On the Automation of the MarkIII Data Analysis System.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwegmann, W.; Schuh, H.

1999-03-01

A faster and semiautomatic data analysis is an important contribution to the acceleration of the VLBI procedure. A concept for the automation of one of the most widely used VLBI software packages the MarkIII Data Analysis System was developed. Then, the program PWXCB, which extracts weather and cable calibration data from the station log-files, was automated supplementing the existing Fortran77 program-code. The new program XLOG and its results will be presented. Most of the tasks in the VLBI data analysis are very complex and their automation requires typical knowledge-based techniques. Thus, a knowledge-based system (KBS) for support and guidance of the analyst is being developed using the AI-workbench BABYLON, which is based on methods of artificial intelligence (AI). The advantages of a KBS for the MarkIII Data Analysis System and the required steps to build a KBS will be demonstrated. Examples about the current status of the project will be given, too.

Current Standardization and Cooperative Efforts Related to Industrial Information Infrastructures.

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-01

Data Management Systems: Components used to store, manage, and retrieve data. Data management includes knowledge bases, database management...Application Development Tools and Methods X/Open and POSIX APIs Integrated Design Support System (IDS) Knowledge -Based Systems (KBS) Application...IDEFlx) Yourdon Jackson System Design (JSD) Knowledge -Based Systems (KBSs) Structured Systems Development (SSD) Semantic Unification Meta-Model

A Programmer’s Assistant for a Special-Purpose Dataflow Language.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

valueclasscheck ’strict)) load-qda-kbs Loads the 6DA knowledge bases (defun Ioad-qda-kbs 0) Idolist (kb foda -kbst) (kbload (strino-append ’host-dir...DeMarco, T., "Structured Analysis and System Specification," GUIDE 47 Proceedings, 1978. Reprinted in Classics in Software Engineering, edited by Edward

A Model to Assess the Behavioral Impacts of Consultative Knowledge Based Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mak, Brenda; Lyytinen, Kalle

1997-01-01

This research model studies the behavioral impacts of consultative knowledge based systems (KBS). A study of graduate students explored to what extent their decisions were affected by user participation in updating the knowledge base; ambiguity of decision setting; routinization of usage; and source credibility of the expertise embedded in the…

Thermal Control System Automation Project (TCSAP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyer, Roger L.

1991-01-01

Information is given in viewgraph form on the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Thermal Control System Automation Project (TCSAP). Topics covered include the assembly of the External Thermal Control System (ETCS); the ETCS functional schematic; the baseline Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR), including the development of a knowledge based system (KBS) for application of rule based reasoning to the SSF ETCS; TCSAP software architecture; the High Fidelity Simulator architecture; the TCSAP Runtime Object Database (RODB) data flow; KBS functional architecture and logic flow; TCSAP growth and evolution; and TCSAP relationships.

Virtual Knowledge Brokering: Describing the Roles and Strategies Used by Knowledge Brokers in a Pediatric Physiotherapy Virtual Community of Practice.

PubMed

Hurtubise, Karen; Rivard, Lisa; Héguy, Léa; Berbari, Jade; Camden, Chantal

2016-01-01

Knowledge transfer in pediatric rehabilitation is challenging and requires active, multifaceted strategies. The use of knowledge brokers (KBs) is one such strategy noted to promote clinician behavior change. The success of using KBs to transfer knowledge relies on their ability to adapt to ever-changing clinical contexts. In addition, with the rapid growth of online platforms as knowledge transfer forums, KBs must become effective in virtual environments. Although the role of KBs has been studied in various clinical contexts, their emerging role in specific online environments designed to support evidence-based behavior change has not yet been described. Our objective is to describe the roles of, and strategies used by, four KBs involved in a virtual community of practice to guide and inform future online KB interventions. A descriptive design guided this study and a thematic content analysis process was used to analyze online KB postings. The Promoting Action on Research in Health Sciences knowledge transfer framework and online andragogical learning theories assisted in the coding. A thematic map was created illustrating the links between KBs' strategies and emerging roles in the virtual environment. We analyzed 95 posts and identified three roles: 1) context architect: promoting a respectful learning environment, 2) knowledge sharing promoter: building capacity, and 3) linkage creator: connecting research-to-practice. Strategies used by KBs reflected invitational, constructivism, and connectivism approaches, with roles and strategies changing over time. This study increases our understanding of the actions of KBs in virtual contexts to foster uptake of research evidence in pediatric physiotherapy. Our results provide valuable information about the knowledge and skills required by individuals to fulfill this role in virtual environments.

Comparison of three commercial knowledge bases for detection of drug-drug interactions in clinical decision support.

PubMed

Fung, Kin Wah; Kapusnik-Uner, Joan; Cunningham, Jean; Higby-Baker, Stefanie; Bodenreider, Olivier

2017-07-01

To compare 3 commercial knowledge bases (KBs) used for detection and avoidance of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in clinical practice. Drugs in the DDI tables from First DataBank (FDB), Micromedex, and Multum were mapped to RxNorm. The KBs were compared at the clinical drug, ingredient, and DDI rule levels. The KBs were evaluated against a reference list of highly significant DDIs from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The KBs and the ONC list were applied to a prescription data set to simulate their use in clinical decision support. The KBs contained 1.6 million (FDB), 4.5 million (Micromedex), and 4.8 million (Multum) clinical drug pairs. Altogether, there were 8.6 million unique pairs, of which 79% were found only in 1 KB and 5% in all 3 KBs. However, there was generally more agreement than disagreement in the severity rankings, especially in the contraindicated category. The KBs covered 99.8-99.9% of the alerts of the ONC list and would have generated 25 (FDB), 145 (Micromedex), and 84 (Multum) alerts per 1000 prescriptions. The commercial KBs differ considerably in size and quantity of alerts generated. There is less variability in severity ranking of DDIs than suggested by previous studies. All KBs provide very good coverage of the ONC list. More work is needed to standardize the editorial policies and evidence for inclusion of DDIs to reduce variation among knowledge sources and improve relevance. Some DDIs considered contraindicated in all 3 KBs might be possible candidates to add to the ONC list. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the United States.

Introduction to Radar Signal and Data Processing: The Opportunity

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

SpA) Director of Analysis of Integrated Systems Group Via Tiburtina Km. 12.400 00131 Rome ITALY e.mail: afarina@selex-si.com Key words: radar...signal processing, data processing, adaptivity, space-time adaptive processing, knowledge based systems , CFAR. 1. SUMMARY This paper introduces to...the lecture series dedicated to the knowledge-based radar signal and data processing. Knowledge-based expert system (KBS) is in the realm of

Knowledge elicitation for an operator assistant system in process control tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boy, Guy A.

1988-01-01

A knowledge based system (KBS) methodology designed to study human machine interactions and levels of autonomy in allocation of process control tasks is presented. Users are provided with operation manuals to assist them in normal and abnormal situations. Unfortunately, operation manuals usually represent only the functioning logic of the system to be controlled. The user logic is often totally different. A method is focused on which illicits user logic to refine a KBS shell called an Operator Assistant (OA). If the OA is to help the user, it is necessary to know what level of autonomy gives the optimal performance of the overall man-machine system. For example, for diagnoses that must be carried out carefully by both the user and the OA, interactions are frequent, and processing is mostly sequential. Other diagnoses can be automated, in which the case the OA must be able to explain its reasoning in an appropriate level of detail. OA structure was used to design a working KBS called HORSES (Human Orbital Refueling System Expert System). Protocol analysis of pilots interacting with this system reveals that the a-priori analytical knowledge becomes more structured with training and the situation patterns more complex and dynamic. This approach can improve the a-priori understanding of human and automatic reasoning.

Knowledge Based Artificial Augmentation Intelligence Technology: Next Step in Academic Instructional Tools for Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowe, Dale; LaPierre, Martin; Kebritchi, Mansureh

2017-01-01

With augmented intelligence/knowledge based system (KBS) it is now possible to develop distance learning applications to support both curriculum and administrative tasks. Instructional designers and information technology (IT) professionals are now moving from the programmable systems era that started in the 1950s to the cognitive computing era.…

Artificial Intelligence, Expert Systems, Natural Language Interfaces, Knowledge Engineering and the Librarian.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Jim

This paper begins by examining concepts of artificial intelligence (AI) and discusses various definitions of the concept that have been suggested in the literature. The nesting relationship of expert systems within the broader framework of AI is described, and expert systems are characterized as knowledge-based systems (KBS) which attempt to solve…

Knowledge-based system for structured examination, diagnosis and therapy in treatment of traumatised teeth.

PubMed

Robertson, A; Norén, J G

2001-02-01

Dental trauma in children and adolescents is a common problem, and the prevalence of these injuries has increased in the last 10-20 years. A dental injury should always be considered an emergency and, thus, be treated immediately to relieve pain, facilitate reduction of displaced teeth, reconstruct lost hard tissue, and improve prognosis. Rational therapy depends upon a correct diagnosis, which can be achieved with the aid of various examination techniques. It must be understood that an incomplete examination can lead to inaccurate diagnosis and less successful treatment. Good knowledge of traumatology and models of treatments can also reduce stress and anxiety for both the patient and the dental team. Knowledge-based Systems (KBS) are a practical implementation of Artificial Intelligence. In complex domains which humans find difficult to understand, KBS can assist in making decisions and can also add knowledge. The aim of this paper is to describe the structure of a knowledge-based system for structured examination, diagnosis and therapy for traumatised primary and permanent teeth. A commercially available program was used as developmental tool for the programming (XpertRule, Attar, London, UK). The paper presents a model for a computerised decision support system for traumatology.

Knowledge Based Systems: A Critical Survey of Major Concepts, Issues, and Techniques. M.S. Thesis Final Report, 1 Jul. 1985 - 31 Dec. 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Kavi, Srinu

1984-01-01

This Working Paper Series entry presents a detailed survey of knowledge based systems. After being in a relatively dormant state for many years, only recently is Artificial Intelligence (AI) - that branch of computer science that attempts to have machines emulate intelligent behavior - accomplishing practical results. Most of these results can be attributed to the design and use of Knowledge-Based Systems, KBSs (or ecpert systems) - problem solving computer programs that can reach a level of performance comparable to that of a human expert in some specialized problem domain. These systems can act as a consultant for various requirements like medical diagnosis, military threat analysis, project risk assessment, etc. These systems possess knowledge to enable them to make intelligent desisions. They are, however, not meant to replace the human specialists in any particular domain. A critical survey of recent work in interactive KBSs is reported. A case study (MYCIN) of a KBS, a list of existing KBSs, and an introduction to the Japanese Fifth Generation Computer Project are provided as appendices. Finally, an extensive set of KBS-related references is provided at the end of the report.

Clips as a knowledge based language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrington, James B.

1987-01-01

CLIPS is a language for writing expert systems applications on a personal or small computer. Here, the CLIPS programming language is described and compared to three other artificial intelligence (AI) languages (LISP, Prolog, and OPS5) with regard to the processing they provide for the implementation of a knowledge based system (KBS). A discussion is given on how CLIPS would be used in a control system.

Present situation and prospect of medical knowledge based systems in German-speaking countries: results of an online survey.

PubMed

Spreckelsen, Cord; Spitzer, K; Honekamp, W

2012-01-01

After a decrease of interest in classical medical expert systems, the publication activity concerning the medical application of Artificial Intelligence and the interest in medical decision support have markedly increased. Nonetheless, no systematic exploratory study has yet been carried out, which directly considers the actual fields of applications, exemplary approaches, obstacles, challenges, and future prospect as seen by pioneering users and developers in a given region. This paper reports the results of an online survey designed to fill this gap with the "Knowledge Based Systems" working group of the German Society for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (GMDS) in 2010. The survey was based on an online questionnaire (5 single and multiple choice questions, 8 Likert-scaled items, 7 free text questions) consented to by the working group. The answers were analyzed by descriptive statistics and a qualitative analysis (bottom-up coding). All academic institutions of Medical Informatics in the German-speaking countries and contributors reporting KBS-related projects at the relevant scientific conferences and in a journal specialized in the field were invited to participate. The survey reached a response rate of 33.4%. The results show a gap between the reported obstacles of medical KBS (mainly low acceptance and rare use in clinical practice) and their future prospect as stated by the participants. Problems previously discussed in the literature like low acceptance, integration, and sustainability of KBS projects were confirmed. The current situation was characterized by naming exemplary existing systems and specifying promising fields of application. The field of KBS in medicine is more diversified and has evolved beyond expectations in the German-speaking countries.

Compiling knowledge-based systems from KEE to Ada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filman, Robert E.; Bock, Conrad; Feldman, Roy

1990-01-01

The dominant technology for developing AI applications is to work in a multi-mechanism, integrated, knowledge-based system (KBS) development environment. Unfortunately, systems developed in such environments are inappropriate for delivering many applications - most importantly, they carry the baggage of the entire Lisp environment and are not written in conventional languages. One resolution of this problem would be to compile applications from complex environments to conventional languages. Here the first efforts to develop a system for compiling KBS developed in KEE to Ada (trademark). This system is called KATYDID, for KEE/Ada Translation Yields Development Into Delivery. KATYDID includes early prototypes of a run-time KEE core (object-structure) library module for Ada, and translation mechanisms for knowledge structures, rules, and Lisp code to Ada. Using these tools, part of a simple expert system was compiled (not quite automatically) to run in a purely Ada environment. This experience has given us various insights on Ada as an artificial intelligence programming language, potential solutions of some of the engineering difficulties encountered in early work, and inspiration on future system development.

Design consideration in constructing high performance embedded Knowledge-Based Systems (KBS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalton, Shelly D.; Daley, Philip C.

