of peer-to-peer database systems. We first define a pre- cise model-theoretic semantics of a peer-to-peer system, which allows for local inconsistency handling. We then characterise the general computa- tional properties for the problem of answering queries to such a peer-to- peer system. Finally, we devise tight complexity bounds and distributed procedures for the problem of answering queries in few relevant special cases.
cs/0308014
On the expressive power of semijoin queries
cs.DB cs.LO
The semijoin algebra is the variant of the relational algebra obtained by replacing the join operator by the semijoin operator. We provide an Ehrenfeucht-Fraiss\'{e} game, characterizing the discerning power of the semijoin algebra. This game gives a method for showing that queries are not expressible in the semijoin algebra.
cs/0308016
Collaborative Creation of Digital Content in Indian Languages
cs.CL
The world is passing through a major revolution called the information revolution, in which information and knowledge is becoming available to people in unprecedented amounts wherever and whenever they need it. Those societies which fail to take advantage of the new technology will be left behind, just like in the industrial revolution. The information revolution is based on two major technologies: computers and communication. These technologies have to be delivered in a COST EFFECTIVE manner, and in LANGUAGES accessible to people. One way to deliver them in cost effective manner is to make suitable technology choices, and to allow people to access through shared resources. This could be done throuch street corner shops (for computer usage, e-mail etc.), schools, community centres and local library centres.
cs/0308017
Information Revolution
cs.CL
The world is passing through a major revolution called the information revolution, in which information and knowledge is becoming available to people in unprecedented amounts wherever and whenever they need it. Those societies which fail to take advantage of the new technology will be left behind, just like in the industrial revolution. The information revolution is based on two major technologies: computers and communication. These technologies have to be delivered in a COST EFFECTIVE manner, and in LANGUAGES accessible to people. One way to deliver them in cost effective manner is to make suitable technology choices (discussed later), and to allow people to access through shared resources. This could be done throuch street corner shops (for computer usage, e-mail etc.), schools, community centers and local library centres.
cs/0308018
Anusaaraka: Overcoming the Language Barrier in India
cs.CL
The anusaaraka system makes text in one Indian language accessible in another Indian language. In the anusaaraka approach, the load is so divided between man and computer that the language load is taken by the machine, and the interpretation of the text is left to the man. The machine presents an image of the source text in a language close to the target language.In the image, some constructions of the source language (which do not have equivalents) spill over to the output. Some special notation is also devised. The user after some training learns to read and understand the output. Because the Indian languages are close, the learning time of the output language is short, and is expected to be around 2 weeks. The output can also be post-edited by a trained user to make it grammatically correct in the target language. Style can also be changed, if necessary. Thus, in this scenario, it can function as a human assisted translation system. Currently, anusaarakas are being built from Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali and Punjabi to Hindi. They can be built for all Indian languages in the near future. Everybody must pitch in to build such systems connecting all Indian languages, using the free software model.
cs/0308019
Language Access: An Information Based Approach
cs.CL
The anusaaraka system (a kind of machine translation system) makes text in one Indian language accessible through another Indian language. The machine presents an image of the source text in a language close to the target language. In the image, some constructions of the source language (which do not have equivalents in the target language) spill over to the output. Some special notation is also devised. Anusaarakas have been built from five pairs of languages: Telugu,Kannada, Marathi, Bengali and Punjabi to Hindi. They are available for use through Email servers. Anusaarkas follows the principle of substitutibility and reversibility of strings produced. This implies preservation of information while going from a source language to a target language. For narrow subject areas, specialized modules can be built by putting subject domain knowledge into the system, which produce good quality grammatical output. However, it should be remembered, that such modules will work only in narrow areas, and will sometimes go wrong. In such a situation, anusaaraka output will still remain useful.
cs/0308020
LERIL : Collaborative Effort for Creating Lexical Resources
cs.CL
The paper reports on efforts taken to create lexical resources pertaining to Indian languages, using the collaborative model. The lexical resources being developed are: (1) Transfer lexicon and grammar from English to several Indian languages. (2) Dependencey tree bank of annotated corpora for several Indian languages. The dependency trees are based on the Paninian model. (3) Bilingual dictionary of 'core meanings'.
