From Gerry at mng.org.uk  Mon May  1 03:04:28 2006
From: Gerry at mng.org.uk (Gerry Wolff)
Date: Mon, 01 May 2006 11:04:28 +0100
Subject: [CasC] SP paper accepted for publication
Message-ID: <4455DD2C.3000006@mng.org.uk>

Dear All,

This is to let you know that my paper called "Towards an intelligent
database system founded on the SP theory of computing and cognition" has
finally been accepted for publication in the journal Data & Knowledge
Engineering. It was first submitted in January 2004 and has been through
4 revisions!

A pre-publication copy can be downloaded from
http://www.cognitionresearch.org.uk/papers/dbir/dbir.htm#sp_db_paper .

The abstract for the paper is here:

"The SP theory of computing and cognition, described in previous
publications,is an attractive model for intelligent databases because it
provides a simple but versatile format for different kinds of knowledge,
it has capabilities in artificial intelligence, it can function
effectively in the face of errors in its input data, and it
can function like established database models when that is required.

This paper first describes the SP theory in outline and the computer
models in which it is expressed. The main sections of the paper
describe, with examples from the SP62 computer model, how the SP
framework can emulate other abstract models used in database
applications: the relational model (including retrieval of information
in the manner of query-by-example, creating a join between two or more
tables, and aggregation), object-oriented models (including
class-inclusion hierarchies, part-whole hierarchies and their
integration, inheritance of attributes, cross-classification and
multiple inheritance), and hierarchical and network models (including
discrimination networks). Comparisons are made between the SP model and
those other models.

The artificial intelligence capabilities of the SP model are briefly
reviewed: representation and integration of diverse kinds of knowledge
in one versatile format; fuzzy pattern recognition and recognition at
multiple levels of abstraction; best-match and semantic forms of
information retrieval; various kinds of exact reasoning and
probabilistic reasoning; analysis and production of natural
language; planning; problem solving; and unsupervised learning. Also
considered are ways in which current prototypes may be translated into
an `industrial strength' working system."

I am rather excited about this paper because I believe that the SP model
can serve as the foundation for data processing applications in much the
same way as the relational model but it should have several advantages
compared with the relational model. In broad terms, those advantages are
greater simplicity in data processing applications and more
'intelligence' (eg capabilities for 'fuzzy' recognition of entities at
multiple levels of abstraction and capabilities for reasoning, automatic
learning, and others).

As usual, comments and suggestions will be very welcome.

With best wishes,

Gerry