1988-01-01

As the hardware trends for artificial intelligence (AI) involve more and more complexity, the process of optimizing the computer system design for a particular problem will also increase in complexity. Space applications of knowledge based systems (KBS) will often require an ability to perform both numerically intensive vector computations and real time symbolic computations. Although parallel machines can theoretically achieve the speeds necessary for most of these problems, if the application itself is not highly parallel, the machine's power cannot be utilized. A scheme is presented which will provide the computer systems engineer with a tool for analyzing machines with various configurations of array, symbolic, scaler, and multiprocessors. High speed networks and interconnections make customized, distributed, intelligent systems feasible for the application of AI in space. The method presented can be used to optimize such AI system configurations and to make comparisons between existing computer systems. It is an open question whether or not, for a given mission requirement, a suitable computer system design can be constructed for any amount of money.

Data acquisition for a real time fault monitoring and diagnosis knowledge-based system for space power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilhite, Larry D.; Lee, S. C.; Lollar, Louis F.

1989-01-01

The design and implementation of the real-time data acquisition and processing system employed in the AMPERES project is described, including effective data structures for efficient storage and flexible manipulation of the data by the knowledge-based system (KBS), the interprocess communication mechanism required between the data acquisition system and the KBS, and the appropriate data acquisition protocols for collecting data from the sensors. Sensor data are categorized as critical or noncritical data on the basis of the inherent frequencies of the signals and the diagnostic requirements reflected in their values. The critical data set contains 30 analog values and 42 digital values and is collected every 10 ms. The noncritical data set contains 240 analog values and is collected every second. The collected critical and noncritical data are stored in separate circular buffers. Buffers are created in shared memory to enable other processes, i.e., the fault monitoring and diagnosis process and the user interface process, to freely access the data sets.

Medication-indication knowledge bases: a systematic review and critical appraisal.

PubMed

Salmasian, Hojjat; Tran, Tran H; Chase, Herbert S; Friedman, Carol

2015-11-01

Medication-indication information is a key part of the information needed for providing decision support for and promoting appropriate use of medications. However, this information is not readily available to end users, and a lot of the resources only contain this information in unstructured form (free text). A number of public knowledge bases (KBs) containing structured medication-indication information have been developed over the years, but a direct comparison of these resources has not yet been conducted. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify all medication-indication KBs and critically appraised these resources in terms of their scope as well as their support for complex indication information. We identified 7 KBs containing medication-indication data. They notably differed from each other in terms of their scope, coverage for on- or off-label indications, source of information, and choice of terminologies for representing the knowledge. The majority of KBs had issues with granularity of the indications as well as with representing duration of therapy, primary choice of treatment, and comedications or comorbidities. This is the first study directly comparing public KBs of medication indications. We identified several gaps in the existing resources, which can motivate future research. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Knowledge Based Systems (KBS) Verification, Validation, Evaluation, and Testing (VVE&T) Bibliography: Topical Categorization

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

Different?," Jour. of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, Special Issue on Al for Systems Validation and Verification, 12(4), 2000, pp...Hamilton, D., " Experiences in Improving the State of Practice in Verification and Validation of Knowledge-Based Systems," Workshop Notes of the AAAI...Unsuspected Power of the Standard Turing Test," Jour. of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence., 12, 2000, pp3 3 1-3 4 0 . [30] Gaschnig

GAMES II Project: a general architecture for medical knowledge-based systems.

PubMed

Bruno, F; Kindler, H; Leaning, M; Moustakis, V; Scherrer, J R; Schreiber, G; Stefanelli, M

1994-10-01

GAMES II aims at developing a comprehensive and commercially viable methodology to avoid problems ordinarily occurring in KBS development. GAMES II methodology proposes to design a KBS starting from an epistemological model of medical reasoning (the Select and Test Model). The design is viewed as a process of adding symbol level information to the epistemological model. The architectural framework provided by GAMES II integrates the use of different formalisms and techniques providing a large set of tools. The user can select the most suitable one for representing a piece of knowledge after a careful analysis of its epistemological characteristics. Special attention is devoted to the tools dealing with knowledge acquisition (both manual and automatic). A panel of practicing physicians are assessing the medical value of such a framework and its related tools by using it in a practical application.

The Role of Knowledge Brokers: Lessons from a Community Based Research Study of Cultural Safety in Relation to People Who Use Drugs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCall, Jane; Mollison, Ashley; Browne, Annette; Parker, Joanne; Pauly, Bernie

2017-01-01

The study explored cultural safety as a strategy to address the stigma of substance use in acute care settings. Two research team members took on the role of knowledge brokers (KBs) in order to liaise between the research team and two distinct research advisory groups: one with people who use drugs and the other nurses. The KBs were instrumental…

Industrial Code Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, Wilbur

1991-01-01

The industrial codes will consist of modules of 2-D and simplified 2-D or 1-D codes, intended for expeditious parametric studies, analysis, and design of a wide variety of seals. Integration into a unified system is accomplished by the industrial Knowledge Based System (KBS), which will also provide user friendly interaction, contact sensitive and hypertext help, design guidance, and an expandable database. The types of analysis to be included with the industrial codes are interfacial performance (leakage, load, stiffness, friction losses, etc.), thermoelastic distortions, and dynamic response to rotor excursions. The first three codes to be completed and which are presently being incorporated into the KBS are the incompressible cylindrical code, ICYL, and the compressible cylindrical code, GCYL.

Enhancing Evidence-Informed Decision Making: Strategies for Engagement between Public Health Faculty and Policymakers in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jessani, Nasreen; Kennedy, Caitlin; Bennett, Sara

2017-01-01

This article examines the complex interactions and strategies for engagement--both existing as well as desired--between academic Knowledge Brokers (KBs) and national health policymakers in Kenya. Based on semi-structured interviews with academic KBs and university leaders from six Schools of Public Health (SPHs) as well as national policymakers,…

Do academic knowledge brokers exist? Using social network analysis to explore academic research-to-policy networks from six schools of public health in Kenya

PubMed Central

Jessani, Nasreen S; Boulay, Marc G; Bennett, Sara C

2016-01-01

The potential for academic research institutions to facilitate knowledge exchange and influence evidence-informed decision-making has been gaining ground. Schools of public health (SPHs) may play a key knowledge brokering role—serving as agencies of and for development. Understanding academic-policymaker networks can facilitate the enhancement of links between policymakers and academic faculty at SPHs, as well as assist in identifying academic knowledge brokers (KBs). Using a census approach, we administered a sociometric survey to academic faculty across six SPHs in Kenya to construct academic-policymaker networks. We identified academic KBs using social network analysis (SNA) in a two-step approach: First, we ranked individuals based on (1) number of policymakers in their network; (2) number of academic peers who report seeking them out for advice on knowledge translation and (3) their network position as ‘inter-group connectors’. Second, we triangulated the three scores and re-ranked individuals. Academic faculty scoring within the top decile across all three measures were classified as KBs. Results indicate that each SPH commands a variety of unique as well as overlapping relationships with national ministries in Kenya. Of 124 full-time faculty, we identified 7 KBs in 4 of the 6 SPHs. Those scoring high on the first measure were not necessarily the same individuals scoring high on the second. KBs were also situated in a wide range along the ‘connector/betweenness’ measure. We propose that a composite score rather than traditional ‘betweenness centrality’, provides an alternative means of identifying KBs within these networks. In conclusion, SNA is a valuable tool for identifying academic-policymaker networks in Kenya. More efforts to conduct similar network studies would permit SPH leadership to identify existing linkages between faculty and policymakers, shared linkages with other SPHs and gaps so as to contribute to evidence-informed health policies. PMID:26537610

Conceptual information processing: A robust approach to KBS-DBMS integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lazzara, Allen V.; Tepfenhart, William; White, Richard C.; Liuzzi, Raymond

1987-01-01

Integrating the respective functionality and architectural features of knowledge base and data base management systems is a topic of considerable interest. Several aspects of this topic and associated issues are addressed. The significance of integration and the problems associated with accomplishing that integration are discussed. The shortcomings of current approaches to integration and the need to fuse the capabilities of both knowledge base and data base management systems motivates the investigation of information processing paradigms. One such paradigm is concept based processing, i.e., processing based on concepts and conceptual relations. An approach to robust knowledge and data base system integration is discussed by addressing progress made in the development of an experimental model for conceptual information processing.

Intelligent fault management for the Space Station active thermal control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Tim; Faltisco, Robert M.

1992-01-01

The Thermal Advanced Automation Project (TAAP) approach and architecture is described for automating the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Active Thermal Control System (ATCS). The baseline functionally and advanced automation techniques for Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) will be compared and contrasted. Advanced automation techniques such as rule-based systems and model-based reasoning should be utilized to efficiently control, monitor, and diagnose this extremely complex physical system. TAAP is developing advanced FDIR software for use on the SSF thermal control system. The goal of TAAP is to join Knowledge-Based System (KBS) technology, using a combination of rules and model-based reasoning, with conventional monitoring and control software in order to maximize autonomy of the ATCS. TAAP's predecessor was NASA's Thermal Expert System (TEXSYS) project which was the first large real-time expert system to use both extensive rules and model-based reasoning to control and perform FDIR on a large, complex physical system. TEXSYS showed that a method is needed for safely and inexpensively testing all possible faults of the ATCS, particularly those potentially damaging to the hardware, in order to develop a fully capable FDIR system. TAAP therefore includes the development of a high-fidelity simulation of the thermal control system. The simulation provides realistic, dynamic ATCS behavior and fault insertion capability for software testing without hardware related risks or expense. In addition, thermal engineers will gain greater confidence in the KBS FDIR software than was possible prior to this kind of simulation testing. The TAAP KBS will initially be a ground-based extension of the baseline ATCS monitoring and control software and could be migrated on-board as additional computation resources are made available.

An Automated Approach to Reasoning Under Multiple Perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deBessonet, Cary

2004-01-01

This is the final report with emphasis on research during the last term. The context for the research has been the development of an automated reasoning technology for use in SMS (symbolic Manipulation System), a system used to build and query knowledge bases (KBs) using a special knowledge representation language SL (Symbolic Language). SMS interpreters assertive SL input and enters the results as components of its universe. The system operates in two basic models: 1) constructive mode (for building KBs); and 2) query/search mode (for querying KBs). Query satisfaction consists of matching query components with KB components. The system allows "penumbral matches," that is, matches that do not exactly meet the specifications of the query, but which are deemed relevant for the conversational context. If the user wants to know whether SMS has information that holds, say, for "any chow," the scope of relevancy might be set so that the system would respond based on a finding that it has information that holds for "most dogs," although this is not exactly what was called for by the query. The response would be qualified accordingly, as would normally be the case in ordinary human conversation. The general goal of the research was to develop an approach by which assertive content could be interpreted from multiple perspectives so that reasoning operations could be successfully conducted over the results. The interpretation of an SL statement such as, "{person believes [captain (asserted (perhaps)) (astronaut saw (comet (bright)))]}," which in English would amount to asserting something to the effect that, "Some person believes that a captain perhaps asserted that an astronaut saw a bright comet," would require the recognition of multiple perspectives, including some that are: a) epistemically-based (focusing on "believes"); b) assertion-based (focusing on "asserted"); c) perception-based (focusing on "saw"); d) adjectivally-based (focusing on "bight"); and e) modally-based (focusing on "perhaps"). Any conclusion reached under a line of reasoning that employs such an assertion or its associated implications should somehow reflect the employed perspectives. The investigators made significant progress in developing an approach that would enable a system to conduct reasoning operations over assertions of this kind while maintaining consistency in its knowledge bases. Significant accomplishments were made in the areas of: 1) integration and inferencing; 2) generation of perspectives, including wholistic ad composite views; and 3) consistency maintenance.

Integrating Design and Manufacturing for a High Speed Civil Transport Wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marx, William J.; Mavris, Dimitri N.; Schrage, Daniel P.

1994-01-01

The aerospace industry is currently addressing the problem of integrating design and manufacturing. Because of the difficulties associated with using conventional, procedural techniques and algorithms, it is the authors' belief that the only feasible way to integrate the two concepts is with the development of an appropriate Knowledge-Based System (KBS). The authors propose a methodology for an aircraft producibility assessment, including a KBS, that addresses both procedural and heuristic aspects of integrating design and manufacturing of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) wing. The HSCT was chosen as the focus of this investigation since it is a current NASA/aerospace industry initiative full of technological challenges involving many disciplines. The paper gives a brief background of selected previous supersonic transport studies followed by descriptions of key relevant design and manufacturing methodologies. Georgia Tech's Concurrent Engineering/Integrated Product and Process Development methodology is discussed with reference to this proposed conceptual producibility assessment. Evaluation criteria are presented that relate pertinent product and process parameters to overall product producibility. In addition, the authors' integration methodology and reasons for selecting a KBS to integrate design and manufacturing are presented in this paper. Finally, a proposed KBS is given, as well as statements of future work and overall investigation objectives.

Cost-effective implementation of intelligent systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lum, Henry, Jr.; Heer, Ewald

1990-01-01

Significant advances have occurred during the last decade in knowledge-based engineering research and knowledge-based system (KBS) demonstrations and evaluations using integrated intelligent system technologies. Performance and simulation data obtained to date in real-time operational environments suggest that cost-effective utilization of intelligent system technologies can be realized. In this paper the rationale and potential benefits for typical examples of application projects that demonstrate an increase in productivity through the use of intelligent system technologies are discussed. These demonstration projects have provided an insight into additional technology needs and cultural barriers which are currently impeding the transition of the technology into operational environments. Proposed methods which addresses technology evolution and implementation are also discussed.

Life insurance risk assessment using a fuzzy logic expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carreno, Luis A.; Steel, Roy A.

1992-01-01

In this paper, we present a knowledge based system that combines fuzzy processing with rule-based processing to form an improved decision aid for evaluating risk for life insurance. This application illustrates the use of FuzzyCLIPS to build a knowledge based decision support system possessing fuzzy components to improve user interactions and KBS performance. The results employing FuzzyCLIPS are compared with the results obtained from the solution of the problem using traditional numerical equations. The design of the fuzzy solution consists of a CLIPS rule-based system for some factors combined with fuzzy logic rules for others. This paper describes the problem, proposes a solution, presents the results, and provides a sample output of the software product.

The Human Capital of Knowledge Brokers: An analysis of attributes, capacities and skills of academic teaching and research faculty at Kenyan schools of public health.