cs/0308022
Extending Dublin Core Metadata to Support the Description and Discovery of Language Resources
cs.CL cs.DL
As language data and associated technologies proliferate and as the language resources community expands, it is becoming increasingly difficult to locate and reuse existing resources. Are there any lexical resources for such-and-such a language? What tool works with transcripts in this particular format? What is a good format to use for linguistic data of this type? Questions like these dominate many mailing lists, since web search engines are an unreliable way to find language resources. This paper reports on a new digital infrastructure for discovering language resources being developed by the Open Language Archives Community (OLAC). At the core of OLAC is its metadata format, which is designed to facilitate description and discovery of all kinds of language resources, including data, tools, or advice. The paper describes OLAC metadata, its relationship to Dublin Core metadata, and its dissemination using the metadata harvesting protocol of the Open Archives Initiative.
cs/0308023
On the complexity of curve fitting algorithms
cs.CC cs.CV
We study a popular algorithm for fitting polynomial curves to scattered data based on the least squares with gradient weights. We show that sometimes this algorithm admits a substantial reduction of complexity, and, furthermore, find precise conditions under which this is possible. It turns out that this is, indeed, possible when one fits circles but not ellipses or hyperbolas.
cs/0308025
Controlled hierarchical filtering: Model of neocortical sensory processing
cs.NE cs.AI cs.LG q-bio.NC
A model of sensory information processing is presented. The model assumes that learning of internal (hidden) generative models, which can predict the future and evaluate the precision of that prediction, is of central importance for information extraction. Furthermore, the model makes a bridge to goal-oriented systems and builds upon the structural similarity between the architecture of a robust controller and that of the hippocampal entorhinal loop. This generative control architecture is mapped to the neocortex and to the hippocampal entorhinal loop. Implicit memory phenomena; priming and prototype learning are emerging features of the model. Mathematical theorems ensure stability and attractive learning properties of the architecture. Connections to reinforcement learning are also established: both the control network, and the network with a hidden model converge to (near) optimal policy under suitable conditions. Falsifying predictions, including the role of the feedback connections between neocortical areas are made.
cs/0308028
Finding Traitors in Secure Networks Using Byzantine Agreements
cs.CR cs.DC cs.GT cs.MA
Secure networks rely upon players to maintain security and reliability. However not every player can be assumed to have total loyalty and one must use methods to uncover traitors in such networks. We use the original concept of the Byzantine Generals Problem by Lamport, and the more formal Byzantine Agreement describe by Linial, to nd traitors in secure networks. By applying general fault-tolerance methods to develop a more formal design of secure networks we are able to uncover traitors amongst a group of players. We also propose methods to integrate this system with insecure channels. This new resiliency can be applied to broadcast and peer-to-peer secure communication systems where agents may be traitors or become unreliable due to faults.
cs/0308030
Learning in Multiagent Systems: An Introduction from a Game-Theoretic Perspective
cs.MA cs.AI
We introduce the topic of learning in multiagent systems. We first provide a quick introduction to the field of game theory, focusing on the equilibrium concepts of iterated dominance, and Nash equilibrium. We show some of the most relevant findings in the theory of learning in games, including theorems on fictitious play, replicator dynamics, and evolutionary stable strategies. The CLRI theory and n-level learning agents are introduced as attempts to apply some of these findings to the problem of engineering multiagent systems with learning agents. Finally, we summarize some of the remaining challenges in the field of learning in multiagent systems.
cs/0308031
Artificial Neural Networks for Beginners
cs.NE cs.AI
The scope of this teaching package is to make a brief induction to Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for people who have no previous knowledge of them. We first make a brief introduction to models of networks, for then describing in general terms ANNs. As an application, we explain the backpropagation algorithm, since it is widely used and many other algorithms are derived from it. The user should know algebra and the handling of functions and vectors. Differential calculus is recommendable, but not necessary. The contents of this package should be understood by people with high school education. It would be useful for people who are just curious about what are ANNs, or for people who want to become familiar with them, so when they study them more fully, they will already have clear notions of ANNs. Also, people who only want to apply the backpropagation algorithm without a detailed and formal explanation of it will find this material useful. This work should not be seen as "Nets for dummies", but of course it is not a treatise. Much of the formality is skipped for the sake of simplicity. Detailed explanations and demonstrations can be found in the referred readings. The included exercises complement the understanding of the theory. The on-line resources are highly recommended for extending this brief induction.
