Automomy Corp Plc, Cambridge, UK-based spin-out of neural network pioneer Cambridge Neurodynamics Plc, has set up in Palo Alto under the name Autonomy Inc, and launched its intelligent agent Autonomy Web Researcher and the Autonomy Press Agent. They are available now as a free beta download at www.agentware.com, and in final form on-line in October. Autonomy says the agents can learn about a user’s interest in a particular topic and then scour the Internet unattended, looking for relevant documents and getting rid of irrelevant documents other engines drag in. They run under Windows or Windows95 and can use direct or dial-up Internet access. Users address agents with plain English queries, and the use of neural technology means that performance should improve with use. In June, BCE Group Plc paid 2.5m British pounds for an 8.3% stake in the company.