PubMed

Jessani, Nasreen; Kennedy, Caitlin; Bennett, Sara

2016-08-02

Academic faculty involved in public health teaching and research serve as the link and catalyst for knowledge synthesis and exchange, enabling the flow of information resources, and nurturing relations between 'two distinct communities' - researchers and policymakers - who would not otherwise have the opportunity to interact. Their role and their characteristics are of particular interest, therefore, in the health research, policy and practice arena, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We investigated the individual attributes, capacities and skills of academic faculty identified as knowledge brokers (KBs) in schools of public health (SPH) in Kenya with a view to informing organisational policies around the recruitment, retention and development of faculty KBs. During April 2013, we interviewed 12 academics and faculty leadership (including those who had previously been identified as KBs) from six SPHs in Kenya, and 11 national health policymakers with whom they interact. Data were qualitatively analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to unveil key characteristics. Key characteristics of KBs fell into five categories: sociodemographics, professional competence, experiential knowledge, interactive skills and personal disposition. KBs' reputations benefitted from their professional qualifications and content expertise. Practical knowledge in policy-relevant situations, and the related professional networks, allowed KB's to navigate both the academic and policy arenas and also to leverage the necessary connections required for policy influence. Attributes, such as respect and a social conscience, were also important KB characteristics. Several changes in Kenya are likely to compel academics to engage increasingly with policymakers at an enhanced level of debate, deliberation and discussion in the future. By recognising existing KBs, supporting the emergence of potential KBs, and systematically hiring faculty with KB-specific characteristics, SPHs can enhance their collective human capital and influence on public health policy and practice. Capacity strengthening of tangible skills and recognition of less tangible personality characteristics could contribute to enhanced academic-policymaker networks. These, in turn, could contribute to the relevance of SPH research and teaching programs as well as evidence-informed public health policies.

Facilitating Subject Matter Expert (SME)-Built Knowledge Bases (KBS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

exists in the field of economics. Most economics textbooks articulate the desirability of maintaining low inflation, ceteris paribus. However, policy...might say that functional knowledge is what the economic policymakers have and rely on to realize the principles agreed upon in economics textbooks . Note

A knowledge engineering framework towards clinical support for adverse drug event prevention: the PSIP approach.

PubMed

Koutkias, Vassilis; Stalidis, George; Chouvarda, Ioanna; Lazou, Katerina; Kilintzis, Vassilis; Maglaveras, Nicos

2009-01-01

Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) are currently considered as a major public health issue, endangering patients' safety and causing significant healthcare costs. Several research efforts are currently concentrating on the reduction of preventable ADEs by employing Information Technology (IT) solutions, which aim to provide healthcare professionals and patients with relevant knowledge and decision support tools. In this context, we present a knowledge engineering approach towards the construction of a Knowledge-based System (KBS) regarded as the core part of a CDSS (Clinical Decision Support System) for ADE prevention, all developed in the context of the EU-funded research project PSIP (Patient Safety through Intelligent Procedures in Medication). In the current paper, we present the knowledge sources considered in PSIP and the implications they pose to knowledge engineering, the methodological approach followed, as well as the components defining the knowledge engineering framework based on relevant state-of-the-art technologies and representation formalisms.

Knowledge-based fault diagnosis system for refuse collection vehicle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, CheeFai; Juffrizal, K.; Khalil, S. N.

The refuse collection vehicle is manufactured by local vehicle body manufacturer. Currently; the company supplied six model of the waste compactor truck to the local authority as well as waste management company. The company is facing difficulty to acquire the knowledge from the expert when the expert is absence. To solve the problem, the knowledge from the expert can be stored in the expert system. The expert system is able to provide necessary support to the company when the expert is not available. The implementation of the process and tool is able to be standardize and more accurate. The knowledgemore » that input to the expert system is based on design guidelines and experience from the expert. This project highlighted another application on knowledge-based system (KBS) approached in trouble shooting of the refuse collection vehicle production process. The main aim of the research is to develop a novel expert fault diagnosis system framework for the refuse collection vehicle.« less

Jointly learning word embeddings using a corpus and a knowledge base

PubMed Central

Bollegala, Danushka; Maehara, Takanori; Kawarabayashi, Ken-ichi

2018-01-01

Methods for representing the meaning of words in vector spaces purely using the information distributed in text corpora have proved to be very valuable in various text mining and natural language processing (NLP) tasks. However, these methods still disregard the valuable semantic relational structure between words in co-occurring contexts. These beneficial semantic relational structures are contained in manually-created knowledge bases (KBs) such as ontologies and semantic lexicons, where the meanings of words are represented by defining the various relationships that exist among those words. We combine the knowledge in both a corpus and a KB to learn better word embeddings. Specifically, we propose a joint word representation learning method that uses the knowledge in the KBs, and simultaneously predicts the co-occurrences of two words in a corpus context. In particular, we use the corpus to define our objective function subject to the relational constrains derived from the KB. We further utilise the corpus co-occurrence statistics to propose two novel approaches, Nearest Neighbour Expansion (NNE) and Hedged Nearest Neighbour Expansion (HNE), that dynamically expand the KB and therefore derive more constraints that guide the optimisation process. Our experimental results over a wide-range of benchmark tasks demonstrate that the proposed method statistically significantly improves the accuracy of the word embeddings learnt. It outperforms a corpus-only baseline and reports an improvement of a number of previously proposed methods that incorporate corpora and KBs in both semantic similarity prediction and word analogy detection tasks. PMID:29529052

DESM: portal for microbial knowledge exploration systems.

PubMed

Salhi, Adil; Essack, Magbubah; Radovanovic, Aleksandar; Marchand, Benoit; Bougouffa, Salim; Antunes, Andre; Simoes, Marta Filipa; Lafi, Feras F; Motwalli, Olaa A; Bokhari, Ameerah; Malas, Tariq; Amoudi, Soha Al; Othum, Ghofran; Allam, Intikhab; Mineta, Katsuhiko; Gao, Xin; Hoehndorf, Robert; C Archer, John A; Gojobori, Takashi; Bajic, Vladimir B

2016-01-04

Microorganisms produce an enormous variety of chemical compounds. It is of general interest for microbiology and biotechnology researchers to have means to explore information about molecular and genetic basis of functioning of different microorganisms and their ability for bioproduction. To enable such exploration, we compiled 45 topic-specific knowledgebases (KBs) accessible through DESM portal (www.cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/desm). The KBs contain information derived through text-mining of PubMed information and complemented by information data-mined from various other resources (e.g. ChEBI, Entrez Gene, GO, KOBAS, KEGG, UniPathways, BioGrid). All PubMed records were indexed using 4,538,278 concepts from 29 dictionaries, with 1 638 986 records utilized in KBs. Concepts used are normalized whenever possible. Most of the KBs focus on a particular type of microbial activity, such as production of biocatalysts or nutraceuticals. Others are focused on specific categories of microorganisms, e.g. streptomyces or cyanobacteria. KBs are all structured in a uniform manner and have a standardized user interface. Information exploration is enabled through various searches. Users can explore statistically most significant concepts or pairs of concepts, generate hypotheses, create interactive networks of associated concepts and export results. We believe DESM will be a useful complement to the existing resources to benefit microbiology and biotechnology research. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Encouraging post-stroke patients to be active seems possible: results of an intervention study with knowledge brokers.

PubMed

Willems, Mia; Schröder, Carin; van der Weijden, Trudy; Post, Marcel W; Visser-Meily, Anne M

2016-08-01

Although physical activity and exercise for stroke patients is highly recommended for fast recovery, patients in hospitals and rehabilitation centres are insufficiently encouraged to be physically active. In this study, we investigated the impact of knowledge brokers (KBs), enterprising nurses and therapists, on health professionals' (HP) performance to encourage stroke inpatients to be physically active. This multicenter intervention study used a pre-post test design. Two or three KBs were trained in each stroke unit of 12 hospitals and 10 rehabilitation centres in The Netherlands. Questionnaires were completed by patients and HPs before and after the KB-intervention. The primary outcome was encouragement given by HPs to their patients to be physically active, as reported by patients and HPs. After the KB-intervention, many more patients (48%; N=217) reported at least some encouragement by HPs to be physically active than before (26%; N=243, p<0.000). HPs (N=288) on an average reported encouraging patients more often after the intervention, but this difference was significant only for occupational therapists and KBs. Based on patient's reports of HP behaviour, the KB-intervention appears effective since more patients felt encouraged to be physically active after the intervention compared to before. Replication of this study in an experimental design is needed to allow causal inferences. Implications for rehabilitation We advise rehabilitation teams to make use of knowledge brokers (KBs), since the KB-intervention was shown to increase the encouragement felt by stroke patients to be physically active. It seems worthwhile to involve physicians, nurses and patients' families more frequently in efforts to encourage stroke patients to be physically active.

Exploring the function and effectiveness of knowledge brokers as facilitators of knowledge translation in health-related settings: a systematic review and thematic analysis.

PubMed

Bornbaum, Catherine C; Kornas, Kathy; Peirson, Leslea; Rosella, Laura C

2015-11-20

Knowledge brokers (KBs) work collaboratively with key stakeholders to facilitate the transfer and exchange of information in a given context. Currently, there is a perceived lack of evidence about the effectiveness of knowledge brokering and the factors that influence its success as a knowledge translation (KT) mechanism. Thus, the goal of this review was to systematically gather evidence regarding the nature of knowledge brokering in health-related settings and determine if KBs effectively contributed to KT in these settings. A systematic review was conducted using a search strategy designed by a health research librarian. Eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, Scopus, SocINDEX, and Health Business Elite) and relevant grey literature sources were searched using English language restrictions. Two reviewers independently screened the abstracts, reviewed full-text articles, extracted data, and performed quality assessments. Analysis included a confirmatory thematic approach. To be included, studies must have occurred in a health-related setting, reported on an actual application of knowledge brokering, and be available in English. In total, 7935 records were located. Following removal of duplicates, 6936 abstracts were screened and 240 full-text articles were reviewed. Ultimately, 29 articles, representing 22 unique studies, were included in the thematic analysis. Qualitative (n = 18), quantitative (n = 1), and mixed methods (n = 6) designs were represented in addition to grey literature sources (n = 4). Findings indicated that KBs performed a diverse range of tasks across multiple health-related settings; results supported the KB role as a 'knowledge manager', 'linkage agent', and 'capacity builder'. Our systematic review explored outcome data from a subset of studies (n = 8) for evidence of changes in knowledge, skills, and policies or practices related to knowledge brokering. Two studies met standards for acceptable methodological rigour; thus, findings were inconclusive regarding KB effectiveness. As knowledge managers, linkage agents, and capacity builders, KBs performed many and varied tasks to transfer and exchange information across health-related stakeholders, settings, and sectors. How effectively they fulfilled their role in facilitating KT processes is unclear; further rigourous research is required to answer this question and discern the potential impact of KBs on education, practice, and policy.

Description of public health nursing nutrition assessment and interventions for home-visited women.

PubMed

Horning, Melissa L; Olsen, Jeanette M; Lell, Shay; Thorson, Diane R; Monsen, Karen A

2018-05-09

The purpose of this manuscript was to describe: Public Health Nurse (PHN) home-visited, female client Nutrition Knowledge (K), Behavior (B), and Status (S); the number and types of nutrition interventions PHNs used with these clients; and the types of clients receiving nutrition interventions. This descriptive study used PHN-generated Omaha System, electronic health record data from January 2012 to July 2015. The analytic sample contains 558 women who received home visits in a rural Midwestern U.S. county that employed universal nutrition assessment for clients. Omaha System data included nutrition KBS scores (from 1 = low to 5 = high) and nutrition interventions delivered. Analyses included descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses (means, frequencies, chi-squares, general linear models). PHNs assessed nutrition KBS scores for 84.1% of clients; average Nutrition Knowledge was 3.4 (SD = 0.7), Behavior 3.7 (SD = 0.8), and Status 4.3 (SD = 1.0). PHNs provided 0-36 nutrition interventions per client. Nutrition intervention patterns were detected by the type of visit clients received. Results suggest home-visited women have room to improve Nutrition KBS and PHNs utilize myriad nutrition interventions. Results also point to opportunities to improve home-visited client care by providing more nutrition interventions, especially to those not receiving interventions, and revising standard care plans to reflect important Case Management nutrition interventions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The spatial data and knowledge gateways at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thenkabail, P. S.; Biradar, C. M.; Noojipady, P.; Islam, A.; Velpuri, M.; Vithanage, J.; Kulawardhana, W.; Li, Yuan Jie; Dheeravath, V.; Gunasinghe, S.; Alankara, R.

2006-10-01

In this paper we discuss spatial data and knowledge base (SDKB) gateway portals developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Our vision is to generate and/or facilitate easy and free access to state-of-art SDKB of excellence globally. Our mission is to make SDKB accessible online, globally, for free. The IWMI data storehouse pathway (IWMIDSP; http://www.iwmidsp.org) is a pathfinder global public good (GPG) portal on remote sensing and GIS (RS/GIS) data and products with specific emphasis on river basin data, but also storing valuable data on Nations, Regions, and the World. A number of other specialty GPG portals have also been released. These include Global map of irrigated area (http://www.iwmigiam.org), Drought monitoring system for southwest Asia (http://dms.iwmi.org), Tsunami satellite sensor data catalogue (http://tsdc.iwmi.org), and Knowledge base system (KBS) for Sri Lanka (http://www.iwmikbs.org). The IWMIDSP has been the backbone of several other projects such as global irrigated area mapping, drought monitoring system, wetlands, and knowledge base systems. A discussion on these pathfinder web portals follow.

Knowledge brokers in a knowledge network: the case of Seniors Health Research Transfer Network knowledge brokers.

