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REPORT FOR JULY-SEPTEMBER 2006
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TECHNICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

() Completed the work on the fast scheduling algorithm, which involved
a number of efficiency improvements; these improvements were in
addition to the speed increase reported in the previous two quarters.

() Completed the initial mechanism for the learning of "common-sense"
assumptions about available resources and scheduling constraints.

() Finalized the advanced mechanism for eliciting additional data,
which combines (1) best-first search for the most important questions,
(2) heuristics for discarding unimportant questions, and (3) basic
elicitation rules.

() Developed a representation for movable equipment and vendor orders,
and continued the work on the automated selection of optimal vendor
orders; this work is not yet completed.


IMPROVEMENTS TO PROTOTYPE

() Began work on a procedure for loading conference planning scenarios
from the central database, developed by the WbE group.

() Helped the User Interface group to extend Space-Time GUI for the
new version of Space-Time Module.

() Integrated all main components of the "year-three" Space-Time
Module and Space-Time GUI, and thoroughly tested and debugged the
integrated system.


OBJECTIVES FOR NEXT PERIOD

() Complete the work on algorithms for optimizing the use of movable
equipment and automatic selection of vendor orders.

() Complete the work on a procedure for loading conference-planning
scenarios from the central database.

() Begin work on a more advanced mechanism for the learning of
"common-sense" assumptions about resources and constraints.

() Continue testing and debugging the new Space-Time system, in
preparation for the year-three tests with human subjects.


PRESENTATIONS

We did not give any external presentations. On September 27, Eugene
Fink gave an internal presentation on the issues related to the
automated selection of vendor orders.