Diagram processing: Computing with diagrams

Of the set of behaviors that will be required of an autonomous artificially intelligent agent, a somewhat neglected member has been the ability to deal with diagrammatic information. We describe a theoretical and computational foundation for machine processing of certain forms of diagrammatic information and show its usefulness in enabling a system to draw inferences from diagrammatic information, make decisions using diagrammatic information, learn from diagrammatic information, solve problems posed diagrammatically, and communicate diagrammatically in a variety of domains.  2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.