Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R76783/01
Title:	Automating Informal Human Mathematical Reasoning
Principal Investigator:	Jamnik, Professor M
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Computer Science and Technology
Organisation:	University of Cambridge
Scheme:	Advanced Fellowship (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 April 2002	Ends:	31 March 2012	Value (£):	203,398
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Artificial Intelligence
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 20 Nov 2001 Technology Fellowships Sift Panel Deferred
Summary on Grant Application Form
In this project, I aim to model some powerful human-oriented reasoning techniques on machines, in particular, reasoning with diagrams and learning from examples. Human mathematicians often informally use diagrams in order to better convey solutions to problems. Yet, diagrams have only seldom been used as formal tools for reasoning symbolic logic in the predominant method of automated reasoning. I propose to formalise the use of diagrams in flexible architectures, which allow users (in the case of interactive systems) and systems (in the case of automated systems) to reason both purely diagrammatically, and with a combination of diagrammatic and symbolic inferencing methods. The second informal human reasoning technique I propose to model is the process of learning a general concept from specific examples. The rare existing research into mechanising reasoning systems that can learn from examples only addresses symbolic reasoning. I propose to combine the use of diagrams and learning from examples by devising a system that can reason with diagrammatic, symbolic and combined diagrammatic and symbolic methods (the so-called heterogeneous methods), and can moreover learn such methods automatically from well-chosen examples. The hope is that ultimately such a system will be able to automatically discover new, interesting and intuitive solutions to problems.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.cam.ac.uk