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The user model manager

In principle, this is a reasonably simple central module handling suggestions for dimensional values (that is, hypotheses about the target) from the user models, as well as maintaining some global state information. Within a session, adaptation can take place to small degrees; those user models whose hypotheses were closest to the image selected by the user can be rewarded by having their suggestions taken more strongly in the future.

Such adaptation is likely to be more beneficial, however, if it works across sessions within users. Although different queries, or different users, may generate irregular tendencies with regard to what selections mean (requiring session-specific adaptation to compensate) guidance for the first few iteration must be more global.



Gregory J. E. Rawlins
7/6/1998