The Wallenberg laboratory for research on
Information Technology and Autonomous Systems

WITAS Research on Dialogue Systems

Based on the initial work that was done in the WITAS-Stanford Dialogue Group, we started work in Linköping on the development of a UAV dialogue system that was well connected to the WITAS UAV and that was adapted to the needs during actual flights. The following are links to the documentation of these activities.

WITAS-Linköping Dialogue Group (2002-2003)

The work from mid-2002 until the end of 2003 focussed on the main WITAS demo that had been scheduled to be held in October, 2003. The old WITAS dialogue webpage contains an incomplete description of the project at that time.

In addition, the Real-time database systems group at the University of Skövde, led by Professor Sten Andler, participated in this phase of the project with research on real-time databases and an implemented subsystem for visualization of a simulated flight environment.

WITAS Dialogue Technology Project (2004-2005)

After the main demo in October, 2003, the work has continued with the remaining and extended WITAS funding, and is scheduled to continue until the end of year 2005. During this phase the work is broadened with a number of issues including case-based learning, multimodal interaction with the capability of pointing into live video, a dual-language system using both English and Swedish language, etc. The work is done in the framework of the CASL research group (CASL = the Cognitive Autonomous Systems Laboratory). Its website contains the most up-to-date presentation of the research and its results.

About WITAS in General

WITAS, the Wallenberg Laboratory for Information Technology and Autonomous Systems, is engaged in goal-directed basic research in the area of intelligent autonomous vehicles and other autonomous systems. Its current project focuses on the development of an airborne computer system that is able to make rational decisions about the continued operation of the aircraft, based on various sources of knowledge including pre-stored geographical knowledge, knowledge obtained from vision sensors, and knowledge communicated to it by data link. There are two main goals or 'deliverables':
  • to demonstrate, before the end of the year 2003, an autonomous aerial vehicles with the kind of high-level autonomy just described
  • basic research in areas that are relevant for the design, development, and use of such systems.
The demonstration was held successfully in October, 2003, and the goal achievement of the project was evaluated by an international evaluation group that delivered its report in February, 2004.

Additional information can be found at the General WITAS Website