cs/0308032
Evaluation of text data mining for database curation: lessons learned from the KDD Challenge Cup
cs.CL q-bio.OT
MOTIVATION: The biological literature is a major repository of knowledge. Many biological databases draw much of their content from a careful curation of this literature. However, as the volume of literature increases, the burden of curation increases. Text mining may provide useful tools to assist in the curation process. To date, the lack of standards has made it impossible to determine whether text mining techniques are sufficiently mature to be useful. RESULTS: We report on a Challenge Evaluation task that we created for the Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDD) Challenge Cup. We provided a training corpus of 862 articles consisting of journal articles curated in FlyBase, along with the associated lists of genes and gene products, as well as the relevant data fields from FlyBase. For the test, we provided a corpus of 213 new (`blind') articles; the 18 participating groups provided systems that flagged articles for curation, based on whether the article contained experimental evidence for gene expression products. We report on the the evaluation results and describe the techniques used by the top performing groups. CONTACT: asy@mitre.org KEYWORDS: text mining, evaluation, curation, genomics, data management
cs/0308033
Coherent Keyphrase Extraction via Web Mining
cs.LG cs.CL cs.IR
Keyphrases are useful for a variety of purposes, including summarizing, indexing, labeling, categorizing, clustering, highlighting, browsing, and searching. The task of automatic keyphrase extraction is to select keyphrases from within the text of a given document. Automatic keyphrase extraction makes it feasible to generate keyphrases for the huge number of documents that do not have manually assigned keyphrases. A limitation of previous keyphrase extraction algorithms is that the selected keyphrases are occasionally incoherent. That is, the majority of the output keyphrases may fit together well, but there may be a minority that appear to be outliers, with no clear semantic relation to the majority or to each other. This paper presents enhancements to the Kea keyphrase extraction algorithm that are designed to increase the coherence of the extracted keyphrases. The approach is to use the degree of statistical association among candidate keyphrases as evidence that they may be semantically related. The statistical association is measured using web mining. Experiments demonstrate that the enhancements improve the quality of the extracted keyphrases. Furthermore, the enhancements are not domain-specific: the algorithm generalizes well when it is trained on one domain (computer science documents) and tested on another (physics documents).
cs/0308034
Fingerprint based bio-starter and bio-access
cs.CV
In the paper will be presented a safety and security system based on fingerprint technology. The results suggest a new scenario where the new cars can use a fingerprint sensor integrated in car handle to allow access and in the dashboard as starter button.
cs/0308035
IS (Iris Security)
cs.CV
In the paper will be presented a safety system based on iridology. The results suggest a new scenario where the security problem in supervised and unsupervised areas can be treat with the present system and the iris image recognition.
cs/0308037
Distributed and Parallel Net Imaging
cs.CV astro-ph cs.DC
A very complex vision system is developed to detect luminosity variations connected with the discovery of new planets in the Universe. The traditional imaging system can not manage a so large load. A private net is implemented to perform an automatic vision and decision architecture. It lets to carry out an on-line discrimination of interesting events by using two levels of triggers. This system can even manage many Tbytes of data per day. The architecture avails itself of a distributed parallel network system based on a maximum of 256 standard workstations with Microsoft Window as OS.
cs/0308038
Image Analysis in Astronomy for very large vision machine
cs.CV astro-ph cs.DC
It is developed a very complex system (hardware/software) to detect luminosity variations connected with the discovery of new planets outside the Solar System. Traditional imaging approaches are very demanding in terms of computing time; then, the implementation of an automatic vision and decision software architecture is presented. It allows to perform an on-line discrimination of interesting events by using two levels of triggers. A fundamental challenge was to work with very large CCD camera (even 16k*16k pixels) in line with very large telescopes. Then, the architecture can use a distributed parallel network system based on a maximum of 256 standard workstations.
