Paper Reading #25: Finding Your Way in a Multi-dimensional Semantic Spce with Luminoso

Comments:

Evin Schuchardt
Shena Hoffmann

Reference Information:

Title: Finding Your Way in a Multi-Dimensional Semantic Space with Luminoso

Authors: R. Speer, C. Havasi, N. Treadway, H. Lieberman

Presentation: IUI'10, February 7-10, 2010, Hong Kong, China

The selected point is a canonical document representing the
expected content of a good review. The gray line connecting the point
to the origin is always shown, as a reference for comparing with other
points.

Summary: Luminoso is a system that allows researchers and users to associate data. Th input data are text files that are dropped in the the folder where the analysis of the data can be found as well. The interface then "grabs"  point, and allows the user to see the related data and analysis. Such actions are also known as data mining, and it has been known that when the user is active in the processes better results can be obtained. To obtain such common sense from the user, the are utilizing an interface called ConceptNet. The way data is analyzed is for example by looking into word repetition and semantic context associations.One of the applications mentioned in the paper is that of creating semantic networks. Because Luminoso provides a visual way for displaying data, it becomes relevant when great amounts of data are to be displayed.

Discussion: Even though I think a really interesting concept they are trying to develop, their explanations about the system and motivations were not very clear described. They also did not present an evaluation to he system, which makes me doubt how useful the system could be. If they would have included some type of user study and discussed it, the reader could obtain a more clear understanding of what things such an application is useful for. The image presented above demonstrates the user display of the interface.