1,721,015 research outputs found
Emergent Capabilities for Collaborative Teams in the Evolving Web Environment
No full textThis paper reports on our investigation of the latest advances for the Social Web, Web 2.0 and the Linked Data Web. These advances are discussed in terms of the latest capabilities that are available (or being made available) on the Web at the time of writing this paper. Such capabilities can be of significant benefit to teams, especially those comprised of multinational, geographically-dispersed team members. The specific context of coalition members in a rapidly formed diverse military context such as disaster relief or humanitarian aid is considered, where close working between non-government organisations and non-military teams will help to achieve results as quickly and efficiently as possible. The heterogeneity one finds in such teams, coupled with a lack of dedicated private network infrastructure, poses a number of challenges for collaboration, and the current paper represents an attempt to assess whether nascent Web-based capabilities can support such teams in terms of both their collaborative activities and their access to (and sharing of) information resources
Dynamic Networks and Distributed Problem-Solving
No full textThe effect of dynamic networks on distributed problem-solving was examined using a multi-agent simulation environment. Synthetic agents were tasked with the problem of finding optimal solutions to a specific design problem, and they were allowed to communicate the results of their search efforts to other agents via a dynamically-evolving communication network structure. The growth of the network was determined by two parameters. One parameter determined the rate at which the network structure emerged, while the second determined the point at which the first network link was formed. Together, these parameters produced a reliable effect on collective problem-solving performance. Firstly, performance was negatively affected by the rate of network growth, with faster growth rates producing poorer performance. Secondly, performance was improved by introducing longer initial delay periods into the network formation process, a manipulation which also served to attenuate the decline in performance seen with increasing network growth rates. Of particular interest, the study found that networks with dynamic, constructive topologies delivered a better profile of performance relative to networks with fixed, static topologies. The results are discussed in relation to our understanding of how military coalition communication networks may affect performance outcomes in distributed problem-solving environments
Collective Cognition: Exploring the Dynamics of Belief Propagation and Collective Problem Solving in Multi-Agent Systems
No full textWe tend to think of cognition as something that takes place inside the heads of individual human agents; however, it is clear that many of our cognitive accomplishments depend just as much on our ability to exploit the elements of our social and technological environments as they do on the information processing dynamics of the biological brain. Our social networks constitute a particularly potent source of bio-external scaffolding: one that shapes, constrains and influences the profile of much of our daily cognitive activity. However, the precise way in which networks enable a group of agents to coordinate their thoughts and actions in cognitively-productive ways is still something of which we have, as yet, very little understanding. This paper is an attempt to review the status of our current understanding of network-enabled collective cognition and to explore ways in which our current understanding might be improved. The primary targets for discussion are the dynamics of belief propagation and collective problem-solving in multi-agent systems. These phenomena, we suggest, provide potent examples of collective cognition in terms of both cognitive state fluctuations (belief propagation) and cognitive processing (collective problem solving). In addition to reviewing the literature in these areas, we also present a number of ideas to help guide future research efforts
NITELIGHT: A Graphical Tool for Semantic Query Construction
No full textQuery formulation is a key aspect of information retrieval, contributing to both the efficiency and usability of many semantic applications. A number of query languages, such as SPARQL, have been developed for the Semantic Web; however, there are, as yet, few tools to support end users with respect to the creation and editing of semantic queries. In this paper we introduce a graphical tool for semantic query construction (NITELIGHT) that is based on the SPARQL query language specification. The tool supports end users by providing a set of graphical notations that represent semantic query language constructs. This language provides a visual query language counterpart to SPARQL that we call vSPARQL. NITELIGHT also provides an interactive graphical editing environment that combines ontology navigation capabilities with graphical query visualization techniques. This paper describes the functionality and user interaction features of the NITELIGHT tool based on our work to date. We also present details of the vSPARQL constructs used to support the graphical representation of SPARQL queries
The Extended Mind and Network-Enabled Cognition
No full textIn thinking about the transformative potential of network technologies with respect to human cognition, it is common to see network resources as playing a largely assistive or augmentative role. In this paper we propose a somewhat more radical vision. We suggest that the informational and technological elements of a network system can, at times, constitute part of the material supervenience base for a human agent’s mental states and processes. This thesis (called the thesis of network-enabled cognition) draws its inspiration from the notion of the extended mind that has been propounded in the philosophical and cognitive science literature. Our basic claim is that network systems can do more than just augment cognition; they can also constitute part of the physical machinery that makes mind and cognition mechanistically possible. In evaluating this hypothesis, we identify a number of issues that seem to undermine the extent to which contemporary network systems, most notably the World Wide Web, can legitimately feature as part of an environmentally-extended cognitive system. Specific problems include the reliability and resilience of network-enabled devices, the accessibility of online information content, and the extent to which network-derived information is treated in the same way as information retrieved from biological memory. We argue that these apparent shortfalls do not necessarily merit the wholesale rejection of the network-enabled cognition thesis; rather, they point to the limits of the current state-of-the-art and identify the targets of many ongoing research initiatives in the network and information sciences. In addition to highlighting the importance of current research and technology development efforts, the thesis of network-enabled cognition also suggests a number of areas for future research. These include the formation and maintenance of online trust relationships, the subjective assessment of information credibility and the long-term impact of network access on human psychological and cognitive functioning. The nascent discipline of web science is, we suggest, suitably placed to begin an exploration of these issues