cs/0308039
A new approach to relevancy in Internet searching - the "Vox Populi Algorithm"
cs.DS cond-mat.dis-nn cs.IR
In this paper we will derive a new algorithm for Internet searching. The main idea of this algorithm is to extend the existing algorithms by a component, which reflects the interests of the users more than existing methods. The "Vox Populi Algorithm" (VPA) creates a feedback from the users to the content of the search index. The information derived from the users query analysis is used to modify the existing crawling algorithms. The VPA controls the distribution of the resources of the crawler. Finally, we also discuss methods of suppressing unwanted content (spam).
cs/0308042
Centralized reward system gives rise to fast and efficient work sharing for intelligent Internet agents lacking direct communication
cs.IR
WWW has a scale-free structure where novel information is often difficult to locate. Moreover, Intelligent agents easily get trapped in this structure. Here a novel method is put forth, which turns these traps into information repositories, supplies: We populated an Internet environment with intelligent news foragers. Foraging has its associated cost whereas foragers are rewarded if they detect not yet discovered novel information. The intelligent news foragers crawl by using the estimated long-term cumulated reward, and also have a finite sized memory: the list of most promising supplies. Foragers form an artificial life community: the most successful ones are allowed to multiply, while unsuccessful ones die out. The specific property of this community is that there is no direct communication amongst foragers but the centralized rewarding system. Still, fast division of work is achieved.
cs/0309007
ROC Curves Within the Framework of Neural Network Assembly Memory Model: Some Analytic Results
cs.AI cs.IR q-bio.NC q-bio.QM
On the basis of convolutional (Hamming) version of recent Neural Network Assembly Memory Model (NNAMM) for intact two-layer autoassociative Hopfield network optimal receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) have been derived analytically. A method of taking into account explicitly a priori probabilities of alternative hypotheses on the structure of information initiating memory trace retrieval and modified ROCs (mROCs, a posteriori probabilities of correct recall vs. false alarm probability) are introduced. The comparison of empirical and calculated ROCs (or mROCs) demonstrates that they coincide quantitatively and in this way intensities of cues used in appropriate experiments may be estimated. It has been found that basic ROC properties which are one of experimental findings underpinning dual-process models of recognition memory can be explained within our one-factor NNAMM.
cs/0309009
What Is Working Memory and Mental Imagery? A Robot that Learns to Perform Mental Computations
cs.AI cs.NE
This paper goes back to Turing (1936) and treats his machine as a cognitive model (W,D,B), where W is an "external world" represented by memory device (the tape divided into squares), and (D,B) is a simple robot that consists of the sensory-motor devices, D, and the brain, B. The robot's sensory-motor devices (the "eye", the "hand", and the "organ of speech") allow the robot to simulate the work of any Turing machine. The robot simulates the internal states of a Turing machine by "talking to itself." At the stage of training, the teacher forces the robot (by acting directly on its motor centers) to perform several examples of an algorithm with different input data presented on tape. Two effects are achieved: 1) The robot learns to perform the shown algorithm with any input data using the tape. 2) The robot learns to perform the algorithm "mentally" using an "imaginary tape." The model illustrates the simplest concept of a universal learning neurocomputer, demonstrates universality of associative learning as the mechanism of programming, and provides a simplified, but nontrivial neurobiologically plausible explanation of the phenomena of working memory and mental imagery. The model is implemented as a user-friendly program for Windows called EROBOT. The program is available at www.brain0.com/software.html.
cs/0309011
Indexing of Tables Referencing Complex Structures
cs.DB
We introduce indexing of tables referencing complex structures such as digraphs and spatial objects, appearing in genetics and other data intensive analysis. The indexing is achieved by extracting dimension schemas from the referenced structures. The schemas and their dimensionality are determined by proper coloring algorithms and the duality between all such schemas and all such possible proper colorings is established. This duality, in turn, provides us with an extensive library of solutions when addressing indexing questions. It is illustrated how to use the schemas, in connection with additional relational database technologies, to optimize queries conditioned on the structural information being referenced. Comparisons using bitmap indexing in the Oracle 9.2i database, on the one hand, and multidimensional clustering in DB2 8.1.2, on the other hand, are used to illustrate the applicability of the indexing to different technology settings. Finally, we illustrate how the indexing can be used to extract low dimensional schemas from a binary interval tree in order to resolve efficiently interval and stabbing queries.
