Most existing works on multi-task learning (MTL) assume the same input space for different tasks. In this paper, we address a general setting where different tasks have heterogeneous input spaces. This setting has a lot of potential applications, yet it poses new algorithmic challenges how can we link seemingly uncorrelated tasks to mutually boost their learning performance? Our key observation...

It is widely believed, that the expressivity of STRIPS and STRIPS-like planning based on actions is generally lower than the expressivity of Hierarchical Task Network (HTN) and HTN-like planning, based on hierarchical decomposition. This would mean that a HTN-like planner can generally solve more domains than a STRIPS-like planner with the same extensions. In this paper, we show that both appro...

Course generation automatically assembles courseware adapted to the learner’s competencies and learning goals. Previous course generators offered only a limited representation a pedagogical knowledge and did not take full advantage of service-oriented architectures. This dissertation proposes a course generation framework (called Paigos) that enables the formalization and application of complex...

In this paper we describe work in progress that aims to develop a domain-independent tool set which supports the creation and analysis of domain descriptions and plans containing continuously changing processes, instantaneous events, and actions. The tools described are (i) a life history editor that enables a designer to create a domain description diagrammatically, automatically generating mu...

OBJECTIVES To show that a Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) can carry out an audit of ethical standards in research. To find out if a researcher met certain ethical standards in recruiting subjects for clinical trials and in obtaining their consent. DESIGN Postal questionnaire. SETTING Clinical research by one doctor during one year. SUBJECTS Eleven patients entered in clinical trial...

Metrical task systems (MTS), introduced by Borodin, Linial, and Saks [5], is a cost minimization problem defined on a metric space (X, dX) and informally described as follows: A given system has a set of internal states X . The aim of the system is to perform a given sequence of tasks. The performance of each task has a certain cost that depends on the task and the state of the system. The syst...

Thoroughly auditing voting machine software has proved to be difficult, and even efforts to reduce its complexity have relied on significant amounts of external code. We design and implement a device that allows a voter to confirm and cast her vote while trusting only 1,034 lines of ARM assembly. The system, which we develop from scratch, supports visually (and hearing) impaired voters and ensu...

In this paper, we present the modelling of a domain of argumentation-based negotiation with scarce resources so that Hierarchical Task Network planning can be used for finding appropriate strategies for the negotiating agents. In our modelling, the agents justify their positions on interactions throughout the course of a negotiation episode, and such justifications are taken into account in fut...

Task analysis is the process of understanding the user's task thoroughly enough to help design a computer system that will effectively support users in doing the task. By task is meant the user's job or work activities, what the user is attempting to accomplish. By analysis is meant a relatively systematic approach to understanding the user's task that goes beyond unaided intuitions or speculat...

This paper explores ways of performing commutative tasks by N parties. Tasks are defined as commutative if the order at which parties perform tasks can be freely changed without affecting the final result. It is easy to see that arbitrary N-party commutative tasks cannot be completed in less than N − 1 basic time units. We conjecture that arbitrary N-party commutative tasks cannot be performed ...