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NLP

This document discusses natural language processing (NLP) and its applications in human-computer dialogue systems and machine translation. It provides an overview of NLP, including its use of computational methods to model human language and develop practical applications. The document then focuses on two main types of NLP - human-computer dialogue systems, which aim to converse like humans, and machine translation, which is important for accessing information in other languages. It discusses current capabilities and challenges, as well as the future potential for seamless dialogue translation.

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233 views20 pages

NLP

This document discusses natural language processing (NLP) and its applications in human-computer dialogue systems and machine translation. It provides an overview of NLP, including its use of computational methods to model human language and develop practical applications. The document then focuses on two main types of NLP - human-computer dialogue systems, which aim to converse like humans, and machine translation, which is important for accessing information in other languages. It discusses current capabilities and challenges, as well as the future potential for seamless dialogue translation.

Uploaded by

Avishek01
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Natural Language Processing

Neelnavo Kar
Alex Huntress-Reeve
Robert Huang
Dennis Li
What is Natural Language Processing?

• NLP is an interdisciplinary field that uses computational


methods to:
o Investigate the properties of written human language and
model the cognitive mechanisms underlying the
understanding and production of written language.
o Develop novel practical applications involving the
intelligent processing of written human language by
computer.
What is NLP? (cont.)

• NLP plays a big part in Machine learning techniques:


o automating the construction and adaptation of machine
dictionaries
o modeling human agents' desires and beliefs
 essential component of NLP
 closer to AI
• We will focus on two main types of NLP:
o Human-Computer Dialogue Systems
o Machine Translation
Human-Computer Dialogue Systems

• Usually with the computer modelling a human dialogue


participant
• Will be able:
o To converse in similar linguistic style
o Discuss the topic
o Hopefully teach
Current Capabilities of Dialogue Systems

• Simple voice communication with machines


o Personal computers
o Interactive answering machines
o Voice dialing of mobile telephones
o Vehicle systems
o Can access online as well as stored information
• Currently working to improve
The Future of H-C Dialogue Systems

• The final end result of human computer dialogue systems:


o Seamless spoken interaction between a computer and a human
• This would be a major component of making an AI that can pass
the Turing Test
• Be able to have a computer function as a teacher
Human Computer Dialogue in Fiction

• Halo's Cortana AI
o Made from models of a real human brain
o Made to run the ship
o Made very human conversations
• Ender's Game series: Jane
o Made from "philotic connection"
o Human conversation
Problems of Human-Computer Dialogue

• At the moment, most common computer dialogue systems (call


systems, chatter bots, etc.) cannot handle arbitrary input
o In many cases, the computer can only respond to "expected"
speech
o Call systems often compensate with "Sorry, I didn't get that,"
when something unexpected is said.
Problems of Human-Computer Dialogue

• Computers need to be able to learn and process colloquial speech


• Needed to understand informal speakers:
o Understanding varied responses for call systems
o Accounting for variations in spoken numbers
• Processing colloquialisms is also necessary for seamless dialogue,
where the computer must avoid sounding too formal
o John Connor: "No, no, no, no. You gotta listen to the way people
talk. You don't say 'affirmative,' or [stuff] like that. You say 'no
problemo.' "
Successes of Human-Computer Dialogue

• So far, human-computer dialogue has been most successful in


applications where information about a specific topic is sought
from the computer.
o Electronic calling systems: company-specific
o Travel agents: specific to an airline or destination
• However, more complex systems of human-computer dialogue
have been produced which can interpret more varied input.
o Physics tutoring system (ITSPOKE) which can analyze and
explain errors in the response to a physics problem.
o Allows for more complex input than "Yes," "No," or "Flight
UA-93"
• These still cannot compare to true human-human dialogue.
Machine Translation

• Important for:
o accessing information in a foreign language
o communication with speakers of other languages
• The majority of documents on the world wide web are in
languages other than English
Statistical Translation

• Rule based
• Works relatively well with large sets of data
• Used probability to translate text
• Natural translations
• Google
Example Based Translation

• Converts "parallel" lines of text between language


• Only accurate for simple lines
• Minimal pairs are easy
• Analogy based
Paraphrasing

• Takes words and makes them simpler automatically


• For example in Spanish conjugated words like usado may be
changed to usar
Future of Machine Translation

• Goal:
o Aim to be able to flawlessly translate languages
• Link Human-Computer Dialogue and Machine Translation
• Have someone be able to talk in one language to a computer,
translate for another person
• Translated Video Chat
Machine Translation in Fiction

• Star Wars: C-3P0


o Interpreter
o Could hear and translate alien languages
o Final goal of machine translation
• Star Trek: Universal Translator
o Computer can seamlessly translate alien languages
Problems

• Works well only with predictable texts.


• Doesn't work well with domains where people want
translation the most:
o spontaneous conversations
o in person
o on the telephone
o and on the Internet.
Problems

• Computers can't deal with ambiguity, syntactic irregularity,


multiple word meanings and the influence of context.

Time flies like an arrow.


Fruit flies like a banana.

• Accurate translation requires an understanding of the text,


situation, and a lot of facts about the world in general.

The box is in the pen.


Problems

• The sign is describing a


restaurant (the Chinese
text, 餐厅, means
"dining hall").
• In the process of making
the sign, the producers
tried to translate Chinese
text into English with a "Translation Server Error."
machine translation • The software's user didn't
system, but the know English and thought
software didn't work, the error message was the
producing the error translation.
message,
Successes

• Product knowledge bases need to be translated into multiple


languages
• Hiring a large multilingual support staff is expensive
• Machine translation is cheaper and accurate with predictable
texts.
• Microsoft, Autodesk, Symantec, and Intel use it.
o Makes customers happy
o Still readable though slightly chunkier than human
translations

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