Agent-based Adaptive Selection and Interaction to Z39.50 Servers

Digital libraries and OPACs are offering an enormous collection of information resources which can be accessed through Internet by quite different users thanks to the existence of standard protocols for information retrieval such as Z39.50. However, some users may find difficult to get the items they are looking for in such a huge bulk of heterogeneous resources since they have to know where and how they have to search for. Thus, one of the main reasons for the disregard of the Z39.50 service has traditionally been the absence of appropriate interfaces and the cost of making alternative searches. WAY-Z39.50 tries to help spreading the use of these servers by providing easy web access to them, as well as, by facilitating the access to multiple servers at once. The prototype described implements the WAY general model based on an agent-based architecture that provides adaptive searching in different servers through an adaptive interfac

OntoTrader

Modern Web-based Information Systems (WIS) are becoming increasingly necessary to provide support for users who are in different places with different types of information, by facilitating their access to the information, decision making, workgroups, and so forth. Design of these systems requires the use of standardized methods and techniques that enable a common vocabulary to be defined to represent the underlying knowledge. Thus, mediation elements such as traders enrich the interoperability of web components in open distributed systems. These traders must operate with other third-party traders and/or agents in the system, which must also use a common vocabulary for communication between them. This paper presents the OntoTrader architecture, an Ontological Web Trading agent based on the OMG ODP trading standard. It also presents the ontology needed by some system agents to communicate with the trading agent and the behavioral framework for the SOLERES OntoTrader agent, an Environmental Management Information System (EMIS). This framework implements a “Query-Searching/Recovering-Response” information retrieval model using a trading service, SPARQL notation, and the JADE platform. The paper also presents reflection, delegation and, federation mediation models and describes formalization, an experimental testing environment in three scenarios, and a tool which allows our proposal to be evaluated and validated

SICS MarketSpace: an agent-based market infrastructure

We present a simple and uniform communication framework for an agent-based market infrastructure, the goal of which is to enable automation of markets with self-interested participants distributed over the Internet

Personalization on E-Content Retrieval Based on Semantic Web Services

In the current educational context there has been a significant increase in learning object repositories (LOR), which are found in large databases available on the hidden web. All these information is described in any metadata labeling standard (LOM, Dublin Core, etc). It is necessary to work and develop solutions that provide efficiency in searching for heterogeneous content and finding distributed context. Distributed information retrieval, or federated search, attempts to respond to the problem of information retrieval in the hidden Web. Multi-agent systems are known for their ability to adapt quickly and effectively to changes in their environment. This study presents a model for the development of digital content retrieval based on the paradigm of virtual organizations of agents using a Service Oriented Architecture. The model allows the development of an open and flexible architecture that supports the services necessary to dynamically search for distributed digital content. A major challenge in searching and retrieving digital content is also to efficiently find the most suitable content for the users. This model proposes a new approach to filtering the educational content retrieved based on Case-Based Reasoning (CBR). It is based on the model AIREH (Architecture for Intelligent Recovery of Educational content in Heterogeneous Environments), a multi-agent architecture that can search and integrate heterogeneous educational content through a recovery model that uses a federated search. The model and the technologies presented in this research exemplify the potential for developing personalized recovery systems for digital content based on the paradigm of virtual organizations of agents. The advantages of the proposed architecture, as outlined in this article, are its flexibility, customization, integrative solution and efficiency

Machining feature-based system for supporting step-compliant milling process

STEP standards aims at setting up a standard description method for product data and providing a neutral exchanging mechanism that is independent of all the information processing systems for product information model. STEP Part 21 is the first implementation method from EXPRESS language and implemented successfully in CAD data. However, this text file consists of purely geometrical and topological data is hardly to be applied in machining process planning which requires machining features enriched data. The aim of this research is developing a new methodology to translate the EXPRESS language model of CAD STEP data into a new product data representation and enriched in machining features which is more beneficial to machining process planning. In this research, a target Database Management System (DBMS) was proposed for developing this system by using its fourth-generation tools that allow rapid development of applications through the provision of nonprocedural query language, reports generators, form generators, graphics generators, and application generators. The use of fourth-generation tools can improve productivity significantly and produce program that are easier to maintain. From this research, a new product data representation in a compact new table format is generated. Then this new product data representation has gone through a series of data enrichment process, such as normal face direction generation, edge convexity/concavity determination and machining features with transition feature recognition. Lastly, this new enriched product data representation is verified by generating to a new STEP standard data format which is according to ISO1030-224 standard format and providing an important part of solution for supporting STEP-compliant process planning and applications in milling process

E-Business Models In The Travel Industry

Drawing on recently published data, this report examines some of the trends in travel e-commerce. Using a case study approach, the author examines in detail some of the e-business models impacting on the travel industry both in the Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) markets. Although B2C leisure transactions currently account for just 1% of the value of global travel, there is real potential for future growth. However to be successful both new entrants and existing players will need to ensure their e-business model adds value for the customer, otherwise their position in the value chain will be threatened. The most immediate potential for growth and profitability lies in the B2B market, particularly in the development of vertical portals or community extranets. These are virtual spaces enabling travel buyers and suppliers to trade online. The integration of legacy systems with Internet Protocol (IP) technology is taking place across a range of travel sectors and will provide the platform on which a wide range of e-business applications can be developed. This development will lead to the ultimate catalyst for travel e-business -- the convergence of data (internet), voice (telephone) and video (television)