cs/0309012
Exploration of RNA Editing and Design of Robust Genetic Algorithms
cs.NE cs.AI nlin.AO q-bio.GN
This paper presents our computational methodology using Genetic Algorithms (GA) for exploring the nature of RNA editing. These models are constructed using several genetic editing characteristics that are gleaned from the RNA editing system as observed in several organisms. We have expanded the traditional Genetic Algorithm with artificial editing mechanisms as proposed by (Rocha, 1997). The incorporation of editing mechanisms provides a means for artificial agents with genetic descriptions to gain greater phenotypic plasticity, which may be environmentally regulated. Our first implementations of these ideas have shed some light into the evolutionary implications of RNA editing. Based on these understandings, we demonstrate how to select proper RNA editors for designing more robust GAs, and the results will show promising applications to real-world problems. We expect that the framework proposed will both facilitate determining the evolutionary role of RNA editing in biology, and advance the current state of research in Genetic Algorithms.
cs/0309013
Semi-metric Behavior in Document Networks and its Application to Recommendation Systems
cs.IR cond-mat.dis-nn cond-mat.stat-mech cs.AI cs.DL cs.HC cs.MA
Recommendation systems for different Document Networks (DN) such as the World Wide Web (WWW) and Digital Libraries, often use distance functions extracted from relationships among documents and keywords. For instance, documents in the WWW are related via a hyperlink network, while documents in bibliographic databases are related by citation and collaboration networks. Furthermore, documents are related to keyterms. The distance functions computed from these relations establish associative networks among items of the DN, referred to as Distance Graphs, which allow recommendation systems to identify relevant associations for individual users. However, modern recommendation systems need to integrate associative data from multiple sources such as different databases, web sites, and even other users. Thus, we are presented with a problem of combining evidence (about associations between items) from different sources characterized by distance functions. In this paper we describe our work on (1) inferring relevant associations from, as well as characterizing, semi-metric distance graphs and (2) combining evidence from different distance graphs in a recommendation system. Regarding (1), we present the idea of semi-metric distance graphs, and introduce ratios to measure semi-metric behavior. We compute these ratios for several DN such as digital libraries and web sites and show that they are useful to identify implicit associations. Regarding (2), we describe an algorithm to combine evidence from distance graphs that uses Evidence Sets, a set structure based on Interval Valued Fuzzy Sets and Dempster-Shafer Theory of Evidence. This algorithm has been developed for a recommendation system named TalkMine.
cs/0309015
Reliable and Efficient Inference of Bayesian Networks from Sparse Data by Statistical Learning Theory
cs.LG
To learn (statistical) dependencies among random variables requires exponentially large sample size in the number of observed random variables if any arbitrary joint probability distribution can occur. We consider the case that sparse data strongly suggest that the probabilities can be described by a simple Bayesian network, i.e., by a graph with small in-degree \Delta. Then this simple law will also explain further data with high confidence. This is shown by calculating bounds on the VC dimension of the set of those probability measures that correspond to simple graphs. This allows to select networks by structural risk minimization and gives reliability bounds on the error of the estimated joint measure without (in contrast to a previous paper) any prior assumptions on the set of possible joint measures. The complexity for searching the optimal Bayesian networks of in-degree \Delta increases only polynomially in the number of random varibales for constant \Delta and the optimal joint measure associated with a given graph can be found by convex optimization.
cs/0309016
Using Simulated Annealing to Calculate the Trembles of Trembling Hand Perfection
cs.GT cs.CC cs.DS cs.LG cs.NE q-bio.PE
Within the literature on non-cooperative game theory, there have been a number of attempts to propose logorithms which will compute Nash equilibria. Rather than derive a new algorithm, this paper shows that the family of algorithms known as Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) can be used to calculate Nash equilibria. MCMC is a type of Monte Carlo simulation that relies on Markov chains to ensure its regularity conditions. MCMC has been widely used throughout the statistics and optimization literature, where variants of this algorithm are known as simulated annealing. This paper shows that there is interesting connection between the trembles that underlie the functioning of this algorithm and the type of Nash refinement known as trembling hand perfection.
