BusTUC Natural Language Bus Route Oracle

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BusTUC- Natural Language Bus Route Oracle

• Why, What, How
• Results Consequences
• Research Methodology

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The Paper

• Written by Tore Amble
• Field Natural Language (NL)
• First talk at ANLP-NAACL 2000
• Covers the history of The Understanding
  Computer (TUC)
• And BusTUC in particular

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Research Methodology

• Proof of Existence (Usefulness)
• Proof of Concept/Performance ?
• Research Goals for TUC
• Give Computers an Operational Understanding of NL
• Build Intelligent systems with NL capability
• Study common sense reasoning in NL

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1. Why

• Natural Language (NL) is Natural
• Bring NL into practical use
• Free Users from Computer Thinking
• Automate Telephone Agent

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2. What

• Built from a geography program
• Chat-80, PRAT-89
• TUC
• General NL application
• TABOR (speech based UI systems)
• BusTUC was an offspring, 1996

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3. How

• Prolog
• 35.000 lines
• Parser System
• Dictionary, Grammar etc
• Knowledge Base
• Semantic, Application

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4. Results

• New Technology Emerged
• Internet, cell phones, SMS
• Speech recognition lagged behind
• Web-version successfully in use
• 200 questions per day
• 2 error rate on single, correct, complete and
  relevant questions.

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5. Consequences

• Proof of existence confirmed for NL
• System sold to Team Traffic
• New project offspring
• SMS (send team question to 1939)
• Research to be done in the speech recognition labs

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Conclusion

• Success story