From stamant at eos.ncsu.edu Wed Jun 14 12:20:16 2000 From: stamant at eos.ncsu.edu (Robert St. Amant) Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 12:20:16 -0400 (EDT) Subject: New software package Message-ID: Hi, ACT-R folks, My group has been working for a couple of years on a project in the area of intelligent user interfaces. We've built what we call interface softbots, or ibots, which are designed to use MS Windows applications by going through their user interfaces, rather than through an API. Our interest was initially in giving software agents access to additional functionality, by providing them with sensors (i.e., image/screen processing routines) and effectors (i.e., keyboard and mouse handling routines) appropriate for interacting with a graphical user interface. Recently, with the encouragement of Frank Ritter, Richard Young, and others, we've become very interested in cognitively plausible agents, the kind we might get if we worked ACT-R or ACT-R/PM into this framework. We're releasing the code for the benefit of anyone who thinks it might be useful. It runs on Microsoft Windows in Allegro Common Lisp, with a Visual C++ back-end for low-level processing. You can find all the code at our ftp site (ftp:simon.csc.ncsu.edu). Look in the Public directory, in the folder vismap-00-06-14. There's a README file there that explains everything in a bit more detail. There are also a fair number of papers about the system, linked to my home page. I've been testing the code more extensively in the past couple of weeks, and I've discovered a few bugs in its screen processing :-[, but it works reasonably well, if you adhere to the somewhat idiosyncratic constraints of the development and runtime environment. I'll be trying to iron out the remaining difficulties over the course of the summer. If you have any difficulty running the demos (one of which is a very loose coupling between an old example of ACT-R/PM and the rest of the system), please let me know. The project does not currently have funding, but as far as my time allows I'll try to make the system useful to the ACT-R community. Best regards, Rob St. Amant -- Robert St. Amant Assistant Professor Computer Science Department North Carolina State University http://www.csc.ncsu.edu/faculty/stamant/ From cl at andrew.cmu.edu Mon Jun 19 14:24:12 2000 From: cl at andrew.cmu.edu (Christian Lebiere) Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 14:24:12 -0400 Subject: No subject Message-ID: chi-announcements at acm.org, announce at ppig.org, cedm-tg-l at msstate.edu Subject: 2000 ACT-R Workshop SEVENTH ANNUAL ACT-R WORKSHOP ============================= Carnegie Mellon University - August 5-7 2000 ============================================ ACT-R is a cognitive theory and simulation system for developing cognitive models for tasks that vary from simple reaction time to air traffic control. The most recent advances of the ACT-R theory were detailed in the recent book "The Atomic Components of Thought" by John R. Anderson and Christian Lebiere, published in 1998 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Each year, a workshop is held to present new developments and applications and to enable current users to exchange results and ideas. The Seventh Annual ACT-R Workshop will be held at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh from August 5 to 7, 2000. The early registration deadline is JULY 1. The invited speaker is Herbert A. Simon. The workshop will start at 9AM on Saturday August 5 in Adamson Wing, Baker Hall, and will conclude in the early afternoon of Monday August 7. The mornings of the workshop will be devoted to research presentations, each lasting about 20 minutes plus questions. Participants are invited to present their ACT-R research by submitting a one-page abstract with their registration by JULY 1. Papers submitted after that deadline will be accepted based on availability of slots. Informal contributions of up to 8 pages can be submitted by AUGUST 1 at the latest for inclusion in the workshop proceedings. The contributions can be in the form of a paper or presentation slides and must be submitted electronically to cl+ at cmu.edu. Saturday afternoon will feature the invited speaker, Herbert A. Simon, who will present the latest developments of the EPAM and CaMeRa architectures. Dr. Simon and John Anderson will discuss a range of issues related to cognitive architectures. Sunday afternoon will feature discussion sessions and instructional tutorials, including a session on the proposed changes in ACT-R 5.0. Suggestions for topics of discussion and tutorials are welcome. Lunch times will be occupied by demonstration sessions during which participants can gain a more detailed knowledge of the models presented and engage in unstructured discussions. Admission to the workshop is open to all. The early registration fee (before JULY 1) is $100 and the late registration fee (after JULY 1) is $125. Registration includes lunch on Saturday and Sunday, a dinner party on Saturday and a copy of the proceedings. A registration form is appended below. Specify the title of your talk (if applicable) and any suggestion for a session topic. Additional information, such as a detailed schedule, will appear on the ACT-R web site (http://act.psy.cmu.edu/) or can be requested at: 2000 ACT-R Summer School and Workshop Psychology Department Attn: Helen Borek Baker Hall 345C Fax: +1 (412) 268-2844 Carnegie Mellon University Tel: +1 (412) 268-3438 Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 Email: helen+ at cmu.edu ________________________________________________________ Seventh Annual ACT-R Workshop August 5 to August 7, 2000 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh REGISTRATION ============ Name: .................................................................. Address: .................................................................. .................................................................. .................................................................. Tel/Fax: .................................................................. Email: .................................................................. Presentation topic (optional - include one-page abstract with registration): ......................................................................... Suggestion for topic of discussion or instructional tutorial (optional): ......................................................................... Registration fee: Before July 1: $100 ... After July 1: $125 ... The fee is due upon registration. Please send checks or money orders only. We cannot accept credit cards. HOUSING ======= Housing is available in Resnick House, a CMU dormitory that offers suite-style accommodations. Rooms include air-conditioning, a semi-private bathroom and a common living room for suite-mates. The rates are $33.75/night/person for single rooms and $25.00/night/person for double rooms. See http://www.housing.cmu.edu/conferences/ for further housing information. To reserve a room in Resnick House, fill in the dates and select one of the three room options: I will stay from ................ to ................ 1. ... I want a single room 2. ... I want a double room and I will room with ................ 3. ... I want a double room. Please select a roommate of ....... gender ROOM PAYMENT IS DUE UPON CHECK-IN. DO NOT SEND MONEY. The recommended hotel this year is the Wyndham Garden Hotel located on University Place, Oakland. This newly renovated hotel is in the heart of Oakland and offers free shuttle service (and easy walking distance) to CMU. A block of rooms has been reserved for the ACT-R Workshop until JULY 21. The CMU rate is $95 with a government rate of $79 per room with appropriate ID. All rates are per night plus tax. Please call the Wyndham direct asap to reserve your room at 412-683-2040 (fax 412-683-3934), stating that you are with the CMU-ACT-R Group to secure the special rate. Send this form to: 2000 ACT-R Summer School and Workshop Psychology Department Attn: Helen Borek Baker Hall 345C Fax: +1 (412) 268-2844 Carnegie Mellon University Tel: +1 (412) 268-3438 Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 Email: helen+ at cmu.edu