Is CAD/CAM ready for AI?

In this paper we explore the possibility of merging CAD/CAM with Artificial Intelligence technology. A brief tutorial on expert systems is presented. Several observations are noted which link existing expert system applications with various CAD/CAM problems. In conclusion, these existing expert system applications may provide guidance for implementing AI solutions to certain CAD/CAM problems.     

Fuzzy logic in commercial expert systems — Results and prospects

This paper surveys the use of fuzzy methods in commercial applications of the technology of expert systems and in commercial products which aim to support such applications. It attempts to evaluate the utility of such an approach to uncertainty management compared to other well known methods of handling uncertainty in expert systems. Starting from this base it attempts an evaluation of the prospects for fuzzy expert systems in the medium term. As a survey it attempts to list applications and commercial products as comprehensively as is practical and includes an extensive bibliography on the topic.     

A Problem-driven Approach to Expert System Development

Expert system technology can fairly be described as high profile at present. Yet its track record as a useful method for tackling problems is subject to widely differing views. This paper considers the domain of production planning and control, which has been described as a good application area for expert systems a domain where OR has had little success. The authors argue that mainstream expert system methodology is exploratory rather than problem-driven and thus is not suited to the domain. A problem-driven approach to expert system development is presented, an approach which makes use of soft systems methodology. The reasons for such an approach within production planning and control are discussed, and the use of soft systems methodology within the approach is reflected on.     

基于蒙特卡洛模拟的滨海旅游环境承载力影响因素重要性排序研究——以大连滨海景区为例

由于层次分析法(AHP)针对指标重要性的测度存在一定的缺陷:其一是主观性对数据收集的干扰;其二是相近指标权重的精确识别容易出现偏差;因此,本文联合引入三角分布函数及蒙特卡洛模拟(MCS),以期对滨海旅游环境承载力所涉评价指标的重要性测度方法进行合理改进。相比之下,研究表明基于蒙特卡洛模拟修正后的层次分析法(MCAHP)可以有效缓解问卷提取评分数据所隐含的主观偏误,最终有效提升评价结论的真实性和可靠性。据此,本文对大连滨海景区环境承载力指标重要性的实证分析结果进行修正,以期得到更为精确与科学的相关结论,同时为大连滨海旅游环境承载力的治理与旅游业的可持续发展提出相应的政策建议。     

Possibilistic linear regression analysis for fuzzy data

Fuzzy data given by expert knowledge can be regarded as a possibility distribution by which possibilistic linear systems are defined. Recently, it has become important to deal with fuzzy data in connection with expert knowledge. Three formulations of possibilistic linear regression analysis are proposed here to deal with fuzzy data. Since our formulations can be reduced to linear programming problems, the merit of our formulations is to be able to obtain easily fuzzy parameters in possibilistic linear models and to add other constraint conditions which might be obtained from expert knowledge of fuzzy parameters. This approach can be regarded as a fuzzy interval analysis in a fuzzy environment.     

Domain structuring for knowledge-based multiattribute classification (a verbal decision analysis approach)

Classification problems in decision making are, at least, ill-structured or even unstructured ones, since, among other things, human judgments (i.e., Decision Maker preferences and/or expert knowledge) are the primary sources of information for their solving. Thus, not only the classification rules eliciting, but the application domain structuring as well, is a complex problem itself. The paper focuses on knowledge-based classification problem structuring in the context of complete (up to the expert knowledge) and consistent knowledge base construction for a Diagnostic Decision Support System. Two structuring techniques are proposed as expert aids, as well as an approach to large-size problem decomposition. It is asserted that application domain structuring and classification rules eliciting have to be arranged as interconnected procedures.     

Expert systems for planning and scheduling manufacturing systems

In this paper, research and applications of expert systems in production planning and scheduling are reviewed. Components of expert systems are briefly discussed. Relationship between expert system and operations research approaches are presented. Integration of operations research and expert system techniques is explored.     

An approach to group decision making under uncertainty with application to project selection

In this paper we present an approach and interactive procedure for group decision making under imprecision of expert judgements as applied to problems containing explicitly given resource constraints in particular to project selection. Alternatives (projects) are evaluated in a scale with a finite number of levels. Based on these estimates, fuzzy group preferences are determined and projects are divided into domination levels. Necessary quantities of resources are given in the form of intervals. Projects from successive levels are selected until maximum resource utilization is achieved. A numerical example is included to illustrate the proposed approach and procedure.     

一种基于Shapley值的Pythagorean模糊多属性群决策方法及其应用

针对模糊决策信息环境下的专家权重确定问题提出一种基于Shapley值的Pythagorean模糊多属性群决策方法。本文引入Shapley值和特征函数的定义,提出Pythagorean模糊距离测度和Pythagorean模糊决策误差信息矩阵等概念,并研究它们的性质。进一步,构建基于Shapley值的Pythagorean模糊专家权重确定模型和属性权重确定模型。针对决策信息是以Pythagorean模糊数形式给出的决策问题,提出一种基于Shapley值的Pythagorean模糊多属性群决策方法,并应用到应急救援中,验证了该方法的有效性。     

Analysis of a Rollout Approach to Sequencing Problems with Stochastic Routing Applications

The paper considers sequencing problems, the traveling salesman problem being their natural representative. It studies a rollout approach that employs a cyclic heuristic as its main base algorithm. The theoretical analysis establishes that it is guaranteed to improve (at least in a weak sense) the quality of any feasible solution to a given sequencing problem. Besides other applications, the paper shows that it is well suited for applications that are embedded in dynamic and stochastic environments. The computational performance of the approach is investigated with applications to two stochastic routing problems. The dynamic version of the heuristic appears to be the first algorithm available in the literature to approximately solve a variant of one of these problems.     

