Natural language interface
A natural language interface (NLI) is a human-machine interface that allows communication between humans and computers using natural language. Typically, a distinction is made between spoken and written language as input modality.
NLIs are related to question-and-answer systems . In contrast to these, NLIs also include application areas such as database queries and information searches.
The advantages of NLIs are manifold: They facilitate communication with the computer, since the user does not have to learn a programming language or formal database query language and can formulate complex queries in his native language. In addition, in certain situations, such as driving a car, NLIs are the only way to interact with a computer because your hands and eyes are busy.
A natural language interface to databases is the NLI-Z39.50, which enables information to be searched in all major German library catalogs as well as in international library databases such as the Library of Congress.
Another NLI from the German-speaking area is OSIRIS , which also implements an interface to library data.
literature
- Ion Androutsopoulos, Graeme D. Ritchie, Peter Thanisch: Natural Language Interfaces to Databases - An Introduction . Natural Language Engineering, 1 (1): 29-81, Cambridge University Press, 1995.
- Bill Manaris: Natural Language Processing: A Human-Computer Interaction Perspective . In: Advances in Computers (Marvin V. Zelkowitz, ed.), Volume 47, pp. 1-66, Academic Press, New York, 1998.
- Johannes Leveling: Formal interpretation of user inquiries for natural language interfaces to information offered on the Internet . The other publishing house, Tönning, Germany, 2006.