A controlled natural language search

[huntila]

Description

The NFDI-SE searches from the repositories by accepting search queries from users without any restriction. To improve the response time, findability of research resources, and increase the usability of the system introduce a controlled language/vocabulary search.

"Controlled vocabularies/. language provides a way to organize knowledge for subsequent retrieval. They are used in subject indexing schemes, subject headings, thesauri, taxonomies, and other knowledge organization systems. Controlled vocabulary schemes mandate the use of predefined, preferred terms that have been preselected by the designers of the schemes, in contrast to natural language vocabularies, which have no such restriction." [1]

So, as a user types in some keyword, the system should help in constructing a search query by suggesting keywords from the 'controlled vocabulary'. Then, run the controlled query over the repositories and return the relevant results.
N.B.: If a user refused to use any of the suggested terms, the system should allow typing in any search key.

Even though it is a Question Answering prototype, an example can be found here.