============================
REPORT FOR APRIL - JUNE 2008
============================

TECHNICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

() Extended and finalized the mechanism for the dynamic learning of
common-sense assumptions about resources and scheduling constraints.

() Extended and finalized the mechanism for the learning of
elicitation strategies.

() Completed the works on the advanced search mechanism for the
integration of ST Module with CM Radar.

() Developed a preliminary mechanism for the automated placement of
vendor orders.

() Began work on the application of the development techniques to the
problem of semi-automated collaborative scheduling, which is a joint
effort with Anthony Tomasic's group.


IMPROVEMENTS TO PROTOTYPE

() Implemented a GUI for the vendor-learning mechanism, which enables
the user to answer questions about vendors and their prices.

() Tightened the code for efficiency, which reduced the learning and
optimization time.

() Integrated and tested all main components of Space-Time Module.


PROJECT PLANS

() Complete the work on the automation of vendor-order placement.

() Complete the integration and final testing of Space-Time Module.

() Evaluate the performance of Space-Time Module under various
conditions, and determine the contribution of each component into the
overall performance.

() Prepare a journal paper on the new learning results.


PROGRESS AGAINST PLANNED OBJECTIVES

We have accomplished all planned objectives, which included: STP
elicitation learning; STP common-sense learning; STP selection of room
requests; STP placement of vendor orders; and STP testing and
debugging.


OBJECTIVES FOR NEXT PERIOD

Objective name: Placement of vendor orders
Objective type: Integration
Description: Finalize the mechanism for the automated order placement
Impact: Automated selection and placement of vendor orders with minimal
  user participation

Objective name: Overall integration
Objective type: Integration
Description: Complete the integration of the final 
  version of Space-Time Module
Impact: Delivery of the fully integrated system

Objective name: Testing and evaluation
Objective type: Testing
Description: Complete the testing and debugging of Space-Time Module,
  and evaluate its performance under various conditions
Impact: Improvement of the system stability, evaluation of its
  performance, and identification of main strengths and weaknesses


PUBLICATIONS

Steven Gardiner, Eugene Fink, and Jaime G. Carbonell. Scheduling with
uncertain resources: Learning to make reasonable assumptions. In
Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, 
October 2008 (to appear).
Keywords: Learning, knowledge representation, uncertainty.

Alexander Carpentier, Mehrbod Sharifi, Eugene Fink, and Jaime G.
Carbonell. Scheduling with uncertain resources: Learning to ask the right
questions. In Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Systems, Man, and
Cybernetics, October 2008 (to appear).
Keywords: Learning, knowledge representation, uncertainty.


PRESENTATIONS

Reasoning under uncertainty. Invited talk in the Department of
Computer Science and Engineering at the University of South Florida,
May 9, 2008.