Author: SRI International

  • Handling Complex Queries In A Distributed Data Base

    As part of the continuing development of the LADDER system, we have substantially expanded the capabilities of the data base access component that serves as the interface between the natural-language front end of LADDER and the data base management systems on which the data is actually stored.

  • Problem Solving Tactics

    This paper describes the basic strategies of automatic problem solving, and then focuses on a variety of tactics for improving their efficiency.

  • Utterance and Objective: Issues In Natural Language Communication

    This paper evaluates the capabilities of natural language processing systems against requirements and identifies crucial areas for future research in language processing, common-sense reasoning, and their coordination.

  • Computational Models Of Beliefs and The Semantics Of Belief-Sentences

    We present a semantic interpretation for belief sentences and show how this interpretation overcomes some of the difficulties of alternative approaches, especially those based on possible-world semantics.

  • Focusing and Description In Natural Language Dialogues

    This paper describes focusing mechanisms based on domain structure clues which have been included in a computer system and, from this perspective, indicates future research problems entailed in modeling the focusing process more generally.

  • Hierarchical Representation Of Three-Dimensional Objects Using Verbal Models

    We present a formalism for the computer representation of three-dimensional shapes, that has as its goal to facilitate man-machine communication using verbal, graphic, and visual means. With this method, pieces may be assembled hierarchically using any of several ways of specifying attachment.

  • Robotic Sensors in Programmable Automation

    Characterized by flexibility and the ease of setup for new production tasks, programmable automation employs industrial robots. Today’s robots possess “muscles” only; there is a need to develop intelligent robots that can detect faults and correct errors by using sensors and computer control.

  • Map-Guided Interpretation Of Remotely-Sensed Imagery

    Geometric correspondence between a sensed image and a symbolic reference map is established in an initial stage of processing by adjusting parameters of a sensor model so that image features predicted from the map optimally match corresponding features extracted from the sensed image.

  • VALS™ market research

    VALS™ market research

    SRI designed the Values and Lifestyles™ (VALS) program, a novel market research tool for determining the motivations behind consumer purchasing decisions.

  • Machine Vision and Robotics: Industrial Requirements

    The importance of human vision is a major motivation for the intense interest in and significant research effort devoted to machine vision.

  • Why Is Discourse Coherent?

    In this paper, it is argued that coherence can be characterized in terms of a set of ‘coherence relations’ between segments of a discourse. It is shown, from an abstract description of the discourse situation, that these relations correspond to the kinds of communicative work that needs to get done in discourse.

  • Prospects For Industrial Vision

    This paper builds a case for needed additional levels of representation and outlines the design of a general-purpose computer-vision system capable of high performance in a wide variety of industrial vision tasks.