PubMed

Conklin, James; Lusk, Elizabeth; Harris, Megan; Stolee, Paul

2013-01-09

The purpose of this paper is to describe and reflect on the role of knowledge brokers (KBs) in the Seniors Health Research Transfer Network (SHRTN). The paper reviews the relevant literature on knowledge brokering, and then describes the evolving role of knowledge brokering in this knowledge network. The description of knowledge brokering provided here is based on a developmental evaluation program and on the experiences of the authors. Data were gathered through qualitative and quantitative methods, analyzed by the evaluators, and interpreted by network members who participated in sensemaking forums. The results were fed back to the network each year in the form of formal written reports that were widely distributed to network members, as well as through presentations to the network's members. The SHRTN evaluation and our experiences as evaluators and KBs suggest that a SHRTN KB facilitates processes of learning whereby people are connected with tacit or explicit knowledge sources that will help them to resolve work-related challenges. To make this happen, KBs engage in a set of relational, technical, and analytical activities that help communities of practice (CoPs) to develop and operate, facilitate exchanges among people with similar concerns and interests, and help groups and individuals to create, explore, and apply knowledge in their practice. We also suggest that the role is difficult to define, emergent, abstract, episodic, and not fully understood. The KB role within this knowledge network has developed and matured over time. The KB adapts to the social and technical affordances of each situation, and fashions a unique and relevant process to create relationships and promote learning and change. The ability to work with teams and to develop relevant models and feasible approaches are critical KB skills. The KB is a leader who wields influence rather than power, and who is prepared to adopt whatever roles and approaches are needed to bring about a valuable result.

Knowledge brokers in a knowledge network: the case of Seniors Health Research Transfer Network knowledge brokers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this paper is to describe and reflect on the role of knowledge brokers (KBs) in the Seniors Health Research Transfer Network (SHRTN). The paper reviews the relevant literature on knowledge brokering, and then describes the evolving role of knowledge brokering in this knowledge network. Methods The description of knowledge brokering provided here is based on a developmental evaluation program and on the experiences of the authors. Data were gathered through qualitative and quantitative methods, analyzed by the evaluators, and interpreted by network members who participated in sensemaking forums. The results were fed back to the network each year in the form of formal written reports that were widely distributed to network members, as well as through presentations to the network’s members. Results The SHRTN evaluation and our experiences as evaluators and KBs suggest that a SHRTN KB facilitates processes of learning whereby people are connected with tacit or explicit knowledge sources that will help them to resolve work-related challenges. To make this happen, KBs engage in a set of relational, technical, and analytical activities that help communities of practice (CoPs) to develop and operate, facilitate exchanges among people with similar concerns and interests, and help groups and individuals to create, explore, and apply knowledge in their practice. We also suggest that the role is difficult to define, emergent, abstract, episodic, and not fully understood. Conclusions The KB role within this knowledge network has developed and matured over time. The KB adapts to the social and technical affordances of each situation, and fashions a unique and relevant process to create relationships and promote learning and change. The ability to work with teams and to develop relevant models and feasible approaches are critical KB skills. The KB is a leader who wields influence rather than power, and who is prepared to adopt whatever roles and approaches are needed to bring about a valuable result. PMID:23302517

A Testbed Demonstration of an Intelligent Archive in a Knowledge Building System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, Hampapuram; Isaac, David; Morse, Steve; Yang, Wenli; Bonnlander, Brian; McConaughy, Gail; Di, Liping; Danks, David

2005-01-01

The last decade's influx of raw data and derived geophysical parameters from several Earth observing satellites to NASA data centers has created a data-rich environment for Earth science research and applications. While advances in hardware and information management have made it possible to archive petabytes of data and distribute terabytes of data daily to a broad community of users, further progress is necessary in the transformation of data into information, and information into knowledge that can be used in particular applications in order to realize the full potential of these valuable datasets. In examining what is needed to enable this progress in the data provider environment that exists today and is expected to evolve in the next several years, we arrived at the concept of an Intelligent Archive in context of a Knowledge Building System (IA/KBS). Our prior work and associated papers investigated usage scenarios, required capabilities, system architecture, data volume issues, and supporting technologies. We identified six key capabilities of an IA/KBS: Virtual Product Generation, Significant Event Detection, Automated Data Quality Assessment, Large-Scale Data Mining, Dynamic Feedback Loop, and Data Discovery and Efficient Requesting. Among these capabilities, large-scale data mining is perceived by many in the community to be an area of technical risk. One of the main reasons for this is that standard data mining research and algorithms operate on datasets that are several orders of magnitude smaller than the actual sizes of datasets maintained by realistic earth science data archives. Therefore, we defined a test-bed activity to implement a large-scale data mining algorithm in a pseudo-operational scale environment and to examine any issues involved. The application chosen for applying the data mining algorithm is wildfire prediction over the continental U.S. This paper reports a number of observations based on our experience with this test-bed. While proof-of-concept for data mining scalability and utility has been a major goal for the research reported here, it was not the only one. The other five capabilities of an WKBS named above have been considered as well, and an assessment of the implications of our experience for these other areas will also be presented. The lessons learned through the testbed effort and presented in this paper will benefit technologists, scientists, and system operators as they consider introducing IA/KBS capabilities into production systems.

Formalization of the engineering science discipline - knowledge engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Xiao

Knowledge is the most precious ingredient facilitating aerospace engineering research and product development activities. Currently, the most common knowledge retention methods are paper-based documents, such as reports, books and journals. However, those media have innate weaknesses. For example, four generations of flying wing aircraft (Horten, Northrop XB-35/YB-49, Boeing BWB and many others) were mostly developed in isolation. The subsequent engineers were not aware of the previous developments, because these projects were documented such which prevented the next generation of engineers to benefit from the previous lessons learned. In this manner, inefficient knowledge retention methods have become a primary obstacle for knowledge transfer from the experienced to the next generation of engineers. In addition, the quality of knowledge itself is a vital criterion; thus, an accurate measure of the quality of 'knowledge' is required. Although qualitative knowledge evaluation criteria have been researched in other disciplines, such as the AAA criterion by Ernest Sosa stemming from the field of philosophy, a quantitative knowledge evaluation criterion needs to be developed which is capable to numerically determine the qualities of knowledge for aerospace engineering research and product development activities. To provide engineers with a high-quality knowledge management tool, the engineering science discipline Knowledge Engineering has been formalized to systematically address knowledge retention issues. This research undertaking formalizes Knowledge Engineering as follows: 1. Categorize knowledge according to its formats and representations for the first time, which serves as the foundation for the subsequent knowledge management function development. 2. Develop an efficiency evaluation criterion for knowledge management by analyzing the characteristics of both knowledge and the parties involved in the knowledge management processes. 3. Propose and develop an innovative Knowledge-Based System (KBS), AVD KBS, forming a systematic approach facilitating knowledge management. 4. Demonstrate the efficiency advantages of AVDKBS over traditional knowledge management methods via selected design case studies. This research formalizes, for the first time, Knowledge Engineering as a distinct discipline by delivering a robust and high-quality knowledge management and process tool, AVDKBS. Formalizing knowledge proves to significantly impact the effectiveness of aerospace knowledge retention and utilization.

A knowledge-based system design/information tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, James G.; Sikora, Scott E.

1990-01-01

The objective of this effort was to develop a Knowledge Capture System (KCS) for the Integrated Test Facility (ITF) at the Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRF). The DFRF is a NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) facility. This system was used to capture the design and implementation information for NASA's high angle-of-attack research vehicle (HARV), a modified F/A-18A. In particular, the KCS was used to capture specific characteristics of the design of the HARV fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system (FCS). The KCS utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge-based system (KBS) technology. The KCS enables the user to capture the following characteristics of automated systems: the system design; the hardware (H/W) design and implementation; the software (S/W) design and implementation; and the utilities (electrical and hydraulic) design and implementation. A generic version of the KCS was developed which can be used to capture the design information for any automated system. The deliverable items for this project consist of the prototype generic KCS and an application, which captures selected design characteristics of the HARV FCS.

Intelligent Systems Technologies and Utilization of Earth Observation Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, H. K.; McConaughy, G. R.; Morse, H. S.

2004-01-01

The addition of raw data and derived geophysical parameters from several Earth observing satellites over the last decade to the data held by NASA data centers has created a data rich environment for the Earth science research and applications communities. The data products are being distributed to a large and diverse community of users. Due to advances in computational hardware, networks and communications, information management and software technologies, significant progress has been made in the last decade in archiving and providing data to users. However, to realize the full potential of the growing data archives, further progress is necessary in the transformation of data into information, and information into knowledge that can be used in particular applications. Sponsored by NASA s Intelligent Systems Project within the Computing, Information and Communication Technology (CICT) Program, a conceptual architecture study has been conducted to examine ideas to improve data utilization through the addition of intelligence into the archives in the context of an overall knowledge building system (KBS). Potential Intelligent Archive concepts include: 1) Mining archived data holdings to improve metadata to facilitate data access and usability; 2) Building intelligence about transformations on data, information, knowledge, and accompanying services; 3) Recognizing the value of results, indexing and formatting them for easy access; 4) Interacting as a cooperative node in a web of distributed systems to perform knowledge building; and 5) Being aware of other nodes in the KBS, participating in open systems interfaces and protocols for virtualization, and achieving collaborative interoperability.

A model for a knowledge-based system's life cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiss, Peter A.

1990-01-01

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics has initiated a Committee on Standards for Artificial Intelligence. Presented here are the initial efforts of one of the working groups of that committee. The purpose here is to present a candidate model for the development life cycle of Knowledge Based Systems (KBS). The intent is for the model to be used by the Aerospace Community and eventually be evolved into a standard. The model is rooted in the evolutionary model, borrows from the spiral model, and is embedded in the standard Waterfall model for software development. Its intent is to satisfy the development of both stand-alone and embedded KBSs. The phases of the life cycle are detailed as are and the review points that constitute the key milestones throughout the development process. The applicability and strengths of the model are discussed along with areas needing further development and refinement by the aerospace community.

Development of an 8000 bps voice codec for AvSat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Joseph F.

1988-01-01

Air-mobile speech communication applications share robustness and noise immunity requirements with other mobile applications. The quality requirements are stringent, especially in the cockpit where air safety is involved. Based on these considerations, a decision was made to test an intermediate data rate such as 8.0 and 9.6 kb/s as proven technologies. A number of vocoders and codec technologies were investigated at rates ranging from 2.4 kb/s up to and including 9.6 kb/s. The proven vocoders operating at 2.4 and 4.8 kb/s lacked the noise immunity or the robustness to operate reliably in a cabin noise environment. One very attractive alternative approach was Spectrally Encoded Residual Excited LPC (SE-RELP) which is used in a multi-rate voice processor (MRP) developed at the Naval Research Lab (NRL). The MRP uses SE-RELP at rates of 9.6 and 16 kb/s. The 9.6 kb/s rate can be lowered to 8.0 kb/s without loss of information by modifying the frame. An 8.0 kb/s vocoder was developed using SE-RELP as a demonstrator and testbed. This demonstrator is implemented in real time using two Compaq 2 portable computers, each equipped with an ARIEL DSP016 Data Acquisition Processor.

ATOS-1: Designing the infrastructure for an advanced spacecraft operations system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poulter, K. J.; Smith, H. N.

1993-01-01

The space industry has identified the need to use artificial intelligence and knowledge based system techniques as integrated, central, symbolic processing components of future mission design, support and operations systems. Various practical and commercial constraints require that off-the-shelf applications, and their knowledge bases, are reused where appropriate and that different mission contractors, potentially using different KBS technologies, can provide application and knowledge sub-modules of an overall integrated system. In order to achieve this integration, which we call knowledge sharing and distributed reasoning, there needs to be agreement on knowledge representations, knowledge interchange-formats, knowledge level communications protocols, and ontology. Research indicates that the latter is most important, providing the applications with a common conceptualization of the domain, in our case spacecraft operations, mission design, and planning. Agreement on ontology permits applications that employ different knowledge representations to interwork through mediators which we refer to as knowledge agents. This creates the illusion of a shared model without the constraints, both technical and commercial, that occur in centralized or uniform architectures. This paper explains how these matters are being addressed within the ATOS program at ESOC, using techniques which draw upon ideas and standards emerging from the DARPA Knowledge Sharing Effort. In particular, we explain how the project is developing an electronic Ontology of Spacecraft Operations and how this can be used as an enabling component within space support systems that employ advanced software engineering. We indicate our hope and expectation that the core ontology developed in ATOS, will permit the full development of standards for such systems throughout the space industry.

Performance analysis of dynamic time-slot allocation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Hongwei; Ruan, Fang; Feng, Chongxi

2001-10-01

Multi-service Access on the narrow-band DDN (Digital Data Network) leased lines to use the bandwidth more efficiently and reduce the cost has attracted much interest. In this paper, one novel multi-service multiplexing scheme based on DTSA (Dynamic Time-Slot Allocation) is given. This scheme can guarantee the QoS of the multiplexed services such as FAX, Voice and data and adapt to different link rates (64kb/s, 128kb/s, 256kb/s), A model is given in this paper to analyze the data behavior under this scheme. The simulation result and the model result have shown that the QoS guarantee to voice and FAX doesn't compromise the QoS of data service much in the meaning of delay and delay variance when the data load is not too high. The simulation result agrees with the model well when data load is not too high.

Knowledge brokering: an innovative model for supporting evidence-informed practice in respiratory care.

PubMed

Hoens, Alison M; Reid, W Darlene; Camp, Pat G

2013-01-01

The process of adopting research findings in the clinical setting is challenging, regardless of the area of practice. One strategy to facilitate this process is the use of knowledge brokering. Knowledge brokers (KBs) are individuals who work to bridge the gap between researchers and knowledge users. In the health care setting, KBs work closely with clinicians to facilitate enhanced uptake of research findings into clinical practice. They also work with researchers to ensure research findings are translatable and meaningful to clinical practice. The present article discusses a KB's role in a respiratory care setting. Working closely with both researchers and clinicians, the KB has led teams in the process of conceptualizing, developing, testing, disseminating and evaluating several projects related to respiratory care, including projects related to mobility in critical care settings and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; inspiratory muscle training; and the use of incentive spirometry in postsurgical populations. The KB role has provided an important communication link between researcher and knowledge user that has facilitated evidence-informed practice to improve patient care.

