Creating New Pathways to Justice Using Simple Artificial Intelligence and Online Dispute Resolution

Access to justice in can be improved significantly through implementation of simple artificial intelligence (AI) based expert systems deployed within a broader online dispute resolution (ODR) framework. Simple expert systems can bridge the ‘implementation gap’ that continues to impede the adoption of AI in the justice domain. This gap can be narrowed further through the design of multi-disciplinary expert systems that address user needs through simple, non-legalistic user interfaces. This article provides a non-technical conceptual description of an expert system designed to enhance access to justice for non-experts. The system’s knowledge base would be populated with expert knowledge from the justice and dispute resolution domains. A conditional logic rule-based system forms the basis of the inference engine located between the knowledge base and a questionnaire-based user interface. The expert system’s functions include problem diagnosis, delivery of customized information, self-help support, triage and streaming into subsequent ODR processes. Its usability is optimized through the engagement of human computer interaction (HCI) and effective computing techniques that engage the social and emotional sides of technology. The conceptual descriptions offered in this article draw support from empirical observations of an innovative project aimed at creating an expert system for an ODR-enabled civil justice tribunal

Creating New Pathways to Justice Using Simple Artificial Intelligence and Online Dispute Resolution

Access to justice in can be improved significantly through implementation of simple artificial intelligence (AI) based expert systems deployed within a broader online dispute resolution (ODR) framework. Simple expert systems can bridge the ‘implementation gap’ that continues to impede the adoption of AI in the justice domain. This gap can be narrowed further through the design of multi-disciplinary expert systems that address user needs through simple, non-legalistic user interfaces. This article provides a non-technical conceptual description of an expert system designed to enhance access to justice for non-experts. The system’s knowledge base would be populated with expert knowledge from the justice and dispute resolution domains. A conditional logic rule-based system forms the basis of the inference engine located between the knowledge base and a questionnaire-based user interface. The expert system’s functions include problem diagnosis, delivery of customized information, self-help support, triage and streaming into subsequent ODR processes. Its usability is optimized through the engagement of human computer interaction (HCI) and effective computing techniques that engage the social and emotional sides of technology. The conceptual descriptions offered in this article draw support from empirical observations of an innovative project aimed at creating an expert system for an ODR-enabled civil justice tribunal

The Internet as a Site of Legal Education and Collaboration Across Continents and Time Zones: Using Online Dispute Resolution as a Tool for Student Learning

Increasingly, digital technologies are influencing and impacting dispute resolution, particularly in the emerging field of online dispute resolution (ODR). ODR holds the potential to increase access to justice by engaging disputants in dramatically new ways. As a relatively new subject, ODR is unlikely to form part of the traditional curriculum at law schools. Aside from the question of whether it will become a mainstream part of tomorrow’s legal or dispute resolution landscape, ODR does show us that a familiarity with technology is becoming more important for tomorrow’s lawyers. As educators, how can we expose law students to these new forces of change in a meaningful way? How can we help students understand the benefits and drawbacks technology holds for the challenge of access to justice? This article describes a unique pilot project of an ODR simulation involving three universities in three cities, two continents, and three time zones. The main objectives of the project were to expose law students to ODR from the perspective of a disputant or client; expose clinical mediation students to a range of technology-based dispute resolution processes; demonstrate the potential for technology to support collaboration across vast distances; and promote experiential education by giving students “hands-on” ODR experience. This article will describe the simulation from an educator’s perspective

ELECTROMAGNETICBEAMDIRECTING MEANS-SAMPLEANALYSS SYSTEM STAGE, AND METHOD OF USE

Disclosed is an electromagnetic beam directing means for use with sample analysis systems, such as reflectometers, ellipsometers and polarimeters and the like, use of which facilitates investigation of sample systems which are not mounted to a sample analysis system sample system supporting stage. The present invention eliminates the requirement of extensive sample analysis system component realignment when alternatingly performing analysis of sample systems mounted upon, and mounted other than upon, a sample analysis system sample system supporting stage

Riparian plant biodiversity reduces stream channel migration rates in three rivers in Michigan, U.S.A.

Recent work has shown that the biodiversity of organisms can influence geophysical processes such as the transport of streambed sediments and the erosion of soils. Yet most of this work has been conducted in smallâ scale fluvial system mimics, demonstrating a clear need to investigate the relationship between biodiversity and erosion in natural systems. We conducted an observational field study across 3 rivers in forested watersheds in northern Michigan, U.S.A., quantifying streambank retreat rates using aerial photos and measuring riparian plant community biodiversity and abundance. We hypothesized that more diverse riparian plant communities would produce greater woody plant stem density and basal area, which in turn would reduce erosion rates of streambanks due to increased root production. We used structural equation modelling to compare causal networks using plant biodiversity metrics to predict streambank migration rate indirectly through effects on plant abundance, as well as models that used migration rate to predict plant abundance indirectly through effects on plant biodiversity. Although structural equation models explained both causal pathways successfully, models using biodiversity to predict migration rate were a better fit to data than models that used migration rate to predict plant biodiversity and abundance. The best performing models suggested plant biodiversity was indirectly negatively correlated with erosion rate (average standardized path coefficient = â 0.22), after accounting for environmental differences between sites. This work adds to a growing body of evidence indicating that biodiversity can modify geophysical processes, demonstrating the need to explicitly account for biological variation when considering ecogeomorphic feedbacks.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144301/1/eco1972_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144301/2/eco1972.pd

