I am also very interested into application of agent research in other areas,
for
example databases. Are there any groups concerned with such activities?
In the database area, the query optimization springs to mind as a possible
application area. Is this done/possible?
Jacek
There are several groups working on so called "information gathering
agents", and related issues.
Here at Bell Labs we're developing a system called "Information
Manifold" whose goal is to integrate information from multiple
sources, including sources available on the Internet.
Craig Knoblock's work in USC/ISI has developed the SIMS system with
similar goals.
Both groups are interested in how these systems integrate with
databases and database technology.
I'll be happy to send you a few papers if you like.
Next spring, Craig Knoblock and I are running a workshop on exactly
this topic as part of the AAAI-95 spring symposium at Stanford
University. I'm attaching the CFP below.
Cheers,
Alon Levy
AT&T Bell Laboratories,
Artificial Intelligence Principles Department,
Room 2C-406,
600 Mountain Avenue,
Murray Hill, NJ, 07974,
Information Gathering from Heterogeneous, Distributed Environments
AAAI-95 Spring Symposium, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
March 27-29, 1995.
We are currently witnessing an explosion in the amount of information
that is available from various sources, such as the Internet. Along
with the rise in the number of information sources, there is also a
growing number of systems and protocols for providing user friendly
browsing of this information (e.g., Mosaic provides access to
databases, text files, images, and other multimedia sources).
Although browsing is an important form of obtaining information, it is
a limited, and often time-consuming form of interaction. A challenge
to Artificial Intelligence researchers is to develop techniques for
providing better access to the wealth of available information. The
purpose of this workshop is to bring together researchers working on
topics relating to information gathering in heterogeneous and
distributed environments. Specifically, will discuss the
challenges in providing intelligent and efficient access to this
information. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to the following:
- -- Knowledge representation (e.g., what meta-data to represent about
information sources, and how to represent such data).
- -- Reasoning (e.g., query languages, efficient query answering
algorithms, processing to reduce the volume of retrieved data, and
increase the information content for the retriever, by means of
abstraction and summarization).
- -- Planning (e.g., generating plans for accessing information sources,
interleaving planning and execution, dealing with incomplete information).
- -- Learning (e.g., learning about the contents of information sources).
- -- Knowledge sharing (e.g., languages and protocols for communicating
knowledge about information sources, acquiring knowledge from
users or other systems).
- -- Distributed AI (e.g., coordination and control of agents for
accessing information sources)
Persons wishing to make presentations at the workshop should submit
short abstracts (up to 5 pages, 12pt font) describing their work and
its relevance to the workshop. Papers will be required to emphasize
how their work is particularly relevant to information gathering.
Persons wishing only to attend the workshop should submit a 1-2 page
research summary including a list of relevant publications. There will
be a fall symposium on AI and Knowledge Navigation, which will focus
on browsing, indexing, navigation, and user interfaces for large
information spaces. Work on these topics should be sent to the fall
symposium.
Submissions should be sent as follows. Authors should send to one of the
co-chairs (knoblock@isi.edu or levy@research.att.com) the network
address from which a postscript version of their paper can be
retrieved (i.e., host, directory and file names). Authors who cannot
make their papers available in that way should send postscript files
by email, or 5 paper copies to:
Craig Knoblock,
AAAI Spring Symposium
USC/Information Sciences Institute
4676 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292.
Organizing Committee:
Craig Knoblock (Co-Chair), USC Information Sciences Institute
Alon Levy (Co-Chair), AT&T Bell Laboratories
Su-Shing Chen, National Science Foundation
Gio Wiederhold, Stanford University
Program Committee:
Ronald Brachman, AT&T Bell Laboratories
Robin Burke, University of Chicago
Oren Etzioni, University of Washington
Robert Kahn, Corporation for National Research Initiatives
Yoav Shoham, Stanford University