Functional and real-time requirements of a multisensor data fusion (MSDF) situation and threat assessment (STA) resource management (RM) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duquet, Jean Remi; Bergeron, Pierre; Blodgett, Dale E.; Couture, Jean; Macieszczak, Maciej; Mayrand, Michel; Chalmers, Bruce A.; Paradis, Stephane

1998-03-01

The Research and Development group at Lockheed Martin Canada, in collaboration with the Defence Research Establishment Valcartier, has undertaken a research project in order to capture and analyze the real-time and functional requirements of a next generation Command and Control System (CCS) for the Canadian Patrol Frigates, integrating Multi- Sensor Data Fusion (MSDF), Situation and Threat Assessment (STA) and Resource Management (RM). One important aspect of the project is to define how the use of Artificial Intelligence may optimize the performance of an integrated, real-time MSDF/STA/RM system. A closed-loop simulation environment is being developed to facilitate the evaluation of MSDF/STA/RM concepts, algorithms and architectures. This environment comprises (1) a scenario generator, (2) complex sensor, hardkill and softkill weapon models, (3) a real-time monitoring tool, (4) a distributed Knowledge-Base System (KBS) shell. The latter is being completely redesigned and implemented in-house since no commercial KBS shell could adequately satisfy all the project requirements. The closed- loop capability of the simulation environment, together with its `simulated real-time' capability, allows the interaction between the MSDF/STA/RM system and the environment targets during the execution of a scenario. This capability is essential to measure the performance of many STA and RM functionalities. Some benchmark scenarios have been selected to demonstrate quantitatively the capabilities of the selected MSDF/STA/RM algorithms. The paper describes the simulation environment and discusses the MSDF/STA/RM functionalities currently implemented and their performance as an automatic CCS.

Major accident prevention through applying safety knowledge management approach.

PubMed

Kalatpour, Omid

2016-01-01

Many scattered resources of knowledge are available to use for chemical accident prevention purposes. The common approach to management process safety, including using databases and referring to the available knowledge has some drawbacks. The main goal of this article was to devise a new emerged knowledge base (KB) for the chemical accident prevention domain. The scattered sources of safety knowledge were identified and scanned. Then, the collected knowledge was formalized through a computerized program. The Protégé software was used to formalize and represent the stored safety knowledge. The domain knowledge retrieved as well as data and information. This optimized approach improved safety and health knowledge management (KM) process and resolved some typical problems in the KM process. Upgrading the traditional resources of safety databases into the KBs can improve the interaction between the users and knowledge repository.

Knowledge-based verification of clinical guidelines by detection of anomalies.

PubMed

Duftschmid, G; Miksch, S

2001-04-01

As shown in numerous studies, a significant part of published clinical guidelines is tainted with different types of semantical errors that interfere with their practical application. The adaptation of generic guidelines, necessitated by circumstances such as resource limitations within the applying organization or unexpected events arising in the course of patient care, further promotes the introduction of defects. Still, most current approaches for the automation of clinical guidelines are lacking mechanisms, which check the overall correctness of their output. In the domain of software engineering in general and in the domain of knowledge-based systems (KBS) in particular, a common strategy to examine a system for potential defects consists in its verification. The focus of this work is to present an approach, which helps to ensure the semantical correctness of clinical guidelines in a three-step process. We use a particular guideline specification language called Asbru to demonstrate our verification mechanism. A scenario-based evaluation of our method is provided based on a guideline for the artificial ventilation of newborn infants. The described approach is kept sufficiently general in order to allow its application to several other guideline representation formats.

An Intelligent Archive Testbed Incorporating Data Mining

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, H.; Isaac, D.; Yang, W.; Bonnlander, B.; Danks, D.

2009-01-01

Many significant advances have occurred during the last two decades in remote sensing instrumentation, computation, storage, and communication technology. A series of Earth observing satellites have been launched by U.S. and international agencies and have been operating and collecting global data on a regular basis. These advances have created a data rich environment for scientific research and applications. NASA s Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been operational since August 1994 with support for pre-EOS data. Currently, EOSDIS supports all the EOS missions including Terra (1999), Aqua (2002), ICESat (2002) and Aura (2004). EOSDIS has been effectively capturing, processing and archiving several terabytes of standard data products each day. It has also been distributing these data products at a rate of several terabytes per day to a diverse and globally distributed user community (Ramapriyan et al. 2009). There are other NASA-sponsored data system activities including measurement-based systems such as the Ocean Data Processing System and the Precipitation Processing system, and several projects under the Research, Education and Applications Solutions Network (REASoN), Making Earth Science Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs), and the Advancing Collaborative Connections for Earth-Sun System Science (ACCESS) programs. Together, these activities provide a rich set of resources constituting a value chain for users to obtain data at various levels ranging from raw radiances to interdisciplinary model outputs. The result has been a significant leap in our understanding of the Earth systems that all humans depend on for their enjoyment, livelihood, and survival. The trend in the community today is towards many distributed sets of providers of data and services. Despite this, visions for the future include users being able to locate, fuse and utilize data with location transparency and high degree of interoperability, and being able to convert data to information and usable knowledge in an efficient, convenient manner, aided significantly by automation (Ramapriyan et al. 2004; NASA 2005). We can look upon the distributed provider environment with capabilities to convert data to information and to knowledge as an Intelligent Archive in the Context of a Knowledge Building system (IA-KBS). Some of the key capabilities of an IA-KBS are: Virtual Product Generation, Significant Event Detection, Automated Data Quality Assessment, Large-Scale Data Mining, Dynamic Feedback Loop, and Data Discovery and Efficient Requesting (Ramapriyan et al. 2004).

Relationships between public health nurse-delivered physical activity interventions and client physical activity behavior.

PubMed

Olsen, Jeanette M; Horning, Melissa L; Thorson, Diane; Monsen, Karen A

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study was to identify physical activity interventions delivered by public health nurses (PHNs) and examine their association with physical activity behavior change among adult clients. Physical activity is a public health priority, yet little is known about nurse-delivered physical activity interventions in day-to-day practice or their outcomes. This quantitative retrospective evaluation examined de-identified electronic-health-record data. Adult clients with at least two Omaha System Physical activity Knowledge, Behavior, and Status (KBS) ratings documented by PHNs between October 2010-June 2016 (N=419) were included. Omaha System baseline and follow-up Physical activity KBS ratings, interventions, and demographics were examined. Younger clients typically receiving maternal-child/family services were more likely to receive interventions than older clients (p<0.001). A total of 2869 Physical activity interventions were documented among 197 clients. Most were from categories of Teaching, Guidance, Counseling (n=1639) or Surveillance (n=1183). Few were Case Management (n=46). Hierarchical regression modeling explained 15.4% of the variance for change in Physical activity Behavior rating with significant influence from intervention dose (p=0.03) and change in Physical activity Knowledge (p<0.001). This study identified and described physical activity interventions delivered by PHNs. Implementation of department-wide policy requiring documentation of Physical activity assessment for all clients enabled the evaluation. A higher dose of physical activity interventions and increased Physical activity knowledge were associated with increased Physical activity Behavior. More research is needed to identify factors influencing who receives interventions and how interventions are selected. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical, analytical, experimental study of fluid dynamic forces in seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, William; Artiles, Antonio; Aggarwal, Bharat; Walowit, Jed; Athavale, Mahesh M.; Preskwas, Andrzej J.

1992-01-01

NASA/Lewis Research Center is sponsoring a program for providing computer codes for analyzing and designing turbomachinery seals for future aerospace and engine systems. The program is made up of three principal components: (1) the development of advanced three dimensional (3-D) computational fluid dynamics codes, (2) the production of simpler two dimensional (2-D) industrial codes, and (3) the development of a knowledge based system (KBS) that contains an expert system to assist in seal selection and design. The first task has been to concentrate on cylindrical geometries with straight, tapered, and stepped bores. Improvements have been made by adoption of a colocated grid formulation, incorporation of higher order, time accurate schemes for transient analysis and high order discretization schemes for spatial derivatives. This report describes the mathematical formulations and presents a variety of 2-D results, including labyrinth and brush seal flows. Extensions of 3-D are presently in progress.

Intelligent personal navigator supported by knowledge-based systems for estimating dead reckoning navigation parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moafipoor, Shahram

Personal navigators (PN) have been studied for about a decade in different fields and applications, such as safety and rescue operations, security and emergency services, and police and military applications. The common goal of all these applications is to provide precise and reliable position, velocity, and heading information of each individual in various environments. In the PN system developed in this dissertation, the underlying assumption is that the system does not require pre-existing infrastructure to enable pedestrian navigation. To facilitate this capability, a multisensor system concept, based on the Global Positioning System (GPS), inertial navigation, barometer, magnetometer, and a human pedometry model has been developed. An important aspect of this design is to use the human body as navigation sensor to facilitate Dead Reckoning (DR) navigation in GPS-challenged environments. The system is designed predominantly for outdoor environments, where occasional loss of GPS lock may happen; however, testing and performance demonstration have been extended to indoor environments. DR navigation is based on a relative-measurement approach, with the key idea of integrating the incremental motion information in the form of step direction (SD) and step length (SL) over time. The foundation of the intelligent navigation system concept proposed here rests in exploiting the human locomotion pattern, as well as change of locomotion in varying environments. In this context, the term intelligent navigation represents the transition from the conventional point-to-point DR to dynamic navigation using the knowledge about the mechanism of the moving person. This approach increasingly relies on integrating knowledge-based systems (KBS) and artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies, including artificial neural networks (ANN) and fuzzy logic (FL). In addition, a general framework of the quality control for the real-time validation of the DR processing is proposed, based on a two-stage Kalman Filter approach. The performance comparison of the algorithm based on different field and simulated datasets, with varying levels of sensor errors, showed that 90 per cent success rate was achieved in detection of outliers for SL and 80 per cent for SD. The SL is predicted for both KBS-based ANN and FL approaches with an average accumulated error of 2 per cent, observed for the total distance traveled, which is generally an improvement over most of the existing pedometry systems. The target accuracy of the system is +/-(3-5)m CEP50 (circular error, probable 50%). This dissertation provides a performance analysis in the outdoor and indoor environments for different operators. Another objective of this dissertation is to test the system's navigation limitation in DR mode in terms of time and trajectory length in order to determine the upper limit of indoor operations. It was determined that for more than four indoor loops, where the user walked 261m in about 6.5 minutes, the DR performance met the required accuracy specifications. However, these results are only relevant to the existing data. Future studies should consider more comprehensive performance analysis for longer trajectories in challenging environments and possible extension to image-based navigation to expand the indoor capability of the system.

Indoor Airborne Ultrasonic Wireless Communication Using OFDM Methods.

PubMed

Jiang, Wentao; Wright, William M D

2017-09-01

Concerns still exist over the safety of prolonged exposure to radio frequency (RF) wireless transmissions and there are also potential data security issues due to remote signal interception techniques such as Bluesniping. Airborne ultrasound may be used as an alternative to RF for indoor wireless communication systems for securely transmitting data over short ranges, as signals are difficult to intercept from outside the room. Two types of air-coupled capacitive ultrasonic transducer were used in the implementation of an indoor airborne wireless communication system. One was a commercially available SensComp series 600 ultrasonic transducer with a nominal frequency of 50 kHz, and the other was a prototype transducer with a high- k dielectric layer operating at higher frequencies from 200 to 400 kHz. Binary phase-shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK), and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)-based orthogonal frequency division multiplexing modulation methods were successfully implemented using multiple orthogonal subchannels. The modulated ultrasonic signal packets were synchronized using a wireless link, and a least-squares channel estimation algorithm was used to compensate the phase and amplitude distortion introduced by the air channel. By sending and receiving the ultrasonic signals using the SensComp transducers, the achieved maximum system data rate was up to 180 kb/s using 16-QAM with ultrasonic channels from 55 to 99 kHz, over a line-of-sight transmission distance of 6 m with no detectable errors. The transmission range could be extended to 9 and 11 m using QPSK and BPSK modulation schemes, respectively. The achieved data rates for the QPSK and BPSK schemes were 90 and 45 kb/s using the same bandwidth. For the high- k ultrasonic transducers, a maximum data rate up to 800 kb/s with no measurable errors was achieved up to a range of 0.7 m. The attainable transmission ranges were increased to 1.1 and 1.2 m with data rates of 400 and 200 kb/s using QPSK and BPSK, respectively.

Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) programming techniques to tactical guidance for fighter aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmanus, John W.; Goodrich, Kenneth H.

1989-01-01

A research program investigating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) programming techniques to aid in the development of a Tactical Decision Generator (TDG) for Within-Visual-Range (WVR) air combat engagements is discussed. The application of AI methods for development and implementation of the TDG is presented. The history of the Adaptive Maneuvering Logic (AML) program is traced and current versions of the (AML) program is traced and current versions of the AML program are compared and contrasted with the TDG system. The Knowledge-Based Systems (KBS) used by the TDG to aid in the decision-making process are outlined and example rules are presented. The results of tests to evaluate the performance of the TDG against a version of AML and against human pilots in the Langley Differential Maneuvering Simulator (DMS) are presented. To date, these results have shown significant performance gains in one-versus-one air combat engagements.

Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Programming Techniques to Tactical Guidance for Fighter Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McManus, John W.; Goodrich, Kenneth H.

1989-01-01

A research program investigating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to aid in the development of a Tactical Decision Generator (TDG) for Within-Visual-Range (WVR) air combat engagements is discussed. The application of AI methods for development and implementation of the TDG is presented. The history of the Adaptive Maneuvering Logic (AML) program is traced and current versions of the AML program are compared and contrasted with the TDG system. The Knowledge-Based Systems (KBS) used by the TDG to aid in the decision-making process are outlined in detail and example rules are presented. The results of tests to evaluate the performance of the TDG versus a version of AML and versus human pilots in the Langley Differential Maneuvering Simulator (DMS) are presented. To date, these results have shown significant performance gains in one-versus-one air combat engagements, and the AI-based TDG software has proven to be much easier to modify than the updated FORTRAN AML programs.

