The research topics cover a broad collection of soft computing and related areas and are focused on model development and implementation of methods for extracting knowledge from uncertain and vague data contained in large and possibly distributed databases and flexible quering. The topics include fuzzy logic (Vojtas), neural networks (Andrejkova), database analyssis and design (Vinar), computer networks (Jirasek), computer simulation methods and operations research in general (Kyselovic), design of information systems (Semanisin), problems of combinatorical structures (Geffert), or hypermedia (Vinar).
Fuzzy logic programming and flexible querying. The results obtained so far cover soundness and completeness of various fuzzy logic programming and resolution systems, especially with arbitrary finite approximations of connectives, fuzzy abduction for descision making coupled with linear programming for cheapest solution. Flexible querying is covered by results on various types of fuzzy unification including second-order logic which is used to extend this theory to meta-data and at the end to extend the flexibility of our query system to include the capability of providing answers to natural language queries and finding the appropriate access methods even through the user does not know about them. Work done on structural complexity and combinatorial optimization where many fundamental results have already been obtained may conceivably be useful in considering the efficiency of various query optimization algorithms.
Database design and analysis. This involves knowlwdge of database and CASE tools and programming languages and interface and communication standards. The language of logic is used to provide the possibility of quickly constructing trial versions of sophisticated query analysis, implementation and optimization systems to test the basic approaches before creating the final version. Models for detection of similar records in distributed databases are studied too.
Multimedia, Hypermedia. Hypermedia is commonly thought of only in the context of web pages, teaching software etc. Some preliminary results suggest the possibility of using them in a neglected area of making the output of software systems more user friendly by providing the option to produce output in hypermedia from linked to "resident textbooks".
Artificial neural networks. Predictions capability of neural networks (NN) was studied together with the topology of NN depending on the solved problem and from the research point of view very interesting problem of their topological adaptability (it means, the tpopogy of NN is adapted according to soslved problems). Incremental topology can be used for feed-forward NN, genetic algorithms for recurrent NN.
Recently there was worked on the following research projects that obtained grant support:
Slovak Consortium joins ERCIM
http://www.ercim.org
The Slovak Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics, SRCIM, consists of five major Slovak R&D institutes active in informatics and mathematics; comprised of three universities and of two research institutes from the Academy of Sciences of the Slovak Republic. The university institutions involved are the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at the Comenius University in Bratislava, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, and the Faculty of Science at the Safarik University in Kosice. The institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences are the Mathematical Institute and Institute for Informatics in Bratislava.
By establishing SRCIM from these five partners, it has been possible to create a partner for ERCIM which is strong enough to represent the Slovak R&D community in informatics and mathematics. The final agreement on SRCIM joining ERCIM was signed on the occasion of ERCIM meetings in Sankt Augustin on 29 May 1998 (see ERCIM News No. 34, Page 3).
The SRCIM institutes have been involved, sometimes jointly, in a number of international projects. The EU funded many of these projects. Below we will give a short descrioption of the profile of each SRCIM institute, ordered according to the age of the institute.