Abstract: A method for assisting a user with one or more desired tasks is disclosed. For example, an executable, generic language understanding module and an executable, generic task reasoning module are provided for execution in the computer processing system. A set of run-time specifications is provided to the generic language understanding module and the generic task reasoning module, comprising one or more models specific to a domain. A language input is then received from a user, an intention of the user is determined with respect to one or more desired tasks, and the user is assisted with the one or more desired tasks, in accordance with the intention of the user.

Abstract: A method for assisting a user with one or more desired tasks is disclosed. For example, an executable, generic language understanding module and an executable, generic task reasoning module are provided for execution in the computer processing system. A set of run-time specifications is provided to the generic language understanding module and the generic task reasoning module, comprising one or more models specific to a domain. A language input is then received from a user, an intention of the user is determined with respect to one or more desired tasks, and the user is assisted with the one or more desired tasks, in accordance with the intention of the user.

Abstract: A platform for developing a virtual personal assistant (“VPA”) application includes an ontology that defines a computerized structure for representing knowledge relating to one or more domains. A domain may refer to a category of information and/or activities in relation to which the VPA application may engage in a conversational natural language dialog with a computing device user. Re-usable VPA components may be linked to or included in the ontology. An ontology populating agent may at least partially automate the process of populating the ontology with domain-specific information. The re-usable VPA components may be linked with the domain-specific information through the ontology. A VPA application created with the platform may include domain-adapted re-usable VPA components that may be called upon by an executable VPA engine to determine a likely intended meaning of conversational natural language input of the user and/or initiate an appropriate system response to the input.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods for providing translations of electronic messages via a social networking system. For example, systems and methods described herein involve determining whether to provide an electronic message or a translation of the electronic message to a recipient based on social networking activities of the recipient. Furthermore, systems and methods described herein can provide a translation of an electronic message based on an analysis of social networking activities of one or more recipients of the electronic message.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving from a client system of a first user an unstructured text query. The method includes parsing the text query to identify one or more n-grams. At least one of the n-grams is an ambiguous n-gram. The method includes searching a plurality of keyword generators to identify one or more keyword suggestions matching the ambiguous n-gram. The method further includes calculating a keyword score for each identified keyword suggestions and generating one or more suggested queries including one or more n-grams identified from the text query. The one or more identified keyword suggestions having a keyword score greater than a threshold keyword score. The method includes sending one or more of the suggested queries to the client system of the first user for display.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a search query from a first user and identifying one or more second nodes that match the search query. The method includes determining one or more search intents of the search query. Search intent may be based on one or more topics associated with the identified nodes and one or more node-types of the identified nodes. The method includes generating one or more search results corresponding to the search query, the search-results being generated based on the determined search intents. The method includes sending a search-results page to the client system of the first user for display. The search-results page may include one or more of the generated search results.

Abstract: A method for assisting a user with one or more desired tasks is disclosed. For example, an executable, generic language understanding module and an executable, generic task reasoning module are provided for execution in the computer processing system. A set of run-time specifications is provided to the generic language understanding module and the generic task reasoning module, comprising one or more models specific to a domain. A language input is then received from a user, an intention of the user is determined with respect to one or more desired tasks, and the user is assisted with the one or more desired tasks, in accordance with the intention of the user.

Abstract: A method for assisting a user with one or more desired tasks is disclosed. For example, an executable, generic language understanding module and an executable, generic task reasoning module are provided for execution in the computer processing system. A set of run-time specifications is provided to the generic language understanding module and the generic task reasoning module, comprising one or more models specific to a domain. A language input is then received from a user, an intention of the user is determined with respect to one or more desired tasks, and the user is assisted with the one or more desired tasks, in accordance with the intention of the user.

Abstract: A platform for developing a virtual personal assistant (“VPA”) application includes an ontology that defines a computerized structure for representing knowledge relating to one or more domains. A domain may refer to a category of information and/or activities in relation to which the VPA application may engage in a conversational natural language dialog with a computing device user. Re-usable VPA components may be linked to or included in the ontology. An ontology populating agent may at least partially automate the process of populating the ontology with domain-specific information. The re-usable VPA components may be linked with the domain-specific information through the ontology. A VPA application created with the platform may include domain-adapted re-usable VPA components that may be called upon by an executable VPA engine to determine a likely intended meaning of conversational natural language input of the user and/or initiate an appropriate system response to the input.

Abstract: A platform for developing a virtual personal assistant (“VPA”) application includes an ontology that defines a computerized structure for representing knowledge relating to one or more domains. A domain may refer to a category of information and/or activities in relation to which the VPA application may engage in a conversational natural language dialog with a computing device user. Re-usable VPA components may be linked to or included in the ontology. An ontology populating agent may at least partially automate the process of populating the ontology with domain-specific information. The re-usable VPA components may be linked with the domain-specific information through the ontology. A VPA application created with the platform may include domain-adapted re-usable VPA components that may be called upon by an executable VPA engine to determine a likely intended meaning of conversational natural language input of the user and/or initiate an appropriate system response to the input.

Abstract: A platform for developing a virtual personal assistant (“VPA”) application includes an ontology that defines a computerized structure for representing knowledge relating to one or more domains. A domain may refer to a category of information and/or activities in relation to which the VPA application may engage in a conversational natural language dialog with a computing device user. Re-usable VPA components may be linked to or included in the ontology. An ontology populating agent may at least partially automate the process of populating the ontology with domain-specific information. The re-usable VPA components may be linked with the domain-specific information through the ontology. A VPA application created with the platform may include domain-adapted re-usable VPA components that may be called upon by an executable VPA engine to determine a likely intended meaning of conversational natural language input of the user and/or initiate an appropriate system response to the input.

Abstract: A dialog assistant embodied in a computing system can present a clarification question based on a machine-readable version of human-generated conversational natural language input. Some versions of the dialog assistant identify a clarification target in the machine-readable version, determine a clarification type relating to the clarification target, present the clarification question in a conversational natural language manner, and process a human-generated conversational natural language response to the clarification question.

Abstract: A virtual personal assistant (VPA) application analyzes intents to, among other things, enhance or personalize a user's dialog experience with the VPA application. A set of intents, or multiple sets of intents, are maintained over the course of one or more user-specific dialog sessions with the VPA. Inferences may be derived from the set or sets of intents and incorporated into a current or future dialog session between the VPA and a user of the VPA application. In some embodiments, the inferences are only made available through the systemic understanding of natural language discourse by the VPA.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for training and guiding users comprising generating a scene understanding based on video and audio input of a scene of a user performing a task in the scene, correlating the scene understanding with a knowledge base to produce a task understanding, comprising one or more goals, of a current activity of the user, reasoning, based on the task understanding and a user's current state, a next step for advancing the user towards completing one of the one or more goals of the task understanding and overlaying the scene with an augmented reality view comprising one or more visual and audio representation of the next step to the user.