System Control for the Transitional DCS. Appendices.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-01

the deployment of the AN/TTC-39 circuit switch. This is a hybrid analog/digital switch providing the following services: o Non- secure analog telephone...service. o Non- secure 16 Kb/s digital telephone service. o Secure 16 Kb/s digital telephone service with automatic key distribution and end to end... security . o Analog circuits to support current inventory 50 Kb/sec and 9.6 Kb/sec secure digital communications. In the deployment model for this study

Fission-track dating of pumice from the KBS Tuff, East Rudolf, Kenya

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hurford, A.J.; Gleadow, A.J.W.; Naeser, C.W.

1976-01-01

Fission-track dating of zircon separated from two pumice samples from the KBS Tuff in the Koobi Fora Formation, in Area 131, East Rudolf, Kenya, gives an age of 2.44??0.08 Myr for the eruption of the pumice. This result is compatible with the previously published K-Ar and 40Ar/ 39Ar age spectrum estimate of 2.61??0.26 Myr for the KBS Tuff in Area 105, but differs from the more recently published K-Ar date of 1.82??0.04 Myr for the KBS Tuff in Area 131. This study does not support the suggestion that pumice cobbles of different ages occur in the KBS Tuff. ?? 1976 Nature Publishing Group.

Development of a good-quality speech coder for transmission over noisy channels at 2.4 kb/s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, V. R.; Berouti, M.; Higgins, A.; Russell, W.

1982-03-01

This report describes the development, study, and experimental results of a 2.4 kb/s speech coder called harmonic deviations (HDV) vocoder, which transmits good-quality speech over noisy channels with bit-error rates of up to 1%. The HDV coder is based on the linear predictive coding (LPC) vocoder, and it transmits additional information over and above the data transmitted by the LPC vocoder, in the form of deviations between the speech spectrum and the LPC all-pole model spectrum at a selected set of frequencies. At the receiver, the spectral deviations are used to generate the excitation signal for the all-pole synthesis filter. The report describes and compares several methods for extracting the spectral deviations from the speech signal and for encoding them. To limit the bit-rate of the HDV coder to 2.4 kb/s the report discusses several methods including orthogonal transformation and minimum-mean-square-error scalar quantization of log area ratios, two-stage vector-scalar quantization, and variable frame rate transmission. The report also presents the results of speech-quality optimization of the HDV coder at 2.4 kb/s.

Knowledge based system and decision making methodologies in materials selection for aircraft cabin metallic structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, Pashupati Raj

Materials selection processes have been the most important aspects in product design and development. Knowledge-based system (KBS) and some of the methodologies used in the materials selection for the design of aircraft cabin metallic structures are discussed. Overall aircraft weight reduction means substantially less fuel consumption. Part of the solution to this problem is to find a way to reduce overall weight of metallic structures inside the cabin. Among various methodologies of materials selection using Multi Criterion Decision Making (MCDM) techniques, a few of them are demonstrated with examples and the results are compared with those obtained using Ashby's approach in materials selection. Pre-defined constraint values, mainly mechanical properties, are employed as relevant attributes in the process. Aluminum alloys with high strength-to-weight ratio have been second-to-none in most of the aircraft parts manufacturing. Magnesium alloys that are much lighter in weight as alternatives to the Al-alloys currently in use in the structures are tested using the methodologies and ranked results are compared. Each material attribute considered in the design are categorized as benefit and non-benefit attribute. Using Ashby's approach, material indices that are required to be maximized for an optimum performance are determined, and materials are ranked based on the average of consolidated indices ranking. Ranking results are compared for any disparity among the methodologies.

EmerLoc: location-based services for emergency medical incidents.

PubMed

Maglogiannis, I; Hadjiefthymiades, S

2007-10-01

Recent developments in positioning systems and telecommunications have provided the technology needed for the development of location aware medical applications. We developed a system, named EmerLoc, which is based upon this technology and uses a set of sensors that are attached to the patient's body, a micro-computing unit which is responsible for processing the sensor readings and a central monitoring unit, which coordinates the data flow. To demonstrate that the proposed system is technically feasible and acceptable for the potential users. Transmission speed is assessed mostly by means of transmission of DICOM compliant images in various operational scenarios. The positioning functionality was established both outdoor using GPS and indoor using the UCLA Nibble system. User acceptability was assessed in a hospital setting by 15 physicians who filled in a questionnaire after having used the system in an experimental setting. Transmission speeds ranged from 88kB/s for a IEEE 802.11 infrastructure to 2.5kB/s for a GSM/GPRS scenario. Positioning accuracy based on GPS was 5-10m. The physicians rated the technical aspects on average above 3 on a 5-point scale. Only the data presentation was assessed to be not satisfactory (2.81 on a 5-point scale). The reported results prove the feasibility of the proposed architecture and its alignment with widely established practices and standards, while the reaction of potential users who evaluated the system is quite positive.

Automation of the Environmental Control and Life Support System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewberry, Brandon S.; Carnes, J. Ray

1990-01-01

The objective of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Advanced Automation Project is to recommend and develop advanced software for the initial and evolutionary Space Station Freedom (SSF) ECLS system which will minimize the crew and ground manpower needed for operations. Another objective includes capturing ECLSS design and development knowledge for future missions. This report summarizes our results from Phase I, the ECLSS domain analysis phase, which we broke down into three steps: 1) Analyze and document the baselined ECLS system, 2) envision as our goal an evolution to a fully automated regenerative life support system, built upon an augmented baseline, and 3) document the augmentations (hooks and scars) and advanced software systems which we see as necessary in achieving minimal manpower support for ECLSS operations. In addition, Phase I included development of an advanced software life cycle testing tools will be used in the development of the software. In this way, we plan in preparation for phase II and III, the development and integration phases, respectively. Automated knowledge acquisition, engineering, verification, and can capture ECLSS development knowledge for future use, develop more robust and complex software, provide feedback to the KBS tool community, and insure proper visibility of our efforts.

Analyst-centered models for systems design, analysis, and development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bukley, A. P.; Pritchard, Richard H.; Burke, Steven M.; Kiss, P. A.

1988-01-01

Much has been written about the possible use of Expert Systems (ES) technology for strategic defense system applications, particularly for battle management algorithms and mission planning. It is proposed that ES (or more accurately, Knowledge Based System (KBS)) technology can be used in situations for which no human expert exists, namely to create design and analysis environments that allow an analyst to rapidly pose many different possible problem resolutions in game like fashion and to then work through the solution space in search of the optimal solution. Portions of such an environment exist for expensive AI hardware/software combinations such as the Xerox LOOPS and Intellicorp KEE systems. Efforts are discussed to build an analyst centered model (ACM) using an ES programming environment, ExperOPS5 for a simple missile system tradeoff study. By analyst centered, it is meant that the focus of learning is for the benefit of the analyst, not the model. The model's environment allows the analyst to pose a variety of what if questions without resorting to programming changes. Although not an ES per se, the ACM would allow for a design and analysis environment that is much superior to that of current technologies.

Using NetMeeting for remote configuration of the Otto Bock C-Leg: technical considerations.

PubMed

Lemaire, E D; Fawcett, J A

2002-08-01

Telehealth has the potential to be a valuable tool for technical and clinical support of computer controlled prosthetic devices. This pilot study examined the use of Internet-based, desktop video conferencing for remote configuration of the Otto Bock C-Leg. Laboratory tests involved connecting two computers running Microsoft NetMeeting over a local area network (IP protocol). Over 56 Kbs(-1), DSL/Cable, and 10 Mbs(-1) LAN speeds, a prosthetist remotely configured a user's C-Leg by using Application Sharing, Live Video, and Live Audio. A similar test between sites in Ottawa and Toronto, Canada was limited by the notebook computer's 28 Kbs(-1) modem. At the 28 Kbs(-1) Internet-connection speed, NetMeeting's application sharing feature was not able to update the remote Sliders window fast enough to display peak toe loads and peak knee angles. These results support the use of NetMeeting as an accessible and cost-effective tool for remote C-Leg configuration, provided that sufficient Internet data transfer speed is available.

Intelligent systems technology infrastructure for integrated systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lum, Henry, Jr.

1991-01-01

Significant advances have occurred during the last decade in intelligent systems technologies (a.k.a. knowledge-based systems, KBS) including research, feasibility demonstrations, and technology implementations in operational environments. Evaluation and simulation data obtained to date in real-time operational environments suggest that cost-effective utilization of intelligent systems technologies can be realized for Automated Rendezvous and Capture applications. The successful implementation of these technologies involve a complex system infrastructure integrating the requirements of transportation, vehicle checkout and health management, and communication systems without compromise to systems reliability and performance. The resources that must be invoked to accomplish these tasks include remote ground operations and control, built-in system fault management and control, and intelligent robotics. To ensure long-term evolution and integration of new validated technologies over the lifetime of the vehicle, system interfaces must also be addressed and integrated into the overall system interface requirements. An approach for defining and evaluating the system infrastructures including the testbed currently being used to support the on-going evaluations for the evolutionary Space Station Freedom Data Management System is presented and discussed. Intelligent system technologies discussed include artificial intelligence (real-time replanning and scheduling), high performance computational elements (parallel processors, photonic processors, and neural networks), real-time fault management and control, and system software development tools for rapid prototyping capabilities.

GABA action in immature neocortical neurons directly depends on the availability of ketone bodies.

PubMed

Rheims, Sylvain; Holmgren, Carl D; Chazal, Genevieve; Mulder, Jan; Harkany, Tibor; Zilberter, Tanya; Zilberter, Yuri

2009-08-01

In the early postnatal period, energy metabolism in the suckling rodent brain relies to a large extent on metabolic pathways alternate to glucose such as the utilization of ketone bodies (KBs). However, how KBs affect neuronal excitability is not known. Using recordings of single NMDA and GABA-activated channels in neocortical pyramidal cells we studied the effects of KBs on the resting membrane potential (E(m)) and reversal potential of GABA-induced anionic currents (E(GABA)), respectively. We show that during postnatal development (P3-P19) if neocortical brain slices are adequately supplied with KBs, E(m) and E(GABA) are both maintained at negative levels of about -83 and -80 mV, respectively. Conversely, a KB deficiency causes a significant depolarization of both E(m) (>5 mV) and E(GABA) (>15 mV). The KB-mediated shift in E(GABA) is largely determined by the interaction of the NKCC1 cotransporter and Cl(-)/HCO3 transporter(s). Therefore, by inducing a hyperpolarizing shift in E(m) and modulating GABA signaling mode, KBs can efficiently control the excitability of neonatal cortical neurons.

Numerical, Analytical, Experimental Study of Fluid Dynamic Forces in Seals Volume 6: Description of Scientific CFD Code SCISEAL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Athavale, Mahesh; Przekwas, Andrzej

2004-01-01

The objectives of the program were to develop computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes and simpler industrial codes for analyzing and designing advanced seals for air-breathing and space propulsion engines. The CFD code SCISEAL is capable of producing full three-dimensional flow field information for a variety of cylindrical configurations. An implicit multidomain capability allow the division of complex flow domains to allow optimum use of computational cells. SCISEAL also has the unique capability to produce cross-coupled stiffness and damping coefficients for rotordynamic computations. The industrial codes consist of a series of separate stand-alone modules designed for expeditious parametric analyses and optimization of a wide variety of cylindrical and face seals. Coupled through a Knowledge-Based System (KBS) that provides a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI), the industrial codes are PC based using an OS/2 operating system. These codes were designed to treat film seals where a clearance exists between the rotating and stationary components. Leakage is inhibited by surface roughness, small but stiff clearance films, and viscous pumping devices. The codes have demonstrated to be a valuable resource for seal development of future air-breathing and space propulsion engines.

Local Distribution Fiber Optic Cable Communication System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-20

T 1 0 1 72 2304 T 1 0 0 36 1152 T 0 1 1 18 576 T 0 1 0 9 288 T 0 0 1 128 4096 S 1 1 0 64 2048 S 1 0 1 48 1536 S 1 0 0 32 1024 S 0 1 1 16 512 S 0 1 0a...channels. For 32 kb/s channels, the trunk transmission rates are 256, 288, 512, 576, 1024, 1152, 1536, 2048 , and 2304 kb/s. The DGM functions as...connectors will remain mated, even under transport conditions. In the MP shelter, power cables are drawn from the VDI /CAP nest. Extra flexible hook-up

3D structure of a complex of transform basins from gravity data, a case study from the central Dead Sea fault

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenthal, Michal; Schattner, Uri; Ben-Avraham, Zvi

2017-04-01

The Kinneret-Bet She'an (KBS) basin complex comprises the Sea of Galilee, Kinarot, and Bet She'an sub-basins. The complex developed at the intersection between two major tectonic boundaries: the Oligo-Miocene Azraq-Sirhan failed rift, that later developed into the southern Galilee basins and Carmel-Gilboa fault system; and the Dead Sea fault (DSF) plate boundary that developed since the Miocene. Despite numerous studies, KBS still remains one of the enigmatic basin complexes. Its structure, stratigraphy and development are vaguely understood - both inside the basin and in correlation with its surroundings. Our study presents a new and comprehensive 3D model for the structure of KBS complex. It is based on all available gravity measurements, adopted from the national gravity database, and new gravity measurements, collected in cooperation with the Geological Survey of Israel and funded by the Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources. The gravity data were integrated with constraints from boreholes, surface geology, seismic surveys, potential field studies and teleseismic tomography. The dense distribution of gravity data [1] provides suitable coverage for modeling the deep structure in three dimensions. The model details the spatial distribution, depth, thickness and density of the following regional units within the KBS complex and across its surroundings: upper crust, pre-Senonian sediments, Senonian and Cenozoic sediments, Miocene volcanics, Pliocene and Quaternary volcanics. Additional local units include salt, gabbro and pyroclasts. Results indicate that the KBS complex comprises two sub-basins separated by a structural saddle: Kinneret-Kinarot ( 6-7 km deep, 45 km long) and Bet She'an ( 4 km deep, 10 km long) sub-basin. A 500 m thick layer of Miocene volcanics appears across the Bet She'an sub-basin, yet missing from the Kinneret-Kinarot sub-basin. Between the basins Zemah-1 borehole penetrated a salt unit. The model indicates that this unit is a part of a thick (1250 m) dome-shaped, perhaps diapiric, structure. A relatively thin (350 m) salt unit fills the Kinneret-Kinarot sub-basin. Above, a 700 m thick layer of Pliocene volcanics fills the entire KBS complex. These volcanics are uplifted in the Zemah area by 200 m. The Pliocene volcanics dip northward from Zemah towards the center of the Sea of Galilee, and further north the Pliocene volcanics dip southward from Korazim towards the center of the Sea of Galilee. The depth differences exceed 3 km across a distance of 15 km, forming a 11° slope below the younger Quaternary fill of the basin. A low-density, probably pyroclastic, lens is calculated within the uppermost 2 km of the Sea of Galilee fill. Scenarios for the development of the basin are discussed. [1] Rosenthal, M., Segev, A., Rybakov, M., Lyakhovsky, V. and Ben-Avraham, Z. (2015) The deep structure and density distribution of northern Israel and its surroundings. GSI Report No. GSI/12/2015, 33 pages, Jerusalem.

