Programming Language Techniques for Natural Language Applications

It is easy to imagine machines that can communicate in natural language. Constructing such machines is more difficult. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate how declarative grammar formalisms that distinguish between abstract and concrete syntax make it easier to develop natural language applications. We describe how the type-theorectical grammar formalism Grammatical Framework (GF) can be used as a high-level language for natural language applications. By taking advantage of techniques from the field of programming language implementation, we can use GF grammars to perform portable and efficient parsing and linearization, generate speech recognition language models, implement multimodal fusion and fission, generate support code for abstract syntax transformations, generate dialogue managers, and implement speech translators and web-based syntax-aware editors. By generating application components from a declarative grammar, we can reduce duplicated work, ensure consistency, make it easier to build multilingual systems, improve linguistic quality, enable re-use across system domains, and make systems more portable

Natural Language Processing for Under-resourced Languages: Developing a Welsh Natural Language Toolkit

Language technology is becoming increasingly important across a variety of application domains which have become common place in large, well-resourced languages. However, there is a danger that small, under-resourced languages are being increasingly pushed to the technological margins. Under-resourced languages face significant challenges in delivering the underlying language resources necessary to support such applications. This paper describes the development of a natural language processing toolkit for an under-resourced language, Cymraeg (Welsh). Rather than creating the Welsh Natural Language Toolkit (WNLT) from scratch, the approach involved adapting and enhancing the language processing functionality provided for other languages within an existing framework and making use of external language resources where available. This paper begins by introducing the GATE NLP framework, which was used as the development platform for the WNLT. It then describes each of the core modules of the WNLT in turn, detailing the extensions and adaptations required for Welsh language processing. An evaluation of the WNLT is then reported. Following this, two demonstration applications are presented. The first is a simple text mining application that analyses wedding announcements. The second describes the development of a Twitter NLP application, which extends the core WNLT pipeline. As a relatively small-scale project, the WNLT makes use of existing external language resources where possible, rather than creating new resources. This approach of adaptation and reuse can provide a practical and achievable route to developing language resources for under-resourced languages

Automatic translation of formal data specifications to voice data-input applications.

This thesis introduces a complete solution for automatic translation of formal data specifications to voice data-input applications. The objective of the research is to automatically generate applications for inputting data through speech from specifications of the structure of the data. The formal data specifications are XML DTDs. A new formalization called Grammar-DTD (G-DTD) is introduced as an extended DTD that contains grammars to describe valid values of the DTD elements and attributes. G-DTDs facilitate the automatic generation of Voice XML applications that correspond to the original DTD structure. The development of the automatic application-generator included identifying constraints on the G-DTD to ensure a feasible translation, using predicate calculus to build a knowledge base of inference rules that describes the mapping procedure, and writing an algorithm for the automatic translation based on the inference rules.Dept. of Computer Science. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2006 .H355. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-01, page: 0354. Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2006

Generating speech user interfaces from interaction acts

ABSTRACT We have applied interaction acts, an abstract user-service interaction specification, to speech user interfaces to investigate how well it lends itself to a new type of user interface. We used interaction acts to generate a VoiceXML-based speech user interface, and identified two main issues connected to the differences between graphical user interfaces and speech user interfaces. The first issue concerns the structure of the user interface. Generating speech user interfaces and GUIs from the same underlying structure easily results in a too hierarchical and difficult to use speech user interface. The second issue is user input. Interpreting spoken user input is fundamentally different from user input in GUIs. We have shown that it is possible to generate speech user interfaces based on. A small user study supports the results. We discuss these issues and some possible solutions, and some results from preliminary user studies

Mapping Text to Knowledge using Natural Language Processing

The goal of this project was to design and implement a system that analyzes text corpora. This system uses natural language processing techniques to extract knowledge from written text and represents this knowledge as a network. The system displays this network to the user and allows the user to interactively explore the network. The accuracy of the knowledge extraction process and the overall performance of the developed system were assessed. Possible applications are in social networks and text simplification

