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Contextor™
Contextor™ is an intelligence support system which includes robust analysis tools and an interactive teamwork information system to add, store, compartmentalize, retrieve, share, collate, and disseminate any type of information. It is flexible and scaleable to meet a wide variety of customers and applications. Analysis Tools Contextor includes a built-in interface to SN-Sphere's NAS and Models Manager. Users may create, edit and run analysis models. The analysis is executed by the NAS server and the results returned to Contextor where they are displayed in visual maps, graphs, and/or grid formats. Contextor has its own Oracle repository in which the maps may be saved and reused in a variety of ways. The data produced by the analysis is completely integrated with all additional data and uses of the Contextor teamwork information system. Visualization The results of the analysis are presented as visual maps (charts) that enhance the users’ understanding and ability to infer additional insights. The maps are completely interactive. Behind each element (information resource) and link on the map lie additional metadata, information content, explanations, hyperlinks, database queries and more. The investigator may add other types of information as needed in an ongoing investigation. Visual mapping complements and completes the capabilities of spoken language to create and communicate knowledge. It promotes an understanding of relationships that formal textual or verbal phrasing is not generally capable of inducing. The following example is a map of the results of analysis executed by the SpiderChat™ application for analysis of call data records. The analyst chose to analyze the communication network of a target phone which is suspected of being part of a hostile network.  Contextor also has a number of its own additional analysis mechanisms not included in NAS. Multi Contextual Analysis An analysis of a network will typically include many different contexts such as communications, financial, criminal activity, business relationships, etc. It may also include additional information which has been manually organized in context maps. Contextor is capable of merging these multiple contexts together into one overall picture called a multi-contextual star. This synthesis can include some or all of the contexts and relevant links in those contexts. This process is executed automatically after the user chooses criteria of what information to include in the analysis. Connectivity Test Connectivity analysis determines if two or more entities are related in some way even if the relationship is indirect through many generations of separation. The system can find the shortest path of connectivity between the entities or all paths by which they are connected. Contextor conducts this type of analysis using only information that has been previously stored in the Contextor repository. This includes the results of previously executed link analysis and manual links created by users and stored in Contextor. NAS can perform the same type of connectivity analysis using all of the LSI instead of the information stored in the Contextor repository. SQL Queries In addition to the analysis mechanisms, Contextor allows users to create, execute and display the results of SQL queries of data from the Contextor, SN-Sphere and other available databases. These queries can be used for a wide variety of purposes including data filtering, algebraic calculations, logical and date operations, data aggregation, etc. Interactive Teamwork Information System In addition to its robust analysis capabilities, Contextor is an interactive teamwork information system which allows users to add any type of information to the system's underlying repository and use it for day to day work. The information can include documents, field reports, pictures, video, recordings or any other type of data. Information input is done easily using drag and drop, direct transfer from e-mails, or internal text editing. This data can also be used in some of the previously described analysis processes. All of the data is automatically searchable by a free text search engine built into Contextor. Textual descriptions of non-textual information (photographs, recordings, etc.) facilitate their quick retrieval. The results of a search reveal all of the contexts associated with a particular piece of information. This leads the user to contextually related information which was not found directly by the search condition. Contextor is closely integrated with typical desktop tools including MS Office, MS Outlook, Adobe Acrobat and others. Users can continue to work with Contextor together with whatever tools they are used to. There is no duplication of data entry or other tasks. Contextor thus becomes a teamwork knowledgebase which accumulates information over years. Information collected for a particular task may be placed in one or more context maps or just stored in the general repository. An individual piece of information may become the missing piece in another task or analysis months or even years later. Contextor is a networked application which is scaleable for multiple users, teams and departments. Users can cooperate even when they are in different locations at different times. The information stored in Contextor can be easily made into reports and disseminated according to needs. Information and maps can be collated into Word or HTML documents which can be sent by email or published to an FTP site directly from within Contextor. Individual pieces of information can also be emailed in their original format. Security privileges Contextor has an internal security system that protects selected information items by limiting access to specific teams of users. Users can be assigned to multiple teams. This provides complete flexibility in the implementation of a compartmentalization scheme. No data is stored on local workstations thus increasing security and easier backup procedures. Contextor may be integrated with SSO and other organization security measures in order to comply with any internal requirements. Exporting Data Contextor is capable of exporting data from its repository to other systems in XML, GJXDM (Global Justice XML Data Module) and other standard formats. Contextor can also export information in a format which can be imported by another Contextor system. This process can include all of the visualization elements (maps, links, styles, etc.) and Contextor meta-data associated with the information resources.
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