A Formal Context Representation Framework for Network-Enabled Cognition
No full textNetwork-accessible resources are inherently contextual with respect to the specific situations (e.g., location and default assumptions) in which they are used. Therefore, the explicit conceptualization and representation of contexts is required to address a number of problems in Network- Enabled Cognition (NEC). We propose a context representation framework to address the computational specification of contexts. Our focus is on developing a formal model of context for the unambiguous and effective delivery of data and knowledge, in particular, for enabling forms of automated inference that address contextual differences between agents in a distributed network environment. We identify several components for the conceptualization of contexts within the context representation framework. These include jurisdictions (which can be used to interpret contextual data), semantic assumptions (which highlight the meaning of data), provenance information and inter-context relationships. Finally, we demonstrate the application of the context representation framework in a collaborative military coalition planning scenario. We show how the framework can be used to support the representation of plan-relevant contextual information
Semantic Web Techniques to Support Interoperability in Distributed Networked Environments
No full textWe explore two Semantic Web techniques arising from ITA research into semantic alignment and interoperability in distributed networks. The first is POAF (Portable Ontology Aligned Fragments) which addresses issues relating to the portability and usage of ontology alignments. POAF uses an ontology fragmentation strategy to achieve portability, and enables subsequent usage through a form of automated ontology modularization. The second technique, SWEDER (Semantic Wrapping of Existing Data sources with Embedded Rules), is grounded in the creation of lightweight ontologies to semantically wrap existing data sources, to facilitate rapid semantic integration through representational homogeneity. The semantic integration is achieved through the creation of context ontologies which define the integrations and provide a portable definition of the integration rules in the form of embedded SPARQL construct clauses. These two Semantic Web techniques address important practical issues relevant to the potential future adoption of ontologies in distributed network environments
Supporting Distributed Coalition Planning with Semantic Wiki Technology
No full textContemporary and near-future military coalition environments present a number of challenges for military planning. Not only must military planners create plans against a backdrop of strict time constraints and uncertain information, they must also coordinate their planning efforts with other planning staff (often from different organizational, linguistic and cultural communities). This paper examines the potential for semantic wikis to support collaborative planning activities in the face of these challenges. Whilst we do not claim that semantic wikis could support all aspects of the collaborative planning process, we do suggest that semantic wikis can provide a highly configurable online editing environment which is likely to be of value in at least some coalition planning contexts. The strengths of semantic wikis include their support for distributed editing, their support for flexible forms of information presentation, and the opportunities they provide for new forms of inter-agent coordination. Their weaknesses include the absence of supportive plan editing interfaces and the limited support for the representation of highly expressive planning models. In the current paper, we discuss this profile of strengths and weaknesses, and we also discuss how a specific semantic wiki system, namely Semantic MediaWiki, could be used to support some aspects of collaborative planning
Development of a Controlled Natural Language Interface for Semantic MediaWiki
No full textSemantic wikis support the collaborative creation, editing and utilization of semantically-enriched content, and they may therefore be well-suited to addressing problems associated with the limited availability of high-quality online semantic content. Unfortunately, however, many popular semantic wikis, such as Semantic MediaWiki (SMW), are not sufficiently expressive to support full-scale ontology authoring. Furthermore, the grounding of the Semantic Web in formal logic makes both the comprehension and production of ontological content difficult for many end-users. In order to address these issues, the expressivity of SMW was extended using a combination of semantic templates and a Web Ontology Language (OWL) meta-model. Semantic templates were also used to provide an ontology verbalization capability for SMW using the Rabbit Controlled Natural Language (CNL). The resulting system demonstrates how CNL interfaces can be implemented on top of SMW. The proposed solution introduces no changes to the underlying functionality of the SMW system, and the use of semantic templates as an ontology verbalization solution means that end-users can exploit all the usual features of conventional wiki systems to collaboratively create new CNL verbalization capabilities
Using Semantic Web Technologies to Support Information Processing and Coalition Decision-Making
No full textThis paper outlines three techniques and tools which have recently arisen from Semantic Web research in the International Technology Alliance. The first of these techniques is POAF (Portable Ontology Aligned Fragments), which addresses issues relating to the portability and usage of ontology alignments. POAF uses an ontology fragmentation strategy to achieve portability, and it enables subsequent usage of ontologies through a form of automated ontology modularization. The second technique, SWEDER (Semantic Wrapping of Existing Data sources with Embedded Rules), is grounded in the creation of lightweight ontologies to semantically wrap existing data sources, which facilitates rapid semantic integration through representational homogeneity and embedded rules. The third technique is NITELIGHT, which is a tool that has been created to better support end users with respect to the creation and editing of semantic queries. NITELIGHT uses a visual query language, called vSPARQL, and it is based on the W3C SPARQL query language specification. NITELIGHT supports end users by providing a set of graphical notations that represent semantic query language constructs. These enable the user to combine ontology navigation capabilities with graphical query visualisation techniques
- …
