David Franklin

Research Interests

A strange thing sometimes happens when you are in graduate school: you do a thesis defense, turn in your dissertation, and call yourself a doctor. And indeed, after 6.5 years of graduate school--spanning two different schools --David has turned in all the appropriate PhD related paperwork. So now our protagonist gives thanks to those that helped him through and pauses to look back on his illustrious academic career. Of course the key to his success was the realization that nachos, though a tasty treat, do not, even when coupled with multiples of 7, provide a grounds for solving all the problems of AI. He currently theorizes that the whole thing was simply a bout of "beer munchies."

David tires of referring to himself in the third person and will immediately start referring to myself in the first person. The main idea behind all of my research is that computer systems would be a lot easier to use if they could understand what it was that their users were trying to do. Basically, in order to cooperate with someone you need to have a pretty good idea of what he's doing. In service of this goal of producing a friendlier breed of computer, I am working on the The Intelligent Classroom: an automated lecture facility with which the speaker (ideally) can interact as he would with a human A/V guy. Also, I am working on Jabberwocky, a speech-based controller of PowerPoint presentations. In both of these projects, the user of the system just goes about his presentation, trusting the system to take the appropriate actions at the appropriate times.

What's David doing now?

• Pondering my stated research interests (and writing about them.)
• Wondering exactly what this Construction Man is shoveling...
• Getting ready to start my dream job. In December I start my career at Microsoft as a Program Manager in the Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group.

Favorite 'Dave's

• David Letterman
• Dave Barry
• ME!!! (Smell that? That's narcissism.)

Exceedingly useful study aids

• TV Guide (is there anything worth watching?)
• ASCII Art Gallery
• The Official David Franklin FAQ