Constructing a knowledge base from a natural language text

The authors describe an attempt to construct a knowledge base automatically by parsing a natural language text containing the needed information. After preprocessing using a series of programs developed locally, the text is parsed using Sager´s linguistic string parser. The parse trees are converted into information formats, and then the information formats are transformed into frames in the knowledge base. The knowledge base is destined to serve as an essential resource for an intelligent tutoring system being developed as a joint project between Illinois Institute of Technology and Rush Medical College. The text is a chapter on cardiovascular physiology written for medical students