Udpdates: MAPE ENGINE

Some good news to share. We are still resolving a few digital infrastructure issues, but we are nearly there, and I am very excited about this. We have built the MAPE Engine, which is already running locally on our Institute’s server, and with a bit of luck, it will soon be available to everyone at ai.ihpan.edu.pl. The data is based on the collection of Conselho Ultramarino from Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino de Lisboa. Instead of relying solely on rigid classifications or exact keyword matches, it allows you to search by meaning, filter results by time period, and move easily between Portuguese and English. You can use classic keyword search, try AI-assisted semantic search, or combine the two. One of my favourite features is the conversational chatbot, which enables you to ask focused historical questions and follow your reasoning step by step. And there are also some extra visualization features that we are very happy about.