Dialogue-Based Ontology Editor
This site makes available Java code of a dialogue-based ontology editor, an application
that allows you to view, edit and query ontologies in controlled English. The coverage
is roughly that of OWL-EL.
Download
You can download a zipped directory of Java code with examples (download ZIP file).
You will find licensing information, and instructions for use, in the file readme.txt.
Documentation
The program includes a rule-based reasoner for EL. It uses a subset
of OWL Simplified English, enhanced by the patterns illustrated above
for different speech acts. For more information see readme.txt in
the download, and also these notes:
- Single-page summary of the main sentence patterns in OSE
[pdf]
- Inference model for EL++ (slightly extended version of the
reasoner required here) [pdf]
Snapshot
The snapshot shows some features of the editor:
- The dialogue pane gives a chat record in which the colour-enhanced
sentences have been typed in by the user, while the italicised black
sentences are responses by the program.
- Colour-coding indicates how the editor interprets phrases in
OWL. Following Protege, individuals are shown in purple, classes in
orange, properties in blue.
- Sentences by the user are entered in the Message pane below, and
must conform to OWL Simplified English (otherwise the errant part will
be coloured red).
- When the user has completed a valid sentence in the Message pane
(as at present), it is added to the dialogue by typing carriage return.
The program then generates its response and
clears the message pane ready for the user's next contribution.
- The application extends OSE to allow a range of speech act types.
As well as assertions (e.g., Pixie is a dog), it will accept
retractions (Retract that Pixie is a dog), Yes-No questions
(Pixie is a dog?), WH-questions abstracting from the subject
(What lives in a shelter?) or the object (Describe Pixie.),
and requests for explanation (Explain why Pixie is a pet.).
- Tabs are provided showing alternative views of the developing
ontology (lists of axioms and entailments, OWL code, inference model
used in generating explanations, regenerated text organised as a
glossary).
The following snapshot shows the program's response after the user
enters his/her request for an explanation of the inference that Pixie is a pet.
It will be seen that this is an experimental program which could be
improved in many ways (e.g., design of explanations and other responses).
Contact: Richard Power
More information: Open University SWAT project page
Last modified: June 2017
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