Genome Sequence of the Soil Bacterium Janthinobacterium sp. KBS0711

PubMed Central

Shoemaker, William R.; Muscarella, Mario E.

2015-01-01

We present a draft genome of Janthinobacterium sp. KBS0711 that was isolated from agricultural soil. The genome provides insight into the ecological strategies of this bacterium in free-living and host-associated environments. PMID:26089434

New methodology of designing inexpensive hybrid control-acquisition systems for mechatronic constructions.

PubMed

Augustyn, Jacek

2013-12-13

This article presents a new methodology for designing a hybrid control and acquisition system consisting of a 32-bit SoC microsystem connected via a direct Universal Serial Bus (USB) with a standard commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) component running the Android operating system. It is proposed to utilize it avoiding the use of an additional converter. An Android-based component was chosen to explore the potential for a mobile, compact and energy efficient solution with easy to build user interfaces and easy wireless integration with other computer systems. This paper presents results of practical implementation and analysis of experimental real-time performance. It covers closed control loop time between the sensor/actuator module and the Android operating system as well as the real-time sensor data stream within such a system. Some optimisations are proposed and their influence on real-time performance was investigated. The proposed methodology is intended for acquisition and control of mechatronic systems, especially mobile robots. It can be used in a wide range of control applications as well as embedded acquisition-recording devices, including energy quality measurements, smart-grids and medicine. It is demonstrated that the proposed methodology can be employed without developing specific device drivers. The latency achieved was less than 0.5 ms and the sensor data stream throughput was on the order of 750 KB/s (compared to 3 ms latency and 300 KB/s in traditional solutions).

New Methodology of Designing Inexpensive Hybrid Control-Acquisition Systems for Mechatronic Constructions

PubMed Central

Augustyn, Jacek

2013-01-01

This article presents a new methodology for designing a hybrid control and acquisition system consisting of a 32-bit SoC microsystem connected via a direct Universal Serial Bus (USB) with a standard commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) component running the Android operating system. It is proposed to utilize it avoiding the use of an additional converter. An Android-based component was chosen to explore the potential for a mobile, compact and energy efficient solution with easy to build user interfaces and easy wireless integration with other computer systems. This paper presents results of practical implementation and analysis of experimental real-time performance. It covers closed control loop time between the sensor/actuator module and the Android operating system as well as the real-time sensor data stream within such a system. Some optimisations are proposed and their influence on real-time performance was investigated. The proposed methodology is intended for acquisition and control of mechatronic systems, especially mobile robots. It can be used in a wide range of control applications as well as embedded acquisition-recording devices, including energy quality measurements, smart-grids and medicine. It is demonstrated that the proposed methodology can be employed without developing specific device drivers. The latency achieved was less than 0.5 ms and the sensor data stream throughput was on the order of 750 KB/s (compared to 3 ms latency and 300 KB/s in traditional solutions). PMID:24351633

Vector Adaptive/Predictive Encoding Of Speech

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Juin-Hwey; Gersho, Allen

1989-01-01

Vector adaptive/predictive technique for digital encoding of speech signals yields decoded speech of very good quality after transmission at coding rate of 9.6 kb/s and of reasonably good quality at 4.8 kb/s. Requires 3 to 4 million multiplications and additions per second. Combines advantages of adaptive/predictive coding, and code-excited linear prediction, yielding speech of high quality but requires 600 million multiplications and additions per second at encoding rate of 4.8 kb/s. Vector adaptive/predictive coding technique bridges gaps in performance and complexity between adaptive/predictive coding and code-excited linear prediction.

Cerebral ketone body metabolism.

PubMed

Morris, A A M

2005-01-01

Ketone bodies (KBs) are an important source of energy for the brain. During the neonatal period, they are also precursors for the synthesis of lipids (especially cholesterol) and amino acids. The rate of cerebral KB metabolism depends primarily on the concentration in blood; high concentrations occur during fasting and on a high-fat diet. Cerebral KB metabolism is also regulated by the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which depends on the abundance of monocarboxylic acid transporters (MCT1). The BBB's permeability to KBs increases with fasting in humans. In rats, permeability increases during the suckling period, but human neonates have not been studied. Monocarboxylic acid transporters are also present in the plasma membranes of neurons and glia but their role in regulating KB metabolism is uncertain. Finally, the rate of cerebral KB metabolism depends on the activities of the relevant enzymes in brain. The activities vary with age in rats, but reliable results are not available for humans. Cerebral KB metabolism in humans differs from that in the rat in several respects. During fasting, for example, KBs supply more of the brain's energy in humans than in the rat. Conversely, KBs are probably used more extensively in the brain of suckling rats than in human neonates. These differences complicate the interpretation of rodent studies. Most patients with inborn errors of ketogenesis develop normally, suggesting that the only essential role for KBs is as an alternative fuel during illness or prolonged fasting. On the other hand, in HMG-CoA lyase deficiency, imaging generally shows asymptomatic white-matter abnormalities. The ability of KBs to act as an alternative fuel explains the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet in GLUT1 deficiency, but its effectiveness in epilepsy remains unexplained.

Whole-Genome Sequence of the Soil Bacterium Micrococcus sp. KBS0714.

PubMed

Kuo, V; Shoemaker, W R; Muscarella, M E; Lennon, J T

2017-08-10

We present here a draft genome assembly of Micrococcus sp. KBS0714, which was isolated from agricultural soil. The genome provides insight into the strategies that Micrococcus spp. use to contend with environmental stressors such as desiccation and starvation in environmental and host-associated ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Kuo et al.

Klüver–Bucy syndrome associated with a recessive variant in HGSNAT in two siblings with Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIC (Sanfilippo C)

PubMed Central

Hu, Hao; Hübner, Christoph; Lukacs, Zoltan; Musante, Luciana; Gill, Esther; Wienker, Thomas F; Ropers, Hans-Hilger; Knierim, Ellen; Schuelke, Markus

2017-01-01

Klüver–Bucy syndrome (KBS) comprises a set of neurobehavioral symptoms with psychic blindness, hypersexuality, disinhibition, hyperorality, and hypermetamorphosis that were originally observed after bilateral lobectomy in Rhesus monkeys. We investigated two siblings with KBS from a consanguineous family by whole-exome sequencing and autozygosity mapping. We detected a homozygous variant in the heparan-α-glucosaminidase-N-acetyltransferase gene (HGSNAT; c.518G>A, p.(G173D), NCBI ClinVar RCV000239404.1), which segregated with the phenotype. Disease-causing variants in this gene are known to be associated with autosomal recessive Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIC (MPSIIIC, Sanfilippo C). This lysosomal storage disease is due to deficiency of the acetyl-CoA:α-glucosaminidase-N-acetyltransferase, which was shown to be reduced in patient fibroblasts. Our report extends the phenotype associated with MPSIIIC. Besides MPSIIIA and MPSIIIB, due to variants in SGSH and NAGLU, this is the third subtype of Sanfilippo disease to be associated with KBS. MPSIII should be included in the differential diagnosis of young patients with KBS. PMID:27827379

Klüver-Bucy syndrome associated with a recessive variant in HGSNAT in two siblings with Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIC (Sanfilippo C).

PubMed

Hu, Hao; Hübner, Christoph; Lukacs, Zoltan; Musante, Luciana; Gill, Esther; Wienker, Thomas F; Ropers, Hans-Hilger; Knierim, Ellen; Schuelke, Markus

2017-02-01

Klüver-Bucy syndrome (KBS) comprises a set of neurobehavioral symptoms with psychic blindness, hypersexuality, disinhibition, hyperorality, and hypermetamorphosis that were originally observed after bilateral lobectomy in Rhesus monkeys. We investigated two siblings with KBS from a consanguineous family by whole-exome sequencing and autozygosity mapping. We detected a homozygous variant in the heparan-α-glucosaminidase-N-acetyltransferase gene (HGSNAT; c.518G>A, p.(G173D), NCBI ClinVar RCV000239404.1), which segregated with the phenotype. Disease-causing variants in this gene are known to be associated with autosomal recessive Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIC (MPSIIIC, Sanfilippo C). This lysosomal storage disease is due to deficiency of the acetyl-CoA:α-glucosaminidase-N-acetyltransferase, which was shown to be reduced in patient fibroblasts. Our report extends the phenotype associated with MPSIIIC. Besides MPSIIIA and MPSIIIB, due to variants in SGSH and NAGLU, this is the third subtype of Sanfilippo disease to be associated with KBS. MPSIII should be included in the differential diagnosis of young patients with KBS.

Roles and regulation of ketogenesis in cultured astroglia and neurons under hypoxia and hypoglycemia.

PubMed

Takahashi, Shinichi; Iizumi, Takuya; Mashima, Kyoko; Abe, Takato; Suzuki, Norihiro

2014-09-11

Exogenous ketone bodies (KBs), acetoacetate (AA), and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) act as alternative energy substrates in neural cells under starvation. The present study examined the endogenous ketogenic capacity of astroglia under hypoxia with/without glucose and the possible roles of KBs in neuronal energy metabolism. Cultured neurons and astroglia were prepared from Sprague-Dawley rats. Palmitic acid (PAL) and l-carnitine (LC) were added to the assay medium. The 4- to 24-hr production of AA and BHB was measured using the cyclic thio-NADH method. (14)C-labeled acid-soluble products (KBs) and (14)CO2 produced from [1-(14)C]PAL were also measured. l-[U-(14)C]lactic acid ([(14)C]LAC), [1-(14)C]pyruvic acid ([(14)C]PYR), or β-[1-(14)C]hydroxybutyric acid ([(14)C]BHB) was used to compare the oxidative metabolism of the glycolysis end products with that of the KBs. Some cells were placed in a hypoxic chamber (1% O2). PAL and LC induced a higher production of KBs in astroglia than in neurons, while the CO2 production from PAL was less than 5% of the KB production in both astroglia and neurons. KB production in astroglia was augmented by the AMP-activated protein kinase activators, AICAR and metformin, as well as hypoxia with/without glucose. Neuronal KB production increased under hypoxia in the absence of PAL and LC. In neurons, [(14)C]LAC and [(14)C]PYR oxidation decreased after 24 hr of hypoxia, while [(14)C]BHB oxidation was preserved. Astroglia responds to ischemia in vitro by enhancing KB production, and astroglia-produced KBs derived from fatty acid might serve as a neuronal energy substrate for the tricarboxylic acid cycle instead of lactate, as pyruvate dehydrogenase is susceptible to ischemia. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav.

SANDERLING Final Report: Parts A and B, A Research Study into KBS for Command and Control in Naval and TMD Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

focus of attention ). The inherent local control in the FA/C model allows it to achieve just that, since it only requires a global goal to become...Computing Terms Agent Modelling : is concerned with modelling actor’s intentions and plans, and their modification in the light of information... model or program that is based on a mathematical system of logic. B-tree : or "binary-tree" is a self organising storage mechanism that works by taking

AI's Philosophical Underpinnings: A Thinking Person's Walk through the Twists and Turns of Artificial Intelligence's Meandering Path

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colombano, Silvano; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Few human endeavors can be viewed both as extremely successful and unsuccessful at the same time. This is typically the case when goals have not been well defined or have been shifting in time. This has certainly been true of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The nature of intelligence has been the object of much thought and speculation throughout the history of philosophy. It is in the nature of philosophy that real headway is sometimes made only when appropriate tools become available. Similarly the computer, coupled with the ability to program (at least in principle) any function, appeared to be the tool that could tackle the notion of intelligence. To suit the tool, the problem of the nature of intelligence was soon sidestepped in favor of this notion: If a probing conversation with a computer could not be distinguished from a conversation with a human, then AI had been achieved. This notion became known as the Turing test, after the mathematician Alan Turing who proposed it in 1950. Conceptually rich and interesting, these early efforts gave rise to a large portion of the field's framework. Key to AI, rather than the 'number crunching' typical of computers until then, was viewed as the ability to manipulate symbols and make logical inferences. To facilitate these tasks, AI languages such as LISP and Prolog were invented and used widely in the field. One idea that emerged and enabled some success with real world problems was the notion that 'most intelligence' really resided in knowledge. A phrase attributed to Feigenbaum, one of the pioneers, was 'knowledge is the power.' With this premise, the problem is shifted from 'how do we solve problems' to 'how do we represent knowledge.' A good knowledge representation scheme could allow one to draw conclusions from given premises. Such schemes took forms such as rules,frames and scripts. It allowed the building of what became known as expert systems or knowledge based systems (KBS).

Effects of audio compression in automatic detection of voice pathologies.

