Evening Lecture:

Shape Understanding System: visual thinking as part of understanding process

Abstract:
The increasingly complex products and intelligent environment need to employ the intelligent tools called robots. Robots during their working session require interaction both with an environment and with the other robots. In this process experts from different disciplines utilize different form of knowledge, and visualization becomes the important part of this process. Visualization that is part of visual thinking capabilities plays a key role in process of problem solving and visual communication. The aim of this research is to investigate the visual thinking capabilities of the intelligent systems in different aspects of the problem solving and communication abilities. This research is continuation of the authors' previous work focused on investigating the understanding capabilities of the intelligent systems based on the shape understanding system (SUS). SUS is an example of the visual understanding system where sensory information is transformed into the multilevel representation in the concept formation process that is part of the visual thinking capabilities. The proposed system of shape understanding operates based on the knowledge of the image processing, decision making and the search strategies as well as the knowledge of shape description and representation distributed among the specialized experts.

Presenter(s):

Zbigniew Les, Ph.D has graduated from AGH (M.Sc. and Ph.D.), Cracov, Poland and The University of Melbourne (M.Sc.). His research career started at Silesian University while working in application of numerical and statistical methods in solving complex technical problems (mathematical modeling). He also carried out research on the development of the intelligent system for an object recognition as well as designing of the educational software for intelligent explanatory process (mathematics). He was also involved in artistic activities pioneering utilizing scientific visual information (macro-micro world) in his artistic works. His works were presented at the exhibitions in Cracov. After coming to Australia he started his research at the University of Melbourne (a degree from the best Polish university was not recognized in Australia) to find the solution to the problem of aesthetic judgment. Working as a senior software engineer at Melbourne University he continued his research in designing educational software. He continues his research in the development of the intelligent system (System of Shape Understanding) which is the first attempt to build a system with visual thinking abilities.

Magdalena Les, M.Sc. has graduated from Jagiellonian University, Cracov, Poland. During her scientific carrier in Poland and next in Australia, she conducted research in the area of mathematical education, mathematical modeling and statistical analysis. Pioneering in the application of computers in the higher education process in Poland, she continued research in this area in Australia. She was involved in the research on software application in problem solving (System of Integrated Packages). Working at Monash University, she continued research in mathematical modeling (Kolgomorov model, Markov models, information theory models) and statistical analysis, including risk models. For this work she won the award for the best paper at the ISATA conference in Barcelona. Currently she is involved in research on a shape understanding system and computers in education.

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