Machine Learning-Based Semantic Analysis of Scientific Publications for Knowledge Extraction in Safety-Critical Domains

This article presents the development of a modular software suite for automated analysis of scientific publications in PDF format. The system integrates vectorization, clustering, topic modelling, dimensionality reduction, and fuzzy logic to combine both formal (vector-based) and semantic (topic-based) approaches. Interactive 3D visualization supports intuitive exploration of thematic clusters, allowing users to highlight relevant documents and adjust analytical parameters. Validation on a maritime safety case study confirmed the system’s ability to process large publication collections, identify relevant sources, and reveal underlying knowledge structures. Compared to established frameworks such as PRISMA or Scopus/WoS Analytics, the proposed tool operates directly on full-text content, provides deeper thematic classification, and does not require subscription-based databases. The study also addresses the limitations arising from data bias and reproducibility issues in the semantic interpretability of safety-critical decision-making systems. The approach offers practical value for organizations in safety-critical domains—including transportation, energy, cybersecurity, and human–machine interaction—where rapid access to thematically related research is essential.