Computing and Information Systems - Theses

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Type: Masters Research thesis × Start date: 2007 × End date: 2007 ×

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    Improving the efficiency and capabilities of document structuring
    MARSHALL, ROBERT ( 2007)
    Natural language generation (NLG), the problem of creating human-readable documents by computer, is one of the major fields of research in computational linguistics The task of creating a document is extremely common in many fields of activity. Accordingly, there are many potential applications for NLG - almost any document creation task could potentially be automated by an NLG system. Advanced forms of NLG could also be used to generate a document in multiple languages, or as an output interface for other programs, which might ordinarily produce a less-manageable collection of data. They may also be able to create documents tailored to the needs of individual users. This thesis deals with document structure, a recent theory which describes those aspects of a document’s layout which affect its meaning. As well as its theoretical interest, it is a useful intermediate representation in the process of NLG. There is a well-defined process for generating a document structure using constraint programming. We show how this process can be made considerably more efficient. This in turn allows us to extend the document structuring task to allow for summarisation and finer control of the document layout. This thesis is organised as follows. Firstly, we review the necessary background material in both natural language processing and constraint programming.
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    Agent-based approaches to pedestrian modelling
    RONALD, NICOLE AMY ( 2007-02)
    This thesis investigates the early stages of the software development process for agent-based models of pedestrian behaviour. Planning for pedestrians is becoming more important as planners and engineers become more aware of the sustainability and environmental aspects of transport and infrastructure. It is also necessary for the planning and management of pedestrian areas and events. Pedestrian behaviour is more difficult to model than other transport modes as it is not as constrained and operates at a finer scale. Many approaches have been developed for modelling pedestrian behaviour. The simplest involve a single mathematical equation taking into account area and attractiveness of an area to calculate the maximum capacity. More complicated mathematical models involving differential equations have also been used. Agent-based modelling is a recent development in modelling and simulation. These simulations contain agents who interact with each other and the environment in which they are situated. Their similarity to human societies has led to their use for many social applications. Many modellers are unsure of what agents are and how to develop models using them. In some cases, agents may be useful. In other cases, the model outputs and realism may not offset the learning curve, development time, and increased complexity of an agent-based model. (For complete abstract open document)