Knowledge-Based Reasoning Through Stigmergic Linking

A knowledge network is a generic structure that organises distributed knowledge into a system that will allow it to be efficiently retrieved. The primary features of this network are its lightweight autonomous framework. The framework allows for smaller components such as pervasive sensors to operate. Stigmergy is thus the preferred method to allow the network to self-organise and maintain itself. To be able to return knowledge, the network must be able to reason over its stored information. As part of the query process, links can be stigmergically created between related sources to allow for query optimisation. This has been proven to be an effective and lightweight way to optimise. These links may also contain useful information for providing knowledge. This paper considers a number of possibilities for using these links to return knowledge through a distributed lightweight reasoning engine, thus upholding the main features of the network.