cs/0309018
Using Propagation for Solving Complex Arithmetic Constraints
math.NA cs.AR cs.CC cs.NA cs.PF cs.RO
Solving a system of nonlinear inequalities is an important problem for which conventional numerical analysis has no satisfactory method. With a box-consistency algorithm one can compute a cover for the solution set to arbitrarily close approximation. Because of difficulties in the use of propagation for complex arithmetic expressions, box consistency is computed with interval arithmetic. In this paper we present theorems that support a simple modification of propagation that allows complex arithmetic expressions to be handled efficiently. The version of box consistency that is obtained in this way is stronger than when interval arithmetic is used.
cs/0309019
Building a Test Collection for Speech-Driven Web Retrieval
cs.CL
This paper describes a test collection (benchmark data) for retrieval systems driven by spoken queries. This collection was produced in the subtask of the NTCIR-3 Web retrieval task, which was performed in a TREC-style evaluation workshop. The search topics and document collection for the Web retrieval task were used to produce spoken queries and language models for speech recognition, respectively. We used this collection to evaluate the performance of our retrieval system. Experimental results showed that (a) the use of target documents for language modeling and (b) enhancement of the vocabulary size in speech recognition were effective in improving the system performance.
cs/0309021
A Cross-media Retrieval System for Lecture Videos
cs.CL
We propose a cross-media lecture-on-demand system, in which users can selectively view specific segments of lecture videos by submitting text queries. Users can easily formulate queries by using the textbook associated with a target lecture, even if they cannot come up with effective keywords. Our system extracts the audio track from a target lecture video, generates a transcription by large vocabulary continuous speech recognition, and produces a text index. Experimental results showed that by adapting speech recognition to the topic of the lecture, the recognition accuracy increased and the retrieval accuracy was comparable with that obtained by human transcription.
cs/0309022
Proposed Specification of a Distributed XML-Query Network
cs.DC cs.IR
W3C's XML-Query language offers a powerful instrument for information retrieval on XML repositories. This article describes an implementation of this retrieval in a real world's scenario. Distributed XML-Query processing reduces load on every single attending node to an acceptable level. The network allows every participant to control their computing load themselves. Furthermore XML-repositories may stay at the rights holder, so every Data-Provider can decide, whether to process critical queries or not. If Data-Providers keep redundant information, this distributed network improves reliability of information with duplicates removed.
cs/0309025
Evidential Force Aggregation
cs.AI
In this paper we develop an evidential force aggregation method intended for classification of evidential intelligence into recognized force structures. We assume that the intelligence has already been partitioned into clusters and use the classification method individually in each cluster. The classification is based on a measure of fitness between template and fused intelligence that makes it possible to handle intelligence reports with multiple nonspecific and uncertain propositions. With this measure we can aggregate on a level-by-level basis, starting from general intelligence to achieve a complete force structure with recognized units on all hierarchical levels.
cs/0309030
Model-Based Debugging using Multiple Abstract Models
cs.SE cs.AI
This paper introduces an automatic debugging framework that relies on model-based reasoning techniques to locate faults in programs. In particular, model-based diagnosis, together with an abstract interpretation based conflict detection mechanism is used to derive diagnoses, which correspond to possible faults in programs. Design information and partial specifications are applied to guide a model revision process, which allows for automatic detection and correction of structural faults.
cs/0309034
Measuring Praise and Criticism: Inference of Semantic Orientation from Association
cs.CL cs.IR cs.LG
The evaluative character of a word is called its semantic orientation. Positive semantic orientation indicates praise (e.g., "honest", "intrepid") and negative semantic orientation indicates criticism (e.g., "disturbing", "superfluous"). Semantic orientation varies in both direction (positive or negative) and degree (mild to strong). An automated system for measuring semantic orientation would have application in text classification, text filtering, tracking opinions in online discussions, analysis of survey responses, and automated chat systems (chatbots). This paper introduces a method for inferring the semantic orientation of a word from its statistical association with a set of positive and negative paradigm words. Two instances of this approach are evaluated, based on two different statistical measures of word association: pointwise mutual information (PMI) and latent semantic analysis (LSA). The method is experimentally tested with 3,596 words (including adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and verbs) that have been manually labeled positive (1,614 words) and negative (1,982 words). The method attains an accuracy of 82.8% on the full test set, but the accuracy rises above 95% when the algorithm is allowed to abstain from classifying mild words.