Selecting and weighting features using a genetic algorithm in a case-based reasoning approach to personnel rostering

Personnel rostering problems are highly constrained resource allocation problems. Human rostering experts have many years of experience in making rostering decisions which reflect their individual goals and objectives. We present a novel method for capturing nurse rostering decisions and adapting them to solve new problems using the Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) paradigm. This method stores examples of previously encountered constraint violations and the operations that were used to repair them. The violations are represented as vectors of feature values. We investigate the problem of selecting and weighting features so as to improve the performance of the case-based reasoning approach. A genetic algorithm is developed for off-line feature selection and weighting using the complex data types needed to represent real-world nurse rostering problems. This approach significantly improves the accuracy of the CBR method and reduces the number of features that need to be stored for each problem. The relative importance of different features is also determined, providing an insight into the nature of expert decision making in personnel rostering.     

A semismooth sequential quadratic programming method for lifted mathematical programs with vanishing constraints

Mathematical programs with vanishing constraints are a difficult class of optimization problems with important applications to optimal topology design problems of mechanical structures. Recently, they have attracted increasingly more attention of experts. The basic difficulty in the analysis and numerical solution of such problems is that their constraints are usually nonregular at the solution. In this paper, a new approach to the numerical solution of these problems is proposed. It is based on their reduction to the so-called lifted mathematical programs with conventional equality and inequality constraints. Special versions of the sequential quadratic programming method are proposed for solving lifted problems. Preliminary numerical results indicate the competitiveness of this approach.     

A new error estimation approach based on fuzzy logic system for H-R adaptive boundary element method

Conventional adaptive boundary element method cannot be universally applied to solve many more problems than the subject it discussed, and different error estimation formulas need to be designed for varied problems. This paper put forward a new error analysis method based on the fuzzy logic system, which is able to make error estimation effectively using human expert experience, and solve the two classical elasticity problems in conjunction with the H-R adaptive boundary element method. Numerical examples have illustrated the effectiveness, superiority and potential of a fuzzy logic approach in the adaptive boundary element method.     

Mixed Fourier-Jacobi spectral method

This paper is for mixed Fourier-Jacobi approximation and its applications to numerical solutions of semi-periodic singular problems, semi-periodic problems on unbounded domains and axisymmetric domains, and exterior problems. The stability and convergence of proposed spectral schemes are proved. Numerical results demonstrate the efficiency of this new approach.     

Applications of the theory of fuzzy sets

This survey summarizes the current state of the theory of fuzzy sets. The use of the theory in applications is illustrated with examples of control and modelling problems, as well as an application to the design of expert systems. Translated from Itogi Nauki i Tekhniki, Seriya Teoriya Veroyatnostei, Matematicheskaya Statistika, Teoreticheskaya Kibernetika, Vol. 29, pp. 83–151, 1990.     

Semi-analytical and numerical solutions of multi-degree-of-freedom nonlinear oscillation systems with linear coupling

This research focuses on the development of an approach for solving multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) nonlinear oscillation problems with linear coupling. The original physical information included in the governing equations is mostly transferred into semi-analytical and numerical solutions. The semi-analytical solutions generated by the present approach are continuous everywhere and reflect more accurately the characteristics of the motion of the nonlinear dynamic systems. General procedures for three types of nonlinear oscillation problems are formulated in detail for allocation in nonlinear dynamic analysis. Two nonlinear oscillation systems with quadratic and cubic nonlinearities are solved to demonstrate the applications of the present approach.     

Q-analysis for modeling and decision making

This paper provides an overview of existing and potential applications of a system-theoretic approach called Q-analysis, using the examples of design and analysis of expert systems in medical image processing and analysis: namely the organization of a histopathologic knowledge base. Q-analysis is also applied to a multicriterion decision-making (MCDM) problem using a method called multicriterion Q-analysis (MCQA). A brief discussion of the advantages and limitations of Q-analysis is given, with suggestions for further applications.     

Homotopy Classes of Elliptic Transmission Problems over C*-Algebras

The topological aspects of B.Bojarski's approach to Riemann–Hilbert problems are developed in terms of infinite-dimensional grassmanians and generalized to the case of transmission problems over C*-algebras. In particular, the homotopy groups of certain grassmanians related to elliptic transmission problems are expressed through K-groups of the basic algebra. Also, it is shown that the considered grassmanians are homogeneous spaces of appropriate operator groups. Several specific applications of the obtained results to singular operators are given, and further perspectives of our approach are outlined.