Computational structure in three-valued nearness relations

Abstract

The development of cognitively plausible models of humanspatial reasoning may ultimately result in computational systems thatare better equipped to meet human needs. This paper explores how humansubjects perceive the qualitative spatial relation nearness within anenvironmental space. Based on experimental data, a three-valued nearnessrelation is analysed in two stages. First, the results are analysedwith special reference to the existence of subsets of candidate landmarkplaces, from which nearness relations between other places may be partiallyinferred. Second, the desirable properties of such landmark setsare considered and some of their formal properties are presented. Theseproperties are then considered in the light of the data furnished by theexperiment. The paper concludes with a discussion of the signicance ofthe analyses and the scope for further work in this area.