Agents and the Semantic Web

1
Agents and the Semantic Web

• Knowledge can be encoded on the Semantic Web
• Ontologies include
• Dublin Core
• Hybrid iCal
• VCard
• Typically used for
• meta-data markup (e.g. RSS, Dublin Core)
• semantic query (e.g. Squish Query Language)
• Can be utilized by agents to assist users
• Generate reminders of upcoming registration or
  submission deadlines
• Perform tasks such as booking a flight to a
  conference

2
Events on the Semantic Web

• Calendars, Schedules and Events can be
  represented in RDF
• Events have several properties, including
• Time / Duration
• Attendee Information
• Location
• Description
• Event concepts can refer to existing concepts on
  the SW
• Reuse of semantic information supports reasoning
  and inference
• Interoperability possible between different
  ontologies
• E.g. VCard, DAML-ITTalks FOAF ontologies
• Supports markup of reminders and recurring events
• E.g. Class Schedules!

3
Marking up Events and People in RDF
4
Retsina Semantic Web Calendar Agent
Terry R. Payne, Rahul Singh Katia Sycara

• CMU Response to SWWS2001 Challenge
• Import RDF Schedules into Outlook
• Parses RDF Schedules
• Based on Hybrid iCal Ontology
• Libby Miller (Bristol, UK)
• Michael Arick (UC Santa Cruz)
• Outlook-Agent integration
• RDF Schedules in to Outlook
• using OLE Automation

http//www.daml.ri.cmu.edu/Cal
5
Retsina Semantic Web Calendar Agent

• Allows user to browse SW schedules events
• Displays event, location and attendee information
• Supports additional actions based on available
  information
• E.g. email or visit web page if information is
  available
• Supports serendipitous exploration
• Uses agent discovery (DAML-S) to locate context
  dependent agents
• Imports schedules into MS Outlook
• User can select schedules to import into Outlook
  Calendar
• Can receive KQML requests to autonomously import
  schedule without invoking browser

http//www.daml.ri.cmu.edu/Cal
6
Retsina Semantic Web Calendar Agent
7
Supporting Distributed Meeting Scheduling

• Schedules can be
• Browsed and imported by user
• Shared and imported autonomously by agents
• Assists users in keeping calendar up-to-date
• Higher fidelity model of users schedule
• Minimal cost on the users time
• Supports meeting scheduling
• Calendar Agents negotiate possible meeting times
  based on users schedule and preferences

8
Importing Schedules into MS Outlook