"COGNIZER: Darpa puts thought into cognitive computing"
A program that may push cognitive technology to a new level is being launched by the Department of Defense. The DOD's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a longtime supporter and user of artificial-intelligence systems, aims to build what it is calling an "enduring personalized cognitive assistant," or Epca. The system will be able to "reason, use represented knowledge, learn from experience, accumulate knowledge, explain itself, accept direction, be aware of its own behavior and capabilities as well as respond in a robust manner to surprises," according to a Darpa's Broad Agency Announcement.

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Story in EE Times: http://www.eet.com/at/news/OEG20021209S0062