Onebox: Free-Text Interfaces as an Alternative to Complex Web Forms

This paper investigates the problem of translating free-text\ud queries into key-value pairs as an alternative means for searching `behind' web forms. We introduce a novel specication language for specifying free-text interfaces, and report the results of a user study where we evaluated our prototype in a travel planner scenario. Our results show that users prefer this free-text interface over the original web form and that they are about 9% faster on average at completing their search tasks

An intelligent user interface for browsing satellite data catalogs

A large scale domain-independent spatial data management expert system that serves as a front-end to databases containing spatial data is described. This system is unique for two reasons. First, it uses spatial search techniques to generate a list of all the primary keys that fall within a user's spatial constraints prior to invoking the database management system, thus substantially decreasing the amount of time required to answer a user's query. Second, a domain-independent query expert system uses a domain-specific rule base to preprocess the user's English query, effectively mapping a broad class of queries into a smaller subset that can be handled by a commercial natural language processing system. The methods used by the spatial search module and the query expert system are explained, and the system architecture for the spatial data management expert system is described. The system is applied to data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite, and results are given

An Advanced Natural Language Interface to Databases

Database management systems have been widely used for storing and retrieving data. However, databases are difficult to use and there interface is complex and the same is difficult to access. To make it easy for a user to retrieve data, an interface is developed in which a database can be accessed by a user through querying in Hindi language and to get the result in same language. In order to develop an improved Hindi language graphical user interface to database management system. The proposed system can handle single and multiple columns retrieval queries, selection of whole table, conditional queries (between, in), join queries and queries that include nested, functions and logical operators. Since a user should not be able to update or delete data from database so the user is suggest on selection queries

Opening Access To Practice-based Evidence in Clinical Decision Support Systems with Natural Query Language

Evidence-based medicine can be effective only if constantly tested against errors in medical practice. Clinical record database summarization supported by a machine allows allow to detect anomalies and therefore help detect the errors in early phases of care. Summarization system is a part of Clinical Decision Support Systems however it cannot be used directly by the stakeholder as long as s/he is not able to query the clinical record database. Natural Query Languages allow opening access to data for clinical practitioners, that usually do not have knowledge about articial query languages. Results: We have developed general purpose reporting system called Ask Data Anything (ADA) that we applied to a particular CDSS implementation. As a result, we obtained summarization system that opens the access for these of clinical researchers that were excluded from the meaningful summary of clinical records stored in a given clinical database. The most significant part of the component - NQL parser - is a hybrid of Controlled Natural Language (CNL) and pattern matching with a prior error repair phase. Equipped with reasoning capabilities due to the intensive use of semantic technologies, our hybrid approach allows one to use very simple, keyword-based (even erroneous) queries as well as complex CNL ones with the support of a predictive editor. By using ADA sophisticated summarizations of clinical data are produced as a result of NQL query execution. In this paper, we will present the main ideas underlying ADA component in the context of CDSS

USER MISCONCEPTIONS OF INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS

In this paper, we report results of an investigation where thirty subjects were observed performing subject-based search in an online catalog system. The observations have revealed a range of misconceptions users have when performing subject-based search. We have developed a taxonomy that characterizes these misconceptions and hypotheses about the causes of the misconceptions. Directions for improving search performance are also suggested.Information Systems Working Papers Serie