Sorry I don't have time to reply to this in detail, so I hope the URLs will
suffice for now. Let me know if I can give you more details.
--ray
>
>1. VISUALIZATION: The representation of information to the user in a way
>that is meaningful and easily comprehensible. In addition to graphical
>user interfaces (GUIs) and virtual reality technologies, this technical
>area includes information distillation, aggregation and autointerpretation.
Our main work here has been on the development of multimodal interfaces for
interacting with factory simulation systems, as demosntrated in Cohen's
SHOPTALK system.
P. R. Cohen, "Integrated interfaces for decision-support with simulation,"
Technical Note 507, AI
Center, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025, June
1991.
Abstract: A major limitation of graphical user interfaces for
simulation is that users
such as managers and decision makers need to know too much. We
examine the
weaknesses inherent in graphical user interfaces to support these
users of simulation for
short-term situation assessment and scenario evaluation, a style of
problem solving
characteristic of military and factory command-and-control. Then, we
present Shoptalk,
a factory command-and-control system with an interface integrating
direct manipulation
and natural-language processing and demonstrate how the Shoptalk
style of interaction
can overcome these limitations.
>
>2. ENVIRONMENT CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES: A computer based environment which
>facilitates the construction and execution of VM systems. The tools are used
>to extract information, to create models supporting simulation, to properly
>configure the virtual environment, to analyze the ``fit'' of the virtual
>environment to the real production environment, to link real and virtual
>processes, and to link to the manufacturing control systems.
THE AIC's Perception program has been active in the development of methods
for building, manipulating and visualizing 3D models derived from images.
See, for example, the material on 3DIUS at
http://www.ai.sri.com/aic/perception/software/
>
>3. MODELING TECHNOLOGIES: Since simulations are based on models, modeling
>technologies are key technologies for VM. Significant modeling issues are:
>representation, representation languages, abstraction, federation,
>standardization, reuse, multi-use, and configuration control.
>
Extending the Capabilities of Frame Knowledge Representation Systems
http://www.ai.sri.com/people/pkarp/frame-overview.html
Trusted Interoperation of Heterogeneous Databases
http://www.csl.sri.com/sri-csl-db.html
Amphion??
>4. REPRESENTATION: The technologies, methods, semantics, grammars and
>analytical constructs required to represent all of the types of information
>associated with designing and manufacturing a product in such a way that the
>information can be transparently shared between all software applications
>that support the representation technologies, methods, semantics, etc.
>
>5. META-MODELING: This area refers to modeling about modeling, in essence,
>constructing, defining and developing models that accommodate inter-model
>interaction. The area involves standards and integration issues.
Hierarchical planning and control. Unfortunately, we have not had the
opportunity of applying our planning methods to manufacturing. For
emphasis on generative and reactive planning in military operations, see
http://www.ai.sri.com/people/wilkins/papers.html
For application of reactive planning and fuzzy control to mobile robotics, see
C. Congdon, M. Huber, D. Kortenkamp, K. Konolige, K. Myers, E. H. Ruspini,
and A. Saffiotti,
"Carmel vs. Flakey: A comparison of two winners," AI Magazine, vol. 14, pp.
49--57, Spring 1993.
>
>6. INTEGRATING INFRASTRUCTURE & ARCHITECTURE: The underlying infrastructure
>(e.g. network, communications) that supports the ability to share models
>and integrated product and process development across geographically
>distributed enterprises (e.g. global co-location). The area also includes
>creating a framework for the interoperation of all VM technologies.
Open Agent Architecture(OAA)
http://www.ai.sri.com/~cheyer/oaa.html
>
>7. SIMULATION: The ability to represent a physical system or environment
>in a computer. This area includes a wide range of computer software
>applications and, in the long term, links to real world systems that
>enable simulation-based control. Includes model optimization and validation.
>
>8. METHODOLOGY: The methodology for developing, deploying and using VM
>systems, including ``simulation-based reason.'' The latter refers to
>``problems'' that are defined in such a way that ``simulation'' will generate
>insights (i.e., alternatives, potential solutions, problem
>definition/refinement). Problem solutions will likely require more than
>just ``simulation''. This methodology cannot be identical during the different
>phases, however, it should be consistent across all phases.
>
>9. INTEGRATION OF LEGACY DATA: This technical area primarily deals with
>data and the many aspects of dealing data in general. Also, corporate
>culture and multiple platforms were identified.
See ref above on OAA
>
>10. MANUFACTURING CHARACTERIZATION: This ara involves the capture,
>measurement and analysis of the variables that influence material
>transformation during manufacturing. It also involves the techniques
>and methods for creating generic models of these processes based on actual
>shop floor data.
>
>11. VERIFICATION, VALIDATION & MEASUREMENT: For VM, this area refers to the
>methodologies and tools to support the verification and validation (V&V) of
>a VM system. Making decisions on a VM ``simulation'' of manufacturing
>demands a confidence that the impacts of those decisions on physical
>manufacturing will be realized as predicted. The methodologies and tools
>are developed to provide the confidence. Measurement is included in this
>technical area because its central role in maintaining a mapping between
>the physical and the virtual is necessary for the V&V methodologies.
>
>12. WORKFLOW: The work of an organization follows a path called the
>workflow. This technical ara encompasses the capture, evaluation and
>continuous improvement of the processes that are associated with workflow.
>The workflow area processes primarily involve information, whereas the
>manufacturing characterization area primarily involves physical material
>transformation processes.
>
>13. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TRADES: The essence is multi-discipline optimization
>applied to large grain (specifically Life Cycle Cost disciplines) problems.
>These trades will be general across organizations at a high level, but will be
>organization specific at a lower level as with factory floor operations, etc.
>This has big technology transfer impacts. Many people had a hard time dealing
>with the specific labels of the underpinnings, however, they were adamant
>that it described what was really needed (e.g. requirement). Figure 3-1
>in the final report of the user's workshop (presented here as Figure 3-1)
>provides the context of this issue.
C. Raymond Perrault Phone +1 (415) 859-6470
AI Center Fax: +1 (415) 859-3735
SRI International Email: perrault@ai.sri.com
Menlo Park, CA 94025