cs/0309035
Combining Independent Modules to Solve Multiple-choice Synonym and Analogy Problems
cs.CL cs.IR cs.LG
Existing statistical approaches to natural language problems are very coarse approximations to the true complexity of language processing. As such, no single technique will be best for all problem instances. Many researchers are examining ensemble methods that combine the output of successful, separately developed modules to create more accurate solutions. This paper examines three merging rules for combining probability distributions: the well known mixture rule, the logarithmic rule, and a novel product rule. These rules were applied with state-of-the-art results to two problems commonly used to assess human mastery of lexical semantics -- synonym questions and analogy questions. All three merging rules result in ensembles that are more accurate than any of their component modules. The differences among the three rules are not statistically significant, but it is suggestive that the popular mixture rule is not the best rule for either of the two problems.
cs/0309036
A Neural Network Assembly Memory Model Based on an Optimal Binary Signal Detection Theory
cs.AI cs.IR cs.NE q-bio.NC q-bio.QM
A ternary/binary data coding algorithm and conditions under which Hopfield networks implement optimal convolutional or Hamming decoding algorithms has been described. Using the coding/decoding approach (an optimal Binary Signal Detection Theory, BSDT) introduced a Neural Network Assembly Memory Model (NNAMM) is built. The model provides optimal (the best) basic memory performance and demands the use of a new memory unit architecture with two-layer Hopfield network, N-channel time gate, auxiliary reference memory, and two nested feedback loops. NNAMM explicitly describes the dependence on time of a memory trace retrieval, gives a possibility of metamemory simulation, generalized knowledge representation, and distinct description of conscious and unconscious mental processes. A model of smallest inseparable part or an "atom" of consciousness is also defined. The NNAMM's neurobiological backgrounds and its applications to solving some interdisciplinary problems are shortly discussed. BSDT could implement the "best neural code" used in nervous tissues of animals and humans.
cs/0309038
A novel evolutionary formulation of the maximum independent set problem
cs.NE
We introduce a novel evolutionary formulation of the problem of finding a maximum independent set of a graph. The new formulation is based on the relationship that exists between a graph's independence number and its acyclic orientations. It views such orientations as individuals and evolves them with the aid of evolutionary operators that are very heavily based on the structure of the graph and its acyclic orientations. The resulting heuristic has been tested on some of the Second DIMACS Implementation Challenge benchmark graphs, and has been found to be competitive when compared to several of the other heuristics that have also been tested on those graphs.
cs/0309039
Two novel evolutionary formulations of the graph coloring problem
cs.NE
We introduce two novel evolutionary formulations of the problem of coloring the nodes of a graph. The first formulation is based on the relationship that exists between a graph's chromatic number and its acyclic orientations. It views such orientations as individuals and evolves them with the aid of evolutionary operators that are very heavily based on the structure of the graph and its acyclic orientations. The second formulation, unlike the first one, does not tackle one graph at a time, but rather aims at evolving a `program' to color all graphs belonging to a class whose members all have the same number of nodes and other common attributes. The heuristics that result from these formulations have been tested on some of the Second DIMACS Implementation Challenge benchmark graphs, and have been found to be competitive when compared to the several other heuristics that have also been tested on those graphs.
