The figure understander: a system for integrating text and diagram input to a knowledge base
Raman Rajagopalan, Benjamin J. Kuipers · 1994
Figures, consisting of a diagram and an accompanying textual description, are heavily used in human communication. Diagrams carry static spatial information about the scene while text is used to describe semantic and dynamic information. The saying `a picture is worth a thousand words' exemplifies the great value of diagrams in describing a scenario. Since diagrams and text describe the same object in different ways, the primary task in automating the ability to use both text and diagram input in a modeling system is to find methods for coordinating the differing descriptions. This paper describes an implemented research tool, the Figure Understander, for accomplishing this task.