Contributions of formal language theory to the study of dialogues

For more than 30 years, the problem of providing a formal framework for modeling dialogues has been a topic of great interest for the scientific areas of Linguistics, Philosophy, Cognitive Science, Formal Languages, Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. In the beginning the goal was to develop a "conversational computer", an automated system that could engage in a conversation in the same way as humans do. After studies showed the difficulties of achieving this goal Formal Language Theory and Artificial Intelligence have contributed to Dialogue Theory with the study and simulation of machine to machine and human to machine dialogues inspired by Linguistic studies of human interactions. The aim of our thesis is to propose a formal approach for the study of dialogues. Our work is an interdisciplinary one that connects theories and results in Dialogue Theory mainly from Formal Language Theory, but also from another areas like Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics and Multiprogramming. We contribute to Dialogue Theory by introducing a hierarchy of formal frameworks for the definition of protocols for dialogue interaction. Each framework defines a transition system in which dialogue protocols might be uniformly expressed and compared. The frameworks we propose are based on finite state transition systems and Grammar systems from Formal Language Theory and a multi-agent language for the specification of dialogue protocols from Artificial Intelligence. Grammar System Theory is a subfield of Formal Language Theory that studies how several (a finite number) of language defining devices (language processors or grammars) jointly develop a common symbolic environment (a string or a finite set of strings) by the application of language operations (for instance rewriting rules). For the frameworks we propose we study some of their formal properties, we compare their expressiveness, we investigate their practical application in Dialogue Theory and we analyze their connection with theories of human-like conversation from Linguistics. In addition we contribute to Grammar System Theory by proposing a new approach for the verification and derivation of Grammar systems. We analyze possible advantages of interpreting grammars as multiprograms that are susceptible of verification and derivation using the Owicki-Gries logic, a Hoare-based logic from the Multiprogramming field

Integración de los estándares UML y WfMC para el modelado de workflows

Un proceso de negocio es un conjunto de tareas lógicamente relacionadas que se ejecutan para obtener un cierto resultado de negocio. Un proceso de negocio incluye tanto recursos humanos como materiales. Los procesos de negocio pueden ser controlados y administrados por un sistema basado en software, proceso de negocio automatizado de esta manera se denomina workflow. Esta automatización resulta en una importante potenciación de las virtudes de dicho proceso. La WfMC (Workflow Management Coalition) surge con el fin de establecer una estandarización que permita la interoperabilidad de las diversas implementaciones de workflows. El estándar propuesto incluye un metamodelo de los procesos de workflow (Metamodelo Workflow) y un lenguaje (WPDL) de especificación textual de procesos. Por otro lado, tenemos la notación UML (Unified Model Language) cuyo uso es ampliamente difundido y aceptado a lo largo de todo el ciclo de desarrollo de sistemas de software, y que, a través de sus diagramas de actividades, puede ser utilizada en el modelado de procesos de negocio. El poder expresivo del metamodelo Grafos de Actividades de UML resulta menor que el del Metamodelo Workflow. Ambos metamodelos permiten el modelado de los mismos conceptos, con la diferencia de que el metamodelo Workflow ofrece un mayor nivel de detalle. En esta línea de investigación proponemos una integración del metamodelo de Grafos de Actividades de UML para igualarlo con el Metamodelo Workflow haciendo posible la integración de ambos estándares.Eje: Ingeniería de SoftwareRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Integración de los estándares UML y WfMC para el modelado de workflows

Un proceso de negocio es un conjunto de tareas lógicamente relacionadas que se ejecutan para obtener un cierto resultado de negocio. Un proceso de negocio incluye tanto recursos humanos como materiales. Los procesos de negocio pueden ser controlados y administrados por un sistema basado en software, proceso de negocio automatizado de esta manera se denomina workflow. Esta automatización resulta en una importante potenciación de las virtudes de dicho proceso. La WfMC (Workflow Management Coalition) surge con el fin de establecer una estandarización que permita la interoperabilidad de las diversas implementaciones de workflows. El estándar propuesto incluye un metamodelo de los procesos de workflow (Metamodelo Workflow) y un lenguaje (WPDL) de especificación textual de procesos. Por otro lado, tenemos la notación UML (Unified Model Language) cuyo uso es ampliamente difundido y aceptado a lo largo de todo el ciclo de desarrollo de sistemas de software, y que, a través de sus diagramas de actividades, puede ser utilizada en el modelado de procesos de negocio. El poder expresivo del metamodelo Grafos de Actividades de UML resulta menor que el del Metamodelo Workflow. Ambos metamodelos permiten el modelado de los mismos conceptos, con la diferencia de que el metamodelo Workflow ofrece un mayor nivel de detalle. En esta línea de investigación proponemos una integración del metamodelo de Grafos de Actividades de UML para igualarlo con el Metamodelo Workflow haciendo posible la integración de ambos estándares.Eje: Ingeniería de SoftwareRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Owicki-Gries Theory: A Possible Way of Relating Grammar Systems to Concurrent Programs