cs/0309041
Fast Verification of Convexity of Piecewise-linear Surfaces
cs.CG cs.CV
We show that a realization of a closed connected PL-manifold of dimension n-1 in n-dimensional Euclidean space (n>2) is the boundary of a convex polyhedron (finite or infinite) if and only if the interior of each (n-3)-face has a point, which has a neighborhood lying on the boundary of an n-dimensional convex body. No initial assumptions about the topology or orientability of the input surface are made. The theorem is derived from a refinement and generalization of Van Heijenoort's theorem on locally convex manifolds to spherical spaces. Our convexity criterion for PL-manifolds implies an easy polynomial-time algorithm for checking convexity of a given PL-surface in n-dimensional Euclidean or spherical space, n>2. The algorithm is worst case optimal with respect to both the number of operations and the algebraic degree. The algorithm works under significantly weaker assumptions and is easier to implement than convexity verification algorithms suggested by Mehlhorn et al (1996-1999), and Devillers et al.(1998). A paradigm of approximate convexity is suggested and a simplified algorithm of smaller degree and complexity is suggested for approximate floating point convexity verification.
cs/0309048
Goedel Machines: Self-Referential Universal Problem Solvers Making Provably Optimal Self-Improvements
cs.LO cs.AI
We present the first class of mathematically rigorous, general, fully self-referential, self-improving, optimally efficient problem solvers. Inspired by Kurt Goedel's celebrated self-referential formulas (1931), such a problem solver rewrites any part of its own code as soon as it has found a proof that the rewrite is useful, where the problem-dependent utility function and the hardware and the entire initial code are described by axioms encoded in an initial proof searcher which is also part of the initial code. The searcher systematically and efficiently tests computable proof techniques (programs whose outputs are proofs) until it finds a provably useful, computable self-rewrite. We show that such a self-rewrite is globally optimal - no local maxima! - since the code first had to prove that it is not useful to continue the proof search for alternative self-rewrites. Unlike previous non-self-referential methods based on hardwired proof searchers, ours not only boasts an optimal order of complexity but can optimally reduce any slowdowns hidden by the O()-notation, provided the utility of such speed-ups is provable at all.
cs/0309053
A Hierarchical Situation Calculus
cs.AI cs.LO
A situation calculus is presented that provides a solution to the frame problem for hierarchical situations, that is, situations that have a modular structure in which parts of the situation behave in a relatively independent manner. This situation calculus is given in a relational, functional, and modal logic form. Each form permits both a single level hierarchy or a multiple level hierarchy, giving six versions of the formalism in all, and a number of sub-versions of these. For multiple level hierarchies, it is possible to give equations between parts of the situation to impose additional structure on the problem. This approach is compared to others in the literature.
cs/0310005
Using Artificial Intelligence for Model Selection
cs.AI q-bio.QM
We apply the optimization algorithm Adaptive Simulated Annealing (ASA) to the problem of analyzing data on a large population and selecting the best model to predict that an individual with various traits will have a particular disease. We compare ASA with traditional forward and backward regression on computer simulated data. We find that the traditional methods of modeling are better for smaller data sets whereas a numerically stable ASA seems to perform better on larger and more complicated data sets.
cs/0310006
The Lowell Database Research Self Assessment
cs.DB
A group of senior database researchers gathers every few years to assess the state of database research and to point out problem areas that deserve additional focus. This report summarizes the discussion and conclusions of the sixth ad-hoc meeting held May 4-6, 2003 in Lowell, Mass. It observes that information management continues to be a critical component of most complex software systems. It recommends that database researchers increase focus on: integration of text, data, code, and streams; fusion of information from heterogeneous data sources; reasoning about uncertain data; unsupervised data mining for interesting correlations; information privacy; and self-adaptation and repair.
cs/0310009
On Interference of Signals and Generalization in Feedforward Neural Networks
cs.NE
This paper studies how the generalization ability of neurons can be affected by mutual processing of different signals. This study is done on the basis of a feedforward artificial neural network. The mutual processing of signals can possibly be a good model of patterns in a set generalized by a neural network and in effect may improve generalization. In this paper it is discussed that the interference may also cause a highly random generalization. Adaptive activation functions are discussed as a way of reducing that type of generalization. A test of a feedforward neural network is performed that shows the discussed random generalization.
cs/0310010
Transient Diversity in Multi-Agent Systems
cs.AI cs.MA
Diversity is an important aspect of highly efficient multi-agent teams. We introduce the main factors that drive a multi-agent system in either direction along the diversity scale. A metric for diversity is described, and we speculate on the concept of transient diversity. Finally, an experiment on social entropy using a RoboCup simulated soccer team is presented.