We present VOILA: an optimised, multimodal dialogue agent for interactive learning of visually grounded word meanings from a human user. VOILA is: (1) able to learn new visual categories interactively from users from scratch; (2) trained on real human-human dialogues in the same domain, and so is able to conduct natural spontaneous dialogue; (3) optimised to find the most effective trade-off be...

In this paper, we present a procedure Grounded System Dynamics (GSD) which we use as a guide to underpin a System Dynamics (SD) model with a domain modeling method called Object-Role Modeling (ORM). GSD is a combination of two existing methods (SD with ORM). By combining these two methods we generate synergy effects by using already existing modeling methods and by so doing we overcome some of ...

The stability analysis of rock slopes is a complex task for the geotechnical engineers due to the complex nature of the rock mass in a tropical climate that often has discontinuities in several forms, and consequently, in several types of slope failures. In this work, a rock mass classification scheme is followed in a tropical environment using the Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and Geological St...

The founding fathers of grounded theory (GT) claimed it is an inductive methodological approach. Yet, some scholars argue that purely inductive GTs are not possible given researchers’ involvement in data collection and analysis. Subsequently, a constructivist GT approach was introduced. Still, full-length methodological articles that include rationales or detailed explanations for using constru...

We present a continuum phase-field model of crack propagation. It includes a phase-field that is proportional to the mass density and a displacement field that is governed by linear elastic theory. Generic macroscopic crack growth laws emerge naturally from this model. In contrast to classical continuum fracture mechanics simulations, our model avoids numerical front tracking. The added phase-f...

ABSTRACT Among various analytic approximations for the growth of density fluctuations in the expanding Universe, Zel’dovich approximation and its extensions in Lagrangian scheme are known to be accurate even in weakly non-linear regime. The aim of this paper is to investigate the reason why these Zel’dovich-type approximations work accurately beyond the linear regime from the following two poin...

As intelligent systems have become more fully functional and commonly available, questions about their capabilities and relationship with humans have increased. This paper builds on the IS requirements ideas of Messina et al [2001] to explore middle ground between anthropomorphic approaches like the Turing test that rely on similarity to human behavior in an "imitation games" and the narrowness...

background and aim: grounded theory has taken some different theoretical perspectives since its creation in 1967 by barney glaser. considering that applying grounded theory partly depends on an awareness of its philosophical perspectives, gaining knowledge about these various perspectives is required for health care professionals who are interested in studying the social processes. this review ...