Wolfram|Alpha

Mathematician Stephen Wolfram's new “computational knowledge engine,” Wolfram|Alpha, was officially launched a few weeks ago. Wolfram calls it a knowledge engine rather than a search engine and he intends for it to change the way people use online data.

Users type a question into a bar that looks similar to Google's search bar. Wolfram|Alpha synthesizes an answer based on a huge knowledge base. Search engine expert Nova Spivack says:

It appears the system can make inferences and do some basic reasoning across what it knows — it is not purely reductionist in that respect; it is generative, it can synthesize new knowledge, if asked to.

Interestingly, the engine is not built using standard semantic web languages such as RDF and OWL, but instead uses a proprietary system that includes million of lines of algorithms to represent real-world knowledge. According to Spivak, “It's simpler than top down AI and easier than the original vision of Semantic Web.”

Here are a few suggestions that Wolfram suggests new users try.

• Enter any date: July 4, 1776
• Enter any measurement: Pi
• Enter any food: Strawberry
• Enter any city: Vancouver, BC
• Enter any musical notes: f#g# (Note the "Play sound" link.)

There's an annotated results page that illustrates some of what you'll find after entering a search term.

Is it the holy grail of research tools? No. For one thing, the project is just getting started so not every domain of knowledge is in the database. That said, though, it could be a very valuable tool in the researcher's toolbox, especially if it gets some deep data out of the silos that are often difficult to find and access.