Graham Mann

The Advanced Data Acquisition Model (ADAM): A Process Model for Digital Forensic Practice

As with other types of evidence, the courts make no presumption that digital evidence is reliable without some evidence of empirical testing in relation to the theories and techniques associated with its production. The issue of reliability means that courts pay close attention to the manner in which electronic evidence has been obtained and in particular the process in which the data is captured and stored. Previous process models have tended to focus on one particular area of digital forensic practice, such as law enforcement, and have not incorporated a formal description. We contend that this approach has prevented the establishment of generally accepted standards and processes that are urgently needed in the domain of digital forensics. This paper presents a generic process model as a step towards developing such a generally-accepted standard for a fundamental digital forensic activity-the acquisition of digital evidence.

A Relational Goal-Seeking Agent using Conceptual Graphs

A goal-seeking, satisficing, rational agent using conceptual graphs is described. A particular theoretical stance on the use of case roles has enabled goals, observations, actions and surface-level language parses to be represented in a common conceptual form, permitting fruitful interactions. The agent is demonstrated to be capable of choosing from its repertoire only those actions which are likely to satisfy its goals and which are appropriate with respect to its observations of the world. A detailed action specification, instantiated with local detail from world observations, is activated and an appropriately parameterised demon is called. The ability to use natural language parses to inform action specification is being added. The agent is being developed to serve a natural language understanding navigation system capable of obeying human instructions to traverse maps of the physical world.

Assembly of Conceptual Graphs from Natural Language by Means of Multiple Knowledge Specialists

A method of generating conceptual graphs representing the meanings of real natural language texts is advanced. Three language specialists are employed, each of which may make a contribution to the final conceptual structure. A syntactic specialist trys to assemble a graph by maximally joining graphs accumulated while recursively ascending a phrase structure tree from a syntactic parser. A semantic specialist trys to fill thematic role slots in template graphs by the successive application of selectional constraints to alternatives. A pragmatic specialist trys to classify text according to its intended purpose as a speech act, and handle idioms. Methods of deciding between policies for controlling the specialists and integrating the contributions of the language specialists, to be used by a control specialist, are described. An implementation capable of handling real direction texts for physical navigation is under development.

Opportunities for Enhanced Robot Control along the Adjustable Autonomy Scale

As we move along the scale of adjustable autonomy for the control of robots from direct teleoperation at one extreme to full automation at the other, several opportunities for improvement in control quality, user feedback and machine learning suggest themselves. We describe three experiments, in telerobotics, the provision of situational awareness, and the acquisition of knowledge for automation from the human operator, and explain our concept of explicit, assigned responsibility as an organising principle for flexible work-sharing between humans and robots. A novel design for an interface based on this principle is outlined.

A Machine That Daydreams

Some aspects of human cognitive processing across experiential cases in episodic memory seem quite different from conventional artificial reasoning by logical rules, such as that seen in CBR systems. One difference is that in humans, linkages between particular experiences can apparently be made in a number of qualitatively different ways, forming recollective chains of memories along different dimensions. Data-driven, creative, free-association from one memory to the next does not appear to be economically described by rules. Efforts to enable computers to deal with cultural content such as narratives in new ways could benefit from sequential indexing of this kind, provided that the conceptual representations are rich enough, and that a way can be found of modeling the emotional impact each elicits.A conceptual-graph-based FGP (Fetch, Generalise, Project) machine using a knowledgebase of archetypical narratives enhanced with affect is described, which demonstrates how such emotive “memory-walks” can be computed.

Digital television, personal video recorders and convergence in the Australian home

Out of the confusion of delivery technologies for domestic digital video, the function of a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) that has a content management system based on an electronic program guide emerges as a key component of a home entertainment system. Serving as a content manager for video broadcasts for free-to-air and pay-TV, PVRs can automatically record, sort, schedule, store and integrate video material from different sources in a convenient, easy-to-use and timely fashion. Devices with PVR functionality are still not yet in widespread use in Australian homes, but are the increasing subject of pioneering commercial enterprise, innovative experimentation and open-source community development. The concept of a MADE system is introduced as a system with converged functionality for Media, Automation, Data, and Entertainment. This paper describes and compares three systems with PVR functionality and evaluates their current and future roles as a component for MADE systems in Australia: the TiVo appliance, the MythTV open source software for Linux; and a Topfield set top box using IceGuide. The drivers for and threats to the convergence of functionality towards a MADE system are also considered.

Rational and Effective Linking Across Conceptual Cases - without Rules

Human reasoning across experiential cases in episodic memory seems quite different from conventional artificial reasoning with conceptual representations by systematically manipulating them according to logical rules. One difference is that in humans linkages between particular experiences can apparently be made in a number of qualitatively different ways, forming recollective chains along different dimensions. For example, watching one movie may recall another which had a similar ending, cinematography, or common actors. It may also recall an otherwise unrelated movie which produced the same emotional impact. These linkages do not appear to be economically or simply described by rules. Yet case-based reasoning systems could benefit from sequential indexing of this kind. A conceptual-graph-based FGP (Fetch, Generalise, Project) machine using a small database of intellectual property law cases could enable such “memory-walks” to be computed without rules.

Procedural Renunciation and the Semi-automatic Trap

This paper addresses two contemporary issues which could threaten the usefulness of conceptual graphs and their widespread acceptance as a knowledge representation. The first concerns the recent debate over the place of actors in the formalism. After briefly summarising arguments on both sides, I take the position that actors should be retained, and marshal four supporting arguments. An example shows that (slightly enhanced) actor nodes can greatly simplify the delivery of external control signals, without excessively complicating the denotation of the graphs they contain. The second issue concerns an epistemological problem which I have called the semi-automatic trap. This is our tendency to continue constructing systems of logic that depend on human involvement beyond necessity to the point at which such involvement is impractical, unscaleable and theoretically problematic. Two important escape routes from the semi-automatic trap are pointed out, involving more emphasis on automatic graph construction from primitive data, and empnasis on automatic interpretation of conceptual graphs. Practical methods for both are suggested as ways forward for the community.

An assigned responsibility system for robotic teleoperation control

This paper proposes an architecture that explores a gap in the spectrum of existing strategies for robot control mode switching in adjustable autonomy. In situations where the environment is reasonably known and/or predictable, pre-planning these control changes could relieve robot operators of the additional task of deciding when and how to switch. Such a strategy provides a clear division of labour between the automation and the human operator(s) before the job even begins, allowing for individual responsibilities to be known ahead of time, limiting confusion and allowing rest breaks to be planned. Assigned Responsibility is a new form of adjustable autonomy-based teleoperation that allows the selective inclusion of automated control elements at key stages of a robot operation plan’s execution. Progression through these stages is controlled by automatic goal accomplishment tracking. An implementation is evaluated through engineering tests and a usability study, demonstrating the viability of this approach and offering insight into its potential applications.

Positive design of smart interactive fabric artifacts for people with dementia

Confronting the expected rise of dementia as a major health care problem raises many questions about the best ways to adapt the health system to deal with it. To the extent that intelligent assistive technologies can help, there seems to be value in comforting fabric artifacts enhanced by electronic games and activities designed to support, engage and entertain people with dementia. Local cottage industries which now support the creation of textile crafts should be empowered to scale up to meet the growing demand for such products. New design concepts are required to accomplish this in the face of rising costs and limited resources. This paper proposes a four-step design process that meets this need, and provides practical suggestions about how it could be applied in this context. A number of examples are included.