From speech to knowledge

In human communication, assumptions play a central role. Linguists and logi cians have uncovered their many facets. Much of AI work is also concerned w ith the study of assumptions in one way or another. Work on intuitionistic and linear logic has provided formally characterized embodiments of assumpt ions which have been influential on logic programming (e.g. [9,22,14]). In this article we examine some uses of assumptive logic programming for sp eech-driven database creation and consultation, for speech driven robot con trol, and for web access through language. This type of research can help relieve health problems related to the prese nt typing/screen model of computer use. It can also partially address the n eed to integrate voice recognition, voice synthesis, and AI, along the rout e towards making computers into true extensions of our human abilities exte nsions that adapt to our biology, rather than requiring our bodies to adapt .