• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
SRI logo
  • About
    • Press room
    • Our history
  • Expertise
    • Advanced imaging systems
    • Artificial intelligence
    • Biomedical R&D services
    • Biomedical sciences
    • Computer vision
    • Cyber & formal methods
    • Education and learning
    • Innovation strategy and policy
    • National security
    • Ocean & space
    • Quantum
    • QED-C
    • Robotics, sensors & devices
    • Speech & natural language
    • Video test & measurement
  • Ventures
  • NSIC
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • 日本支社
Search
Close
Speech & natural language publications November 1, 1992

Fastus: A System For Extracting Information From Natural-Language Text

Citation

Copy to clipboard


Hobbs, J. R., Appelt Sr, D., Bear, J. S., Israel Sr, D., & Tyson, W. M. (1992). FASTUS: A system for extracting information from natural-language text. SRI INTERNATIONAL MENLO PARK CA.

Abstract

FASTUS is a system for extracting information from free text in English, and potentially other languages as well, for entry into a database, and potentially for other applications. It works essentially as a cascaded, non-deterministic finite state automaton. There are four steps in the operation of FASTUS. In Step 1 sentences are scanned for certain trigger words to determine whether further processing should be done. In Step 2 noun groups, verb groups, and prepositions and some other particles are recognized. The input to Step 3 is the sequence of phrases recognized in Step 2; patterns of interest are identified in Step 3 and corresponding “incident structures?? are built up. In Step 4 incident structures that derive from the same incident are identified and merged, and these are used in generating database entries. FASTUS is an order of magnitude faster than any comparable system; it can process a news report in an average of less than eleven seconds. This translates directly into fast development time. In the three and a half weeks between its first use and the MUC-4 evaluation in May 1992, we were able to build up its domain knowledge to a point where it was among the leaders in the evaluation.

↓ Download

Share this

How can we help?

Once you hit send…

We’ll match your inquiry to the person who can best help you.

Expect a response within 48 hours.

Career call to action image

Make your own mark.

Search jobs

Our work

Case studies

Publications

Timeline of innovation

Areas of expertise

Institute

Leadership

Press room

Media inquiries

Compliance

Careers

Job listings

Contact

SRI Ventures

Our locations

Headquarters

333 Ravenswood Ave
Menlo Park, CA 94025 USA

+1 (650) 859-2000

Subscribe to our newsletter


日本支社
SRI International
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • DMCA
  • Copyright © 2022 SRI International