Atsushi Sugiura

Internet scrapbook: automating Web browsing tasks by demonstration

This paper describes a programming-by-demonstration system, called Internet Scrapbook, which allows users with little programming skill to automate repetitive browsing tasks. With the system, the user can create a personal page by clipping only the necessary portions from multiple Web pages. Once the personal page is created, the system updates it on behalf of the user by extracting the specified parts from the latest Web pages. The data extraction method in Scrapbook is based on the regularity in modifications of Web pages, i.e. that headings and positions of articles are rarely changed even though the articles themselves are modified. In the experiments to examine the accuracy of the data extraction algorithm, 96 percent of user-specified portions were correctly extracted.

A user interface using fingerprint recognition: holding commands and data objects on fingers

This paper describes a new user interface, called a fingerprint user interface (FUI), which employs fingerprint recognition. While the unique feature patterns of fingerprints have mainly been used for personal identification, the FUI is unique in that it uses not only the differences among fingerprint patterns of different persons, but also the differences among the ten fingers of a single person. In the FUI, the system identifies the finger that has operated (touched) an input device through pattern matching of fingerprints and it performs the task assigned to the identified finger. Since users are able to specify different tasks by using different fingers, they feel as if commands and data objects were actually held on their fingers.

TimeSlider: an interface to specify time point

This paper introduces TimeSlider, a user interface technique that allows the user to specify time points. TimeSlider is a kind of slider whose time scale is nonlinear and which moves as a user operation. The nonlinearly enables it to display a long time range in a small space, and the movement as a user operation helps the user to specify time points quickly. An example application, in which TimeSlider enabled the user to restore past WWW pages, demonstrated the effectiveness of our technique.

Effective personalization of push-type systems—visualizing information freshness

Abstract This paper discusses an effective personalization method, especially on push-type systems. Many conventional personalization systems rely strictly on personal interests during information presentation, but the “freshness” of information is often as important as the relation to personal preferences. For example, a user who accesses a WWW newspaper several times a day, expects to see fresh articles displayed in prominent positions rather than “hidden” among articles that may be more relevant but that have already been read. This paper therefore presents a novel personalization method incorporating “information freshness” and that is extremely useful for the ever-growing number of push-type systems. Information freshness is indicated by using a perspective representation which shows virtual depth on the screen: fresh articles seem “closer” to the user, while old articles seem farther away. This representation allows us to simultaneously display both the personal relevance and the freshness of the information. We have successfully implemented two applications using this technique: a personalized newspaper service and an easy-to-use scrapbook for Web pages.

Internet scrapbook: creating personalized world wide web pages

This paper describes an information personalization system, called Internet Scrapbook, which enables users to create a personal page by clipping and merging their necessary data gathered from multiple Web pages. Even when the source Web pages are modified, the system updates the personal page, replacing with the latest data extracted from the source pages. Therefore, once a user creates their personal pages, she can browse her necessary information only.

Internet scrapbook: automating Web browsing tasks by programming-by-demonstration

This paper describes an intelligent Web browsing system, called Internet Scrapbook, which allows users with little programming skill to automate their repetitive browsing tasks using a programming-by-demonstration technique. With the system, the user can create a personal page by clipping only the necessary portions from multiple Web pages. Once the personal page is created, the system updates it on behalf of the user by extracting the specified parts from the latest Web pages.

Integration of multiple knowledge representation for classification problems

This paper describes an approach to integrating various knowledge representations for classification problems. Knowledge representation forms have been analysed. The analysis shows that representation suitability depends on a given situation. Therefore, multiple representation form capability and form conversion capability are both necessary to support developing knowledge bases for wide application areas. A classification problem tool, called HOLON/VP(DT), has been developed with the aim of providing experts with the integrated knowledge representation capability. A knowledge base can be represented in a tabular form, a rule form and a tree form. Form conversion can be accomplished at all times. With this integrated representation, an expert is able to build a knowledge base using the most appropriate form.

A web browsing interface for small-screen computers

This paper describes a user interface that facilitates daily Web browsing tasks in small-screen computers. A combination of two techniques, hyperlink prediction and Web data clipping, reduces the number of scrolling operations necessary to display a desired hyperlink on the small screen.

A shopping assistant agent for Web-shops

One of the most important problems of online shops on the World Wide Web is that a site visitor finds it difficult to choose an item to buy unless he or she has sufficient knowledge of that item. In this paper, the authors describe an intelligent software agent that works as a shopping assistant. The agent has knowledge about the merchandise and helps visitors to the shop choose items. The interaction with this agent has three features: (1) two interaction channels (selection and conversation); (2) flexible topic change (the user can trigger a new conversation flow even in the middle of a conversation); and (3) personalized interaction (the interaction is personalized according to user behavior). This agent has been applied to our Web site to help potential buyers of built-to-order (BTO) PCs. Implementation details and user behavior on the above site are described.