The scope of this volume is to give to the reader a wide scenario of recent works characterized by a synergistic combination of Soft Computing area with recent trends of Distributed Artificial Intelligence and Ambient Intelligence. The editors present two basic paradigms: the emergence of computational intelligence as a mature and integrated science, and the power of the agent paradigm in realizing complex and distributed environments. This book explores these emerging areas inviting well-known authors whose expertise is widely recognized.

This textbook presents an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of Natural Language Processing (NLP), from basic concepts to core algorithms and key applications. Further, it contains seven step-by-step NLP workshops (total length: 14 hours) offering hands-on practice with essential Python tools like NLTK, spaCy, TensorFlow Kera, Transformer and BERT. The objective of this book is to provide readers with a fundamental grasp of NLP and its core technologies, and to enable them to build their own NLP applications (e.g. Chatbot systems) using Python-based NLP tools. It is both a textbook and NLP tool-book intended for the following readers: undergraduate students from various disciplines who want to learn NLP; lecturers and tutors who want to teach courses or tutorials for undergraduate/graduate students on NLP and related AI topics; and readers with various backgrounds who want to learn NLP, and more importantly, to build workable NLP applications after completing its 14 hours of Python-based workshops.

The Knowledge Seeker is a useful system to develop various intelligent applications such as ontology-based search engine, ontology-based text classification system, ontological agent system, and semantic web system etc. The Knowledge Seeker contains four different ontological components. First, it defines the knowledge representation model !V Ontology Graph. Second, an ontology learning process that based on chi-square statistics is proposed for automatic learning an Ontology Graph from texts for different domains. Third, it defines an ontology generation method that transforms the learning outcome to the Ontology Graph format for machine processing and also can be visualized for human validation. Fourth, it defines different ontological operations (such as similarity measurement and text classification) that can be carried out with the use of generated Ontology Graphs. The final goal of the KnowledgeSeeker system framework is that it can improve the traditional information system with higher efficiency. In particular, it can increase the accuracy of a text classification system, and also enhance the search intelligence in a search engine. This can be done by enhancing the system with machine processable ontology.

Given the exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) over the past few decades, AI and its related applications have become part of daily life in ways that we could never have dreamt of only a century ago. Our routines have been changed beyond measure by robotics and AI, which are now used in a vast array of services. Though AI is still in its infancy, we have already benefited immensely. This book introduces readers to basic Artificial Intelligence concepts, and helps them understand the relationship between AI and daily life. In the interest of clarity, the content is divided into four major parts. Part I (AI Concepts) presents fundamental concepts of and information on AI; while Part II (AI Technology) introduces readers to the five core AI Technologies that provide the building blocks for various AI applications, namely: Machine Learning (ML), Data Mining (DM), Computer Vision (CV), Natural Languages Processing (NLP), and Ontology-based Search Engine (OSE). In turn, Part III (AI Applications) reviews major contemporary applications that are impacting our ways of life, working styles and environment, ranging from intelligent agents and robotics to smart campus and smart city projects. Lastly, Part IV (Beyond AI) addresses related topics that are vital to the future development of AI. It also discusses a number of critical issues, such as AI ethics and privacy, the development of a conscious mind, and autonomous robotics in our daily lives.

With the exponential growth of program trading in the global financial industry, quantum finance and its underlying technologies have become one of the hottest topics in the fintech community. Numerous financial institutions and fund houses around the world require computer professionals with a basic understanding of quantum finance to develop intelligent financial systems. This book presents a selection of the author's past 15 years' R&D work and practical implementation of the Quantum Finance Forecast System - which integrates quantum field theory and related AI technologies to design and develop intelligent global financial forecast and quantum trading systems. The book consists of two parts: Part I discusses the basic concepts and theories of quantum finance and related AI technologies, including quantum field theory, quantum price fields, quantum price level modelling and quantum entanglement to predict major financial events. Part II then examines the current, ongoing R&D projects on the application of quantum finance technologies in intelligent real-time financial prediction and quantum trading systems. This book is both a textbook for undergraduate & masters level quantum finance, AI and fintech courses and a valuable resource for researchers and data scientists working in the field of quantum finance and intelligent financial systems. It is also of interest to professional traders/ quants & independent investors who would like to grasp the basic concepts and theory of quantum finance, and more importantly how to adopt this fascinating technology to implement intelligent financial forecast and quantum trading systems. For system implementation, the interactive quantum finance programming labs listed on the Quantum Finance Forecast Centre official site (QFFC.org) enable readers to learn how to use quantum finance technologies presented in the book.

Polymeric Foams: Innovations in Technologies and Environmentally Friendly Materials offers the latest in technology and environmental innovations within the field of polymeric foams. It outlines how application-focused research in polymeric foam can continue to improve living quality and enhance social responsibility. This book: Addresses technological innovations including those in bead foams, foam injection molding, foams in tissue engineering, foams in insulation, and silicon rubber foam Discusses environmentally friendly innovations in PET foam, degradable and renewable foam, and physical blowing agents Describes principles as well as applications from internationally recognized foam experts This work is aimed at researchers and industry professionals across chemical, mechanical, materials, polymer engineering, and anyone else developing and applying these advanced polymeric materials.

