UWIRS‐REC: integrating web information retrieval with recommendation services

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe UWIRS (Ubiquitous Web Information Retrieval Solution), an agent‐based Web Information Retrieval (WIR) solution designed taking into account the unique features of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the limitations of existing WIR solutions for ubiquitous environments.

Design/methodology/approach

UWIRS can offer recommendation services by using the Multi‐Agent Vizier Recommendation Framework (Vizier). Vizier was designed under a generic approach and therefore can provide services to information retrieval applications so these may offer product recommendations that consider several adaptation/personalization dimensions (e.g. user dimension, context, among others).

Findings

Overall, the main challenge resides on: location, retrieval, integration and presentation of information from the WWW, quickly and accurately, to satisfy a user's singular information needs.

Originality/value

In UWIRS, agents cooperate in order to retrieve personalized information, considering user needs, goals, preferences and contextual features. UWIRS's agents are responsible for: interpreting user input and adding adaptation information by means of a query enrichment process; identifying and selecting the appropriate data sources taking into consideration the Profile Set (composed of User, Device and Information‐Provider Profiles); executing query routing and the information retrieval process; integrating and filtering the retrieved results; and lastly, coherent presentation of quality and relevant ubiquitous information (anytime, anywhere and anyhow) that satisfies the user's particular information needs and constraints associated to his/her access device.

Citation

Barraza‐Urbina, A. and Carrillo Ramos, A. (2012), "UWIRS‐REC: integrating web information retrieval with recommendation services", International Journal of Web Information Systems, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 181-211. https://doi.org/10.1108/17440081211241950