Seventh Australian Conference on Neural Networks (ACNN'96) pre-conference workshop on 'Actual and prospective uses of neural network technology as an aid for forms processing in the Australian Public Service (APS)

SEVENTH AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE 
ON NEURAL NETWORKS (ACNN'96)
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP ON 
'ACTUAL AND PROSPECTIVE USES OF NEURAL
NETWORK TECHNOLOGY AS AN AID FOR FORMS 
PROCESSING IN THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC SERVICE (APS)

This page was last updated on:
4 April 2019

On Tuesday, 9 April 1996,
a pre-conference workshop on 
'Actual and prospective uses of neural network technology as an aid
for forms processing in the Australian Public Service' was held 
as a joint ACNN'96/ACS/OTSIG/RMAA initiative on 
the afternoon prior to the commencement of the Seventh Australian
Conference on Neural Networks (ACNN'96 - to be held from 10 to
12 April 1996, at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia).

The venue for this workshop was the Huxley Lecture Theatre,
Leanard Huxley Building, Mills Road, ANU Campus.

Andrew Freeman, who was Chairperson of OTSIG, 
and was Director, Community Affairs Board, ACS,
Chaired this pre-conference workshop.

Speakers included:
 
*** ACTUAL AND POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS ***

*      STEVE WILLIAMS, WAS 
ACCOUNT MANAGER, IMAGING SYSTEMS,
HERMES PRECISA AUSTRALIA (HPA),
'THE USE OF NEURAL NETWORK 
TECHNOLOGY AS AN AID FOR
FORMS PROCESSING BY HPA'.

Steve spoke on the use of neural network technology as an
aid in processing education assessment forms in NSW and
Victoria by HPA. He emphasised a number of aspects which
need to be taken into account for such applications to be 
effective. These included, for example:
* forms design being critical, possibly needing the assistance
of a forms design expert;
* cross-checking features needing to be incorporated in the 
forms;
* pre-processing systems work needing to be undertaken in
a planned fashion; and
* comprehensive testing being critical to successful 
implementation.

*** ACTUAL AND POTENTIAL USERS ***

*     ANDREW FREEMAN, WAS 
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MODE SECTION, 
DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION 
AND MULTICURAL AFFAIRS (DIMA)
ON 'THE POTENTIAL TO USE NEURAL 
NETWORK TECHNOLOGY AS AN AID
IN PASSENGER CARD PROCESSING'.

Passenger cards are filled in by all persons entering
and leaving Australia.  They are used for a range of
purposes including:
* statistical purposes;
* as an aid in recording movements, where the traveller
travels through a non-automated port (this relates only
to around 1% of movements);
* supporting evidence, to complement the computer
record of movement.

Much of the data on passenger cards is in either
a mark sense format, or has character seperation.

The would appear to be substantial potential to use
neural network technology to assist with data capture
from passenger cards.

Some aspects which make this application challenging 
include:
* the size of the passenger card, in relation to the amount
of data recorded on it (the passenger card is A6 - 10.5 cm
* 14.75 cm in area); and
* the quality of the hand-print on the passenger cards
is often highly variable.

Examples of blank incoming and outgoing passenger cards
were distributed at the workshop.

* COMMENTS BY OTHER ATTENDEES AT THE WORKSHOP *


There was general discussion about the 
Health Insurance Commission (HIC)
application of neural network technology to assist with forms 
processing in that organisation.

An attendee from the Attorney-General's Department (AGD) indicated
he is particularly interested in how neural network technologies
might be used as an aid in organising and distributing documentation
(such as legal opinions) within an organisation.

Further information - ACNN'96

Additional information on OTSIG

Further information - Andrew Freeman

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