Coglaborate - An Environment For Collaborative Cognitive Modeling

Abstract

Cognitive scientists who build computational models of their work, as exemplified by the ACT-R and Soar research communities, have limited means of sharing knowledge: annual conferences and workshops, summer schools, and model code distributed via Web sites. The consequence is that results obtained by different groups are scattered across the Internet, making it difficult for researchers to obtain a comprehensive view of cognitive modeling research. The goal of my project is to develop a collaborative modeling environment for cognitive scientists in which they can develop and share models. The current system supports collaboration by providing a structured representation for ACT-R cognitive models using frames. The rationale for providing a structured representation for cognitive models is two-fold: it not only provides a mechanism for sharing models (i.e. via consistent APIs); it also enables the application of analytical techniques to cognitive models. As a proof of concept for the approach, a medium-scale modeling application has been developed, integrating an extension of ACT-R developed elsewhere, to solve synonym crossword puzzles.