IM-sgi an interface model for shape grammar implementations

This research arises from the interest in computing as offering new paradigms in the design practice. Information technologies are the driving force for progress in the processes of design, enabling new forms of creativity. The increasing sophistication of computer applications, their easier access, and lower cost have had a significant impact on design practices and can be regarded as a paradigm shift. The invention and creativity are thus seen as knowledge processing activities and can, at least partially, be carried out with the support of computer applications. In this context Shape Grammars (SG) as production systems of designs through rules have the potential to create designs with variable user input and the ability to evaluate a large number of alternatives that may lead to innovative designs. Most architects and designers use computers on their daily practice as a representation tool for their projects, but not as a facilitator or increaser of the creative process. SG computational implementations have the potential to enhance creativity with the test of a wide range of design options, helping the appearance of new solutions, either through the emergence of new shapes or by stimulating the designer’s creativity with the possibilities presented. As Architects and Designers haven't adopted existing SG computational implementations, that take advantage of computation to facilitate and enhance their work, could the problem be on the communication between the applications and the user? If the interface of the SG implementation does not allow the user to understand how to use it or how to control and make use of its results, it can’t be successfully used. With interest in SG implementations as creative partners in the creative process, our research starts with the analysis of existing SG implementations, trying to understand if they had the potential to be adopted by architects and designers in their practice and, if not, what could be done to lead to that objective. User Interface Inspection Methods were used to perform this analysis and allowed us to understand that there are interactions and communication issues that need to be addressed for SG implementations to be adopted by designers. Taking this direction, we understood that models of interaction between the user and SG implementations have already been developed. The present research proposal started from the analysis of the interaction model of Scott Chase, where he defines the different levels of interaction between the user and SG implementation, with more or less input from the user, establishing different ways to combine synergies to obtain new creative solutions. Taking this interaction model as a starting point, next, we must assure the correct communication between user and implementation occurs. The means of communication between these two agents is the computational interface. Understanding the importance of the interface to allow the user to know how to use the computational implementation and be able to produce results, our research presents the development of an interface model for SG implementations to help to take a step towards the adoption of SG for creative projects. For this, we used methods from Human-Computer Interaction discipline, and we also took Bastien & Scapin's "List of Ergonomic Criteria Guidelines" as guiding lines to define the Criteria of our interface model, called IM-sgi, Interface Model for Shape Grammar Implementations. Thus, IM-sgi, an interface model for SG Implementations, has the purpose of helping SG implementations developers to address the interface on the right path to a correct communication with the particular type of user that architects and designers are. Interface prototypes following IM-sgi criteria are finally developed and presented to test the suitability of the IM-sgi Model to SG implementations and validate the objectives we propose.A presente pesquisa surge do interesse na computação por oferecer novos paradigmas na prática do design. As tecnologias da informação são a força motriz para o progresso nos processos de design, permitindo novas formas de criatividade. A crescente sofisticação das aplicações computacionais, o acesso mais fácil às mesmas e menor custo associado tiveram um grande impacto nas práticas de projeto e podemos considerar estar perante uma mudança de paradigma. A invenção e a criatividade são, portanto, vistas como atividades de processamento de conhecimento e podem, pelo menos parcialmente, ser realizadas com o suporte do computador. Nesse contexto, As Gramáticas de Forma, como sistemas de produção de designs através de regras, têm o potencial de criar projetos com entradas com níveis variáveis de intervenção do utilizador e apresentam a capacidade de avaliar um grande número de alternativas que podem levar a designs inovadores. A maioria dos arquitetos e designers usa o computador na sua prática diária como uma ferramenta de representação para seus projetos, mas não como um facilitador ou potenciador do processo criativo. As implementações computacionais de Gramáticas de Forma têm o potencial de aumentar a criatividade com o teste de uma ampla gama de opções de design, ajudando no surgimento de novas soluções, seja pela emergência de novas formas ou estimulando a criatividade do designer com as opções desenvolvidas. Uma vez que as implementações computacionais de Gramáticas de Forma existentes não foram adotadas por Arquitetos e Designers, que claramente tiram proveito de aplicações computacionais para facilitar e aperfeiçoar o seu trabalho, poderá o problema estar na comunicação entre as implementações e o utilizador? Se a interface da implementação não permitir que o utilizador entenda como usá-la ou como controlar e utilizar os seus resultados, ela não poderá ser utilizada com sucesso. Com interesse nas implementações de Gramáticas de Forma como parceiros criativos no processo criativo, a nossa investigação começa com a análise das implementações de Gramáticas de Forma existentes, tentando entender se estas têm potencial para ser adotadas pelos criativos na sua prática e, se não, o que poderia ser feito para chegar a este objetivo. Foram usados métodos de inspeção para realizar esta análise para nos permitir compreender que há interações e problemas de comunicação que precisam de ser resolvidos para que as implementações de Gramáticas de Forma sejam adotadas pelos projetistas. Seguindo essa direção de investigação, percebemos que foram já desenvolvidos modelos de interação entre o utilizador e as implementações de Gramáticas de Forma. A presente proposta de pesquisa surgiu a partir da análise do modelo de interação de Scott Chase, onde este define os diferentes níveis de interação entre utilizador e implementação de Gramáticas de Forma, com maior ou menor input do utilizador, estabelecendo diferentes formas de combinar sinergias para obter novas soluções criativas. Tomando esse modelo de interação como ponto de partida, devemos assegurar que a comunicação correta entre o utilizador e a implementação ocorra. O meio de comunicação desses dois agentes é o interface computacional. Entendendo a importância do interface para permitir que o utilizador entenda como usar a implementação computacional e seja capaz de produzir resultados, a nossa pesquisa apresenta o desenvolvimento de um modelo de interface para implementações de Gramáticas de Forma para ajudar a dar um passo na direção da adoção das Gramáticas de Forma para projetos criativos. Deste modo, aplicámos métodos da disciplina de HCI e também adotámos a Lista de Diretrizes e Critérios Ergonómicos de Bastien & Scapin como linhas de orientação para definir os Critérios do nosso modelo de interface, denominado IM-sgi. O IM-sgi, um modelo de interface para Implementações de Gramática de Forma, tem a finalidade de ajudar programadores de implementações de Gramáticas de Forma a endereçar a interface no sentido de atingir uma comunicação correta com o tipo particular de utilizador que são os arquitetos e designers. Protótipos de interface seguindo os critérios IM-sgi são finalmente desenvolvidos e apresentados para testar a adequação do modelo IM-sgi e validar os objetivos que propomos