Dictionaries merger for text expansion in question answering

This paper presents an original way to add new data in a reference dictionary from several other lexical resources, without loosing any consistence. This operation is carried in order to get lexical information classified by the sense of the entry. This classification makes it possible to enrich utterances (in QA: the queries) following the meaning, and to reduce noise. An analysis of the experienced problems shows the interest of this method, and insists on the points that have to be tackled.Comment: 4 p

A derivational rephrasing experiment for question answering

In Knowledge Management, variations in information expressions have proven a real challenge. In particular, classical semantic relations (e.g. synonymy) do not connect words with different parts-of-speech. The method proposed tries to address this issue. It consists in building a derivational resource from a morphological derivation tool together with derivational guidelines from a dictionary in order to store only correct derivatives. This resource, combined with a syntactic parser, a semantic disambiguator and some derivational patterns, helps to reformulate an original sentence while keeping the initial meaning in a convincing manner This approach has been evaluated in three different ways: the precision of the derivatives produced from a lemma; its ability to provide well-formed reformulations from an original sentence, preserving the initial meaning; its impact on the results coping with a real issue, ie a question answering task . The evaluation of this approach through a question answering system shows the pros and cons of this system, while foreshadowing some interesting future developments

Automatic in-orbit assembly of large space structures

The automated assembly of a large number of components required for the on-orbit erection of large tetrahedral space platforms is described. The assembly machine is a huge jig in which a multitude of mechanisms must operated continuously in the thermo vacuum environment of space and under the control of computers programmed to command every step of each motion. The concepts are presented to determine the most reliable solution. Continuous operation of mechanisms in space presents many unresolved problems, with regard to lubrication of unprotected devices, such as chain drives, which must maintain reasonable positioning tolerances

Drag-compensated, precision-powered hinge system

The design of a high precision powered hinge is complicated by the unavoidable presence of parasitic drag torque resulting mainly from friction and transfer of power, signals, and fluids across the hinge. Regardless of the type of drive system selected, it is impossible to completely eliminate all parasitic drag. However, the mechanism described here comes very close to providing a drag free system. All sources of parasitic drag torque are collected on a shaft which is powered by an electric motor independent of the main hinge drive. Under control of a sensor, the electric motor applies a compensating torque equal to that of the parasitic drag torque, allowing the main hinge drive to operate in a practically drag free environment with very high positioning precision

Life cycle assessment (LCA) applied to the process industry: a review

Purpose : Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is a well-established analytical method to quantify environmental impacts, which has been mainly applied to products. However, recent literature would suggest that it has also the potential as an analysis and design tool for processes, and stresses that one of the biggest challenges of this decade in the field of process systems engineering (PSE) is the development of tools for environmental considerations. Method : This article attempts to give an overview of the integration of LCA methodology in the context of industrial ecology, and focuses on the use of this methodology for environmental considerations concerning process design and optimization. Results : The review identifies that LCA is often used as a multi-objective optimization of processes: practitioners use LCA to obtain the inventory and inject the results into the optimization model. It also shows that most of the LCA studies undertaken on process analysis consider the unit processes as black boxes and build the inventory analysis on fixed operating conditions. Conclusions : The article highlights the interest to better assimilate PSE tools with LCA methodology, in order to produce a more detailed analysis. This will allow optimizing the influence of process operating conditions on environmental impacts and including detailed environmental results into process industry

La epistemología de la filosofía según José Blanco Regueira

Esta reflexión surgió al leer el libro intitulado Diferir y comenzar del año de 1987. Para iniciar, el autor lanza la pregunta que tanto entre filósofos como entre los intelectuales de cualquier disciplina nos formulamos: ¿Qué es la filosofía? Y precisa sugiriendo que nos preguntemos acerca del objeto de este saber. Estas preguntas, nos dice, son ingenuas y nacen en un medio en el que el mundo no ha sido cuestionado, tampoco el discurso que sobre el cosmos se estructura ha sido analizado y criticado. Recordemos que para que exista un conocimiento deben existir tanto el sujeto que va a conocer como el objeto por conocerse. Las preguntas iniciales no siempre toman en consideración este planteamiento y suponen, sin demostración, que este objeto exterior existe y que este objeto es diferente del sujeto sin lo cual no podría hablarse de conocimiento. Además, debemos tener la certeza de que este objeto será el mismo y que su esencia siempre será cognoscible

Fenomenología de la no-violencia

La no-violencia es una filosofía de la vida inscrita en la historia de la humanidad. Es también un proceso político social cuando se trata de derribar una injusticia. Gandhi en la época moderna dio la forma que le conocemos hoy. Esta fase de desarrollo de dicha sabiduría ha sido superada en el mundo occidental tomando así el relevo del pensamiento de la India. Para nosotros hoy es importante continuar esta labor de profundización de los elementos que componen esta visión del mundo. Por esta razón, con base en el método fenomenológico creado por Husserl, tratamos de reconocer todas las características de la no-violencia

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin y Gandhi ante la no-violencia

La obra de Teilhard de Chardin puede aplicarse a la no-violencia. La teoría de laevolución de Teilhard es un referente importante en su heterodoxia inicial para valorar esta otraheterodoxia de la no-violencia gandhiana. La no-violencia es una filosofía de la vida que alcanzatodo el universo. Al referirnos a Gandhi pretendemos hacer que transite la humanidad de unacultura de guerra a una cultura de no-violencia. Reflexión válida tanto para Teilhard y suevolución del hombre como para Gandhi en su búsqueda de la verdad liberadora. Algunos hanapuntado el optimismo ingenuo de Teilhard. El retorno a la rueca en Gandhi (otra "ingenuidad")parece ser la puesta en práctica anunciada por Teilhard. La ética que encontramos en Teilhardcomo la que Gandhi siguió es una ética de la renuncia o del límite autoimpuesto