SBIR/STTR Phase II: Advanced Question Answering

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is developing an advanced questions answering (QA) system with the use of innovative natural language processing (NLP). The specific areas addressed by this project are: (1) a true open-domain, high precision QA system optimized for commercial deployment; (2) distributed processing that provides an unprecedented QU system response time; and (3) system management and reporting tools for real-time customer feedback. The final product will provide accurate and short answers to questions asked in plain English. The need for this capability is widespread in companies, government agencies, and among individuals. The users may be casual questioners who ask simple factual questions, consumers who look for specific product features and prices, research analysis that collect market, finance, or business information, or professional information analysts such as law enforcement officials searching for very specific information requiring considerable expertise.