Kepler-68: Three Planets, One With a Density Between That of Earth and Ice Giants

NASA's Kepler Mission has revealed two transiting planets orbiting Kepler-68. Follow-up Doppler measurements have established the mass of the innermost planet and revealed a third jovian-mass planet orbiting beyond the two transiting planets. Kepler-68b, in a 5.4 day orbit has mass 8.3 +/- 2.3 Earth, radius 2.31 +/- 0.07 Earth radii, and a density of 3.32 +/- 0.92 (cgs), giving Kepler-68b a density intermediate between that of the ice giants and Earth. Kepler-68c is Earth-sized with a radius of 0.953 Earth and transits on a 9.6 day orbit; validation of Kepler-68c posed unique challenges. Kepler-68d has an orbital period of 580 +/- 15 days and minimum mass of Msin(i) = 0.947 Jupiter. Power spectra of the Kepler photometry at 1-minute cadence exhibit a rich and strong set of asteroseismic pulsation modes enabling detailed analysis of the stellar interior. Spectroscopy of the star coupled with asteroseismic modeling of the multiple pulsation modes yield precise measurements of stellar properties, notably Teff = 5793 +/- 74 K, M = 1.079 +/- 0.051 Msun, R = 1.243 +/- 0.019 Rsun, and density 0.7903 +/- 0.0054 (cgs), all measured with fractional uncertainties of only a few percent. Models of Kepler-68b suggest it is likely composed of rock and water, or has a H and He envelope to yield its density of about 3 (cgs).Comment: 32 pages, 13 figures, Accepted to Ap

Planetary Candidates Observed by Kepler IV: Planet Sample From Q1-Q8 (22 Months)

We provide updates to the Kepler planet candidate sample based upon nearly two years of high-precision photometry (i.e., Q1-Q8). From an initial list of nearly 13,400 Threshold Crossing Events (TCEs), 480 new host stars are identified from their flux time series as consistent with hosting transiting planets. Potential transit signals are subjected to further analysis using the pixel-level data, which allows background eclipsing binaries to be identified through small image position shifts during transit. We also re-evaluate Kepler Objects of Interest (KOI) 1-1609, which were identified early in the mission, using substantially more data to test for background false positives and to find additional multiple systems. Combining the new and previous KOI samples, we provide updated parameters for 2,738 Kepler planet candidates distributed across 2,017 host stars. From the combined Kepler planet candidates, 472 are new from the Q1-Q8 data examined in this study. The new Kepler planet candidates represent ~40% of the sample with Rp~1 Rearth and represent ~40% of the low equilibrium temperature (Teq<300 K) sample. We review the known biases in the current sample of Kepler planet candidates relevant to evaluating planet population statistics with the current Kepler planet candidate sample.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, Accepted ApJ Supplemen

Planetary Candidates Observed by Kepler. VIII. A Fully Automated Catalog With Measured Completeness and Reliability Based on Data Release 25

We present the Kepler Object of Interest (KOI) catalog of transiting exoplanets based on searching four years of Kepler time series photometry (Data Release 25, Q1-Q17). The catalog contains 8054 KOIs of which 4034 are planet candidates with periods between 0.25 and 632 days. Of these candidates, 219 are new and include two in multi-planet systems (KOI-82.06 and KOI-2926.05), and ten high-reliability, terrestrial-size, habitable zone candidates. This catalog was created using a tool called the Robovetter which automatically vets the DR25 Threshold Crossing Events (TCEs, Twicken et al. 2016). The Robovetter also vetted simulated data sets and measured how well it was able to separate TCEs caused by noise from those caused by low signal-to-noise transits. We discusses the Robovetter and the metrics it uses to sort TCEs. For orbital periods less than 100 days the Robovetter completeness (the fraction of simulated transits that are determined to be planet candidates) across all observed stars is greater than 85%. For the same period range, the catalog reliability (the fraction of candidates that are not due to instrumental or stellar noise) is greater than 98%. However, for low signal-to-noise candidates between 200 and 500 days around FGK dwarf stars, the Robovetter is 76.7% complete and the catalog is 50.5% reliable. The KOI catalog, the transit fits and all of the simulated data used to characterize this catalog are available at the NASA Exoplanet Archive.Comment: 61 pages, 23 Figures, 9 Tables, Accepted to The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Serie