What is IBRJ?
Implicative Bayesian Networks (IBNs) allow classical and
defeasible implication statements to be added to a Bayesian
Network. This allows additional dependencies to be added
between variables in the network, increasing the networks expressivity.
This software tool, the Implicative Bayesian Reasoner for
Java, partially implements the theory of IBNs giving
researchers the ability to use and understand how these modified
networks function. IRBJ allows for classical implication
statements to be added to the network while maintaining
the ability to draw inference.
The Goal
The IBRJ tool sets out to determine if a software tool could be developed
that easily allows a user to add classical implication
statements into a Bayesian Reasoner while maintaining the
ability to make meaningful queries to the network.
The goal is to allow a researcher in the field to easily use
and understand how IBNs function. Included in the tool is a
Graphical User Interface that demonstrates how the network
structure changes as the new dependencies between network
variables are introduced.
Features and Results
A completed, fully functional version of IBRJ has been released and is available for download. This version of IBRJ has a
GUI and CLI user interface, and allows the user to load and save networks, make observations, add classical implication statements
and draw inference on the network. The tool is built as a wrapper around the open-source software Bayesian Network tools in Java.
Classical implication added to the network effects the structure of the network, and the inference that can be drawn from the network.
This is visualised in the GUI. Implicative cycles are also implemented, showing how these effect the graph structure.
An extension to the BayesNet Interchange Format, the Implicative BayesNet Interchange Format, is also proposed that allows Implicative Bayesian Networks to be saved and loaded. This
is detailed in the project paper.
Figure 1: A package diagram depicting the package structure of IBRJ.
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Figure 2: A screen shot of the IBRJ tool showing the popular Asia network loaded, with some added observations and implications.
How to get IBRJ
IBRJ is completely free and open source. The source files, including example networks,
build scripts and docs can be found at the project GitHub repository
Download
How to use IBRJ
IBRJ is developed using Java version 10.0.2.
The latest version of Java can be found on the Oracle website.
For information on running the tool, please refer to README.md
The JacaDocs can be found below.
JavaDocs
Licence
The IBRJ software is fully open-source. It is licensed under
the GNU General Public Licence (GPL) version 3.
This allows the software and code to be used, run, shared,
studied and modified, while ensuring that the software and
all reproduced versions of it must remain free and open-source.
The GPL version 3 can be found here, with more information on the
GPL website.