Complete course on Intelligent Agent or AI with focus on contemporary and latest AI technologies and  development

Companion technical reference for agent developers/researchers who would like to adopt the iJADK toolkit to develop their own agent-based applications and projects

The advanced section on modern ontology and ontological agents serves as research literature for AI researchers who would like to explore the advanced AI/agent topics that involve the contemporary research on ontological agents and applied ontology

Combining the science of foam with the engineering of extrusion processes, Foam Extrusion: Principles and Practice delivers a detailed discussion of the theory, design, processing, and application of degradable foam extraction. In one comprehensive volume, the editors present the collective expertise of leading academic, research, and industry specialists while laying the scientific foundation in such a manner that the microscopic transition from a nucleus to a void (nucleation) and macroscopic movement from a void to an object (formation) are plausibly addressed. To keep pace with significant improvements in foam extrusion technology, this Second Edition: Includes new chapters on the latest developments in processing/thermal management, rheology/melt strength, and biodegradable and sustainable foams Features extensive updates to chapters on extrusion equipment, blowing agents, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foam, and microcellular innovation Contains new coverage of cutting-edge foaming mechanisms and technology, as well as new case studies, examples, and figures Capturing the interesting evolution of the field, Foam Extrusion: Principles and Practice, Second Edition provides scientists, engineers, and product development professionals with a modern, holistic view of foam extrusion to enhance research and development and aid in the selection of the optimal screw, die design, and foaming system.

This book constitutes the refereed conference proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Emerging Technologies for Education, SETE 2021, held in Zhuhai, China in November 2021. 35 full papers were accepted together with 8 short papers out of 58 submissions. The papers focus on the following subjects: Emerging Technologies for Education, Digital Technology, Creativity, and Education; Education Technology (Edtech) and ICT for Education; Education + AI; Adaptive Learning, Emotion and Behaviour Recognition and Understanding in Education; as well as papers from the International Symposium on User Modeling and Language Learning (UMLL2021) and the International Workshop on Educational Technology for Language Learning (ETLL 2021).

The Knowledge Seeker is a useful system to develop various intelligent applications such as ontology-based search engine, ontology-based text classification system, ontological agent system, and semantic web system etc. The Knowledge Seeker contains four different ontological components. First, it defines the knowledge representation model !V Ontology Graph. Second, an ontology learning process that based on chi-square statistics is proposed for automatic learning an Ontology Graph from texts for different domains. Third, it defines an ontology generation method that transforms the learning outcome to the Ontology Graph format for machine processing and also can be visualized for human validation. Fourth, it defines different ontological operations (such as similarity measurement and text classification) that can be carried out with the use of generated Ontology Graphs. The final goal of the KnowledgeSeeker system framework is that it can improve the traditional information system with higher efficiency. In particular, it can increase the accuracy of a text classification system, and also enhance the search intelligence in a search engine. This can be done by enhancing the system with machine processable ontology.

The scope of this volume is to give to the reader a wide scenario of recent works characterized by a synergistic combination of Soft Computing area with recent trends of Distributed Artificial Intelligence and Ambient Intelligence. The editors present two basic paradigms: the emergence of computational intelligence as a mature and integrated science, and the power of the agent paradigm in realizing complex and distributed environments. This book explores these emerging areas inviting well-known authors whose expertise is widely recognized.

Complete course on Intelligent Agent or AI with focus on contemporary and latest AI technologies and development

Companion technical reference for agent developers/researchers who would like to adopt the iJADK toolkit to develop their own agent-based applications and projects

The advanced section on modern ontology and ontological agents serves as research literature for AI researchers who would like to explore the advanced AI/agent topics that involve the contemporary research on ontological agents and applied ontology

Given the exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) over the past few decades, AI and its related applications have become part of daily life in ways that we could never have dreamt of only a century ago. Our routines have been changed beyond measure by robotics and AI, which are now used in a vast array of services. Though AI is still in its infancy, we have already benefited immensely. This book introduces readers to basic Artificial Intelligence concepts, and helps them understand the relationship between AI and daily life. In the interest of clarity, the content is divided into four major parts. Part I (AI Concepts) presents fundamental concepts of and information on AI; while Part II (AI Technology) introduces readers to the five core AI Technologies that provide the building blocks for various AI applications, namely: Machine Learning (ML), Data Mining (DM), Computer Vision (CV), Natural Languages Processing (NLP), and Ontology-based Search Engine (OSE). In turn, Part III (AI Applications) reviews major contemporary applications that are impacting our ways of life, working styles and environment, ranging from intelligent agents and robotics to smart campus and smart city projects. Lastly, Part IV (Beyond AI) addresses related topics that are vital to the future development of AI. It also discusses a number of critical issues, such as AI ethics and privacy, the development of a conscious mind, and autonomous robotics in our daily lives.

With the exponential growth of program trading in the global financial industry, quantum finance and its underlying technologies have become one of the hottest topics in the fintech community. Numerous financial institutions and fund houses around the world require computer professionals with a basic understanding of quantum finance to develop intelligent financial systems. This book presents a selection of the author's past 15 years' R&D work and practical implementation of the Quantum Finance Forecast System - which integrates quantum field theory and related AI technologies to design and develop intelligent global financial forecast and quantum trading systems. The book consists of two parts: Part I discusses the basic concepts and theories of quantum finance and related AI technologies, including quantum field theory, quantum price fields, quantum price level modelling and quantum entanglement to predict major financial events. Part II then examines the current, ongoing R&D projects on the application of quantum finance technologies in intelligent real-time financial prediction and quantum trading systems. This book is both a textbook for undergraduate & masters level quantum finance, AI and fintech courses and a valuable resource for researchers and data scientists working in the field of quantum finance and intelligent financial systems. It is also of interest to professional traders/ quants & independent investors who would like to grasp the basic concepts and theory of quantum finance, and more importantly how to adopt this fascinating technology to implement intelligent financial forecast and quantum trading systems. For system implementation, the interactive quantum finance programming labs listed on the Quantum Finance Forecast Centre official site (QFFC.org) enable readers to learn how to use quantum finance technologies presented in the book.