The aim of this paper is to show how grammar systems and concurrent programs might be viewed as related models for distributed and cooperating computation. We argue that it is possible to translate a grammar system into a concurrent program, where the Owicki-Gries theory and other tools available in the programming framework can be used. The converse translation is also possible and this turns out to be useful when we are looking for a grammar system that can generate a given language. In order to show this we use tools from concurrent programming theory to prove that Lcd = {anbmcndm | n,m ≥ 1} can be generated by a non-returning Parallel Communicating grammar system with three regular components. We show that this strategy can be helpful in the construction of grammar systems that generate strings in less time and more eciently. We also discuss the absence of strategies in the concurrent programming theory to prove that Lcd can be generated by any Parallel Communicating grammar system with two regular components

Specifying Protocols for Knowledge Transfer and Action Restriction in Multiagent Systems

In this paper we present the MAP language for expressing knowledge transfer and action restriction between agents in multiagent systems. Our approach is founded on the definition of patterns of dialogues between groups of agents, expressed as protocols. Our protocols are flexible and directly executable. Furthermore, our language allow us to specify the connection between communication and knowledge transfer in a way that is independent of the specific reasoning techniques used

The MAP^a Language of Agent Dialogues

In this paper we present the MAP language for expressing coordination and communication between agents in multiagent systems. This is accomplished by defining patterns of dialogues between groups of agents, expressed as protocols. Our protocols are flexible and directly executable. Furthermore, our language allow us to specify the connection between communication and knowledge management in a way that is independent of the specific reasoning techniques used

Scoping review of data privacy risks in COVID-19 apps with digital vaccination certifications

The goal was to review mobile apps with COVID-19 digital vaccination certificates between November 2022 and March 2023 and evaluate: (a) compliance with the WHO Proof of Vaccination Scenario requirements, (b) risk levels of app permissions using a Permission Accumulated Risk Score (PARS), and (c) readability and transparency of the app's privacy policies using a Privacy Transparency Index (PTI) score. We found 49 mobile apps with COVID-19 digital vaccination certificates from across 32 countries. Most apps were developed by governments (37/49, 75.51%). We discovered a high positive correlation between the country-wide app total installs and the people vaccinated with at least one dose in the country (r = 0.93, P  = <.001). Most apps (97.96%) had sources of information available for compliance with WHO Proof of Vaccination Scenario requirements. Only two apps included all the required data items, while most apps (75%) included five or more data out of nine items. We found that most (97.96%) apps had a Google Play link to generate the Exodus platform permission report, and most (95.92%) apps had an associated privacy policy available. We identified 80 unique permissions; some (23.75%) were dangerous or special. We also found 28 types of trackers. The average PARS was 28.58 (IQR 23.25, range 15–38.25). Most of the apps’ privacy policies documents were difficult or very difficult to read (median grade level 14, IQR 2.6, range 13–15.6). The average PTI was 50.43 (SD 14.73; range 22.5–75). In conclusion, higher compliance with the WHO Proof of Vaccination Scenario requirements is desirable to support interoperability. Developers should limit the number of permissions for essential needs and disclose their purpose. Developers should write privacy policies that a wider audience can understand

MAP^a: a Language for Modelling Conversations in Agent Environments

In this paper we present the MAP language for expressing dialogues in multiagent systems. This is accomplished by defining patterns of communication between groups of agents, expressed by protocols. Our language is directly implementable and allows to specify the connection between communication and knowledge management in a way that is independent of the specific reasoning techniques used. Here we introduce MAP formal syntax and we point out added features with respect to its predecessor, the MAP language

Integración de los meta-modelos de Workflow y UML

La identificación y el modelado de los procesos de negocio son de gran importancia en el desarrollo de cualquier industria. Las tecnologías Workflow, que comenzaron a tomar empuje a mediados de la década pasada, apuntan a la automatización total o parcial del proceso de negocio. Actualmente existe un estándar, propuesto por al WfWC (Workflow Management Coalition) para el modelado y especificación de procesos: la gramática de WPDL (Workflow Process Definition Language). Dentro del estándar de UML (Unified Modeling Language), propuesto por la OMG (Object Management Group), se utilizan los Diagramas de Actividades para el modelado de procesos pero, aunque cubren aspectos fundamentales, existen detalles que estos diagramas no alcanzan a modelar. Esta línea de investigación propone una extensión al meta-modelo de grafo de actividades de UML para equipar su poder expresivo con el de WPDL y permitir cumplir el estándar de Workflow.Eje: Ingeniería de Software y Base de DatosRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI