CENode (Controlled English Node - http://cenode.io) is a lightweight natural language knowledge-based system implemented using JavaScript, designed to run effectively in a wide variety of contexts, from servers to mobile devices and Internet ???things???. CENode-based apps interact with users in natural language using a conversational protocol that allows people to input queries and pieces of information (ask and tell); the apps can also ask and tell the user things. Example CENode-based apps include Moira (Mobile Information Reporting Agent) for obtaining ???on the spot??? reports (e.g. from people on patrol) and SHERLOCK (Simple Human Experiment Regarding Locally Observed Collective Knowledge) for crowdsourcing knowledge bases.

The goal of this project is to allow CENode apps to rapidly collect knowledge (especially facts) from social media, for example, by performing simple natural language processing on Twitter streams, using an existing knowledge base as guidance. This information collection facility will need to be implemented in JavaScript, as an extension to the existing CENode code. The project will include implementing at least one app that demonstrates the use of the extended query facility. For example, this could be an app that crowdsources up-to-date information about a major event such as a music festival or sports tournament.