PubMed

Sáenz-Lechón, Nicolás; Osma-Ruiz, Víctor; Godino-Llorente, Juan I; Blanco-Velasco, Manuel; Cruz-Roldán, Fernando; Arias-Londoño, Julián D

2008-12-01

This paper investigates the performance of an automatic system for voice pathology detection when the voice samples have been compressed in MP3 format and different binary rates (160, 96, 64, 48, 24, and 8 kb/s). The detectors employ cepstral and noise measurements, along with their derivatives, to characterize the voice signals. The classification is performed using Gaussian mixtures models and support vector machines. The results between the different proposed detectors are compared by means of detector error tradeoff (DET) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, concluding that there are no significant differences in the performance of the detector when the binary rates of the compressed data are above 64 kb/s. This has useful applications in telemedicine, reducing the storage space of voice recordings or transmitting them over narrow-band communications channels.

Knowledge based word-concept model estimation and refinement for biomedical text mining.

PubMed

Jimeno Yepes, Antonio; Berlanga, Rafael

2015-02-01

Text mining of scientific literature has been essential for setting up large public biomedical databases, which are being widely used by the research community. In the biomedical domain, the existence of a large number of terminological resources and knowledge bases (KB) has enabled a myriad of machine learning methods for different text mining related tasks. Unfortunately, KBs have not been devised for text mining tasks but for human interpretation, thus performance of KB-based methods is usually lower when compared to supervised machine learning methods. The disadvantage of supervised methods though is they require labeled training data and therefore not useful for large scale biomedical text mining systems. KB-based methods do not have this limitation. In this paper, we describe a novel method to generate word-concept probabilities from a KB, which can serve as a basis for several text mining tasks. This method not only takes into account the underlying patterns within the descriptions contained in the KB but also those in texts available from large unlabeled corpora such as MEDLINE. The parameters of the model have been estimated without training data. Patterns from MEDLINE have been built using MetaMap for entity recognition and related using co-occurrences. The word-concept probabilities were evaluated on the task of word sense disambiguation (WSD). The results showed that our method obtained a higher degree of accuracy than other state-of-the-art approaches when evaluated on the MSH WSD data set. We also evaluated our method on the task of document ranking using MEDLINE citations. These results also showed an increase in performance over existing baseline retrieval approaches. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The neuropsychology of the Klüver-Bucy syndrome in children.

PubMed

Lippe, S; Gonin-Flambois, C; Jambaqué, I

2013-01-01

The Klüver-Bucy syndrome (KBS) is characterized by a number of peculiar behavioral symptoms. The syndrome was first observed in 1939 by Heinrich Klüver and Paul Bucy in the rhesus monkey following removal of the greater portion of the monkey's temporal lobes and rhinencephalon. The animal showed (a) visual agnosia (inability to recognize objects without general loss of visual discrimination), (b) excessive oral tendency (oral exploration of objects), (c) hypermetamorphosis (excessive visual attentiveness), (d) placidity with loss of normal fear and anger responses, (e) altered sexual behavior manifesting mainly as marked and indiscriminate hypersexuality, and (f) changes in eating behavior. In humans, KBS can be complete or incomplete. It occurs as a consequence of neurological disorders that essentially cause destruction or dysfunction of bilateral mesial temporal lobe structures (i.e., Pick disease, Alzheimer disease, cerebral trauma, cerebrovascular accidents, temporal lobe epilepsy, herpetic encephalopathy, heat stroke). As for epilepsy, complete and incomplete KBS are well documented in temporal lobe epilepsy, temporal lobectomy, and partial status epilepticus. KBS can occur at any age. Children seem to show similar symptoms to adults, although some differences in the manifestations of symptoms may be related to the fact that children have not yet learned certain behaviors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of multiple-channel OFDM based airborne ultrasonic communications.

PubMed

Jiang, Wentao; Wright, William M D

2016-09-01

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation has been extensively used in both wired and wireless communication systems. The use of OFDM technology allows very high spectral efficiency data transmission without using complex equalizers to correct the effect of a frequency-selective channel. This work investigated OFDM methods in an airborne ultrasonic communication system, using commercially available capacitive ultrasonic transducers operating at 50kHz to transmit information through the air. Conventional modulation schemes such as binary phase shift keying (BPSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) were used to modulate sub-carrier signals, and the performances were evaluated in an indoor laboratory environment. Line-of-sight (LOS) transmission range up to 11m with no measurable errors was achieved using BPSK at a data rate of 45kb/s and a spectral efficiency of 1b/s/Hz. By implementing a higher order modulation scheme (16-QAM), the system data transfer rate was increased to 180kb/s with a spectral efficiency of 4b/s/Hz at attainable transmission distances up to 6m. Diffraction effects were incorporated into a model of the ultrasonic channel that also accounted for beam spread and attenuation in air. The simulations were a good match to the measured signals and non-LOS signals could be demodulated successfully. The effects of multipath interference were also studied in this work. By adding cyclic prefix (CP) to the OFDM symbols, the bit error rate (BER) performance was significantly improved in a multipath environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Revised stratigraphy of Area 123, Koobi Fora, Kenya, and new age estimates of its fossil mammals, including hominins.

PubMed

Gathogo, Patrick N; Brown, Francis H

2006-11-01

Recent geologic study shows that all hominins and nearly all other published mammalian fossils from Paleontological Collection Area 123, Koobi Fora, Kenya, derive from levels between the KBS Tuff (1.87+/-0.02 Ma) and the Lower Ileret Tuff (1.53+/-0.01 Ma). More specifically, the fossils derive from 53 m of section below the Lower Ileret Tuff, an interval in which beds vary markedly laterally, especially those units containing molluscs and algal stromatolites. The upper Burgi Member (approximately 2.00-1.87 Ma) crops out only in the southwestern part of Area 123. Adjacent Area 110 contains larger exposures of the member, and there the KBS Tuff is preserved as an airfall ash in lacustrine deposits and also as a fluvially redeposited ash. We observed no mammalian fossils in situ in this member in Area 123, but surface specimens have been documented in some monographic treatments. Fossil hominins from Area 123 were attributed to strata above the KBS Tuff in the 1970s, but later they were assigned to strata below the KBS Tuff (now called the upper Burgi Member). This study definitively places the Area 123 hominins in the KBS Member. Most of these hominins are between 1.60 and 1.65 myr in age, but the youngest may date to only 1.53 Ma, and the oldest, to 1.75 Ma. All are 0.15-0.30 myr younger than previously estimated. The new age estimates, in conjunction with published taxonomic attributions of fossils, suggest that at least two species of Homo coexisted in the region along with A. boisei until at least 1.65 Ma. Comparison of crania KNM-ER 1813 and KNM-ER 1470, which were believed to be of comparable age, is at the focus of the debate over whether Homo habilis sensu lato is in fact composed of two species: Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis. These two crania are separated in time by approximately 0.25 myr, and therefore, arguments for their conspecificity no longer need to confront the issue of unusually high contemporaneous variation within a single species.

A high quality voice coder with integrated echo canceller and voice activity detector for mobile satellite applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kondoz, A. M.; Evans, B. G.

1993-01-01

In the last decade, low bit rate speech coding research has received much attention resulting in newly developed, good quality, speech coders operating at as low as 4.8 Kb/s. Although speech quality at around 8 Kb/s is acceptable for a wide variety of applications, at 4.8 Kb/s more improvements in quality are necessary to make it acceptable to the majority of applications and users. In addition to the required low bit rate with acceptable speech quality, other facilities such as integrated digital echo cancellation and voice activity detection are now becoming necessary to provide a cost effective and compact solution. In this paper we describe a CELP speech coder with integrated echo canceller and a voice activity detector all of which have been implemented on a single DSP32C with 32 KBytes of SRAM. The quality of CELP coded speech has been improved significantly by a new codebook implementation which also simplifies the encoder/decoder complexity making room for the integration of a 64-tap echo canceller together with a voice activity detector.

Subsoil denitrification experiments at KBS MSU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shcherbak, I.; Robertson, G. P.

2011-12-01

Denitrification is a major soil process that produces nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. Most research on denitrification has, for various reasons, concentrated on the top soil layer, ignoring depths below 10-20 cm. Although denitrification is considered to be the most active in top soil, this layer usually accounts for only 10% of the total volume of the soil profile. Our research addresses the questions: How significant is denitrification at depth in the soil profile and how does it vary with land-use? We have two field experiments at the W. K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) in southwest Michigan: 1) tilled versus no-tillage rainfed fertilized corn and 2) rainfed versus irrigated corn at six fertilizer levels, with N2O concentrations measured at 10 depths (3, 7, 15, 20, 25, 50, 55, 70, 75, 125 cm) and 5 depths (10, 20, 30, 50, 75 cm), respectively , along with N2O fluxes to the atmosphere in both. Soil environment data (texture, water content, temperature and nitrate content) represent a combination of measured values and simulated values using the SALUS (System Approach to Land Use Sustainability) model. We used diffusion and water balance equations that incorporated carbon dioxide concentrations and flux data collected simultaneously with N2O to determine diffusivity as a function of water content and soil temperature. We used the same diffusivity to obtain N2O production as function of moisture, temperature, and nitrate availability. Further validation of the production function was performed with data collected from the KBS Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site , where we also measured belowground concentrations during the 2011 growing season.

Evaluation and Selection of a Telecommunication System at the Naval Postgraduate School BOQ

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

software, and operating system software as a part of a complete package. An internal modem must be included for remote diagnostic and programming...2 service delivery will follow the CCITT V.35 recommendation for physical, functional and electrical interfaces. Type 1 & 2 will transfer data at 56K ...by a dedicated access line at 4.8 kbs and 9.6 Kbps and 56k /64Kbps. PSS will follow the CCITT X.25 recommendations. E-mail service may be provided on

Molecular mechanism underlying juvenile hormone-mediated repression of precocious larval-adult metamorphosis.

PubMed

Kayukawa, Takumi; Jouraku, Akiya; Ito, Yuka; Shinoda, Tetsuro

2017-01-31

Juvenile hormone (JH) represses precocious metamorphosis of larval to pupal and adult transitions in holometabolous insects. The early JH-inducible gene Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) plays a key role in the repression of metamorphosis as a mediator of JH action. Previous studies demonstrated that Kr-h1 inhibits precocious larval-pupal transition in immature larva via direct transcriptional repression of the pupal specifier Broad-Complex (BR-C). JH was recently reported to repress the adult specifier gene Ecdysone-induced protein 93F (E93); however, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we found that JH suppressed ecdysone-inducible E93 expression in the epidermis of the silkworm Bombyx mori and in a B. mori cell line. Reporter assays in the cell line revealed that the JH-dependent suppression was mediated by Kr-h1. Genome-wide ChIP-seq analysis identified a consensus Kr-h1 binding site (KBS, 14 bp) located in the E93 promoter region, and EMSA confirmed that Kr-h1 directly binds to the KBS. Moreover, we identified a C-terminal conserved domain in Kr-h1 essential for the transcriptional repression of E93 Based on these results, we propose a mechanism in which JH-inducible Kr-h1 directly binds to the KBS site upstream of the E93 locus to repress its transcription in a cell-autonomous manner, thereby preventing larva from bypassing the pupal stage and progressing to precocious adult development. These findings help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms regulating the metamorphic genetic network, including the functional significance of Kr-h1, BR-C, and E93 in holometabolous insect metamorphosis.

Air and groundwater flow at the interface between fractured host rock and a bentonite buffer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dessirier, B.; Jarsjo, J.; Frampton, A.

2014-12-01

Designs of deep geological repositories for spent nuclear fuel include several levels of confinement. The Swedish and Finnish concept KBS-3 targets for example sparsely fractured crystalline bedrock as host formation and would have the waste canisters embedded in an engineered buffer of compacted MX-80 bentonite. The host rock is a highly heterogeneous dual porosity material containing fractures and a rock matrix. Bentonite is a complex expansive porous material. Its water content and mechanical properties are interdependent. Beyond the specific physics of unsaturated flow and transport in each medium, the interface between them is critical. Detailed knowledge of the transitory two-phase flow regime, induced by the insertion of the unsaturated buffer in a saturated rock environment, is necessary to assess the performance of planned KBS-3 deposition holes. A set of numerical simulations based on the equations of two-phase flow for water and air in porous media were conducted to investigate the dynamics of air and groundwater flow near the rock/bentonite interface in the period following installation of the unsaturated bentonite buffer. We assume state of the two-phase flow parameter values for bentonite from laboratory water uptake tests and typical fracture and rock properties from the Äspö Hard rock laboratory (Sweden) gathered under several field characterization campaigns. The results point to desaturation of the rock domain as far as 10 cm away from the interface into matrix-dominated regions for up to 160 days. Similar observations were made during the Bentonite Rock Interaction Experiment (BRIE) at the Äspö HRL, with a desaturation sustained for even longer times. More than the mere time to mechanical and hydraulic equilibrium, the occurrence of sustained unsaturated conditions opens the possibility for biogeochemical processes that could be critical in the safety assessment of the planned repository.

Successful treatment of severe disruptive disorder featuring symptoms of the Klüver-Bucy Syndrome following a massive right temporal-parietal hemorrhage.

PubMed

De Benedictis, Luigi; Dumais, Alexandre; Landry, Pierre

2013-01-01

We know little about effective treatment for patients suffering from partial or complete Klüver-Bucy Syndrome (KBS) and other disruptive behaviors following a stroke. Reported cases have shown that certain medication, given alone or combined, can be partially effective. In this specific case study, we will try to demonstrate the effectiveness of a combination of carbamazepine, clonidine, quetiapine and methylphenidate in the alleviating of these symptoms. The wide range of symptoms found in KBS led us to use several kinds of psychotropic medication in spite of the inherent risks associated to polypharmacy.

An Adaptive Approach to a 2.4 kb/s LPC Speech Coding System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-01

laryngeal cancer ). Spectral estimation is at the foundation of speech analysis for all these goals and accurate AR model estimation in noise is...S ,5 mWnL NrinKt ) o ,-G p (d va Rmea.imn flU: 5() WOM Lu M(G)INUNM 40 4KeemS! MU= 1 UD M5) SIGHSM A SO= WAGe . M. (d) I U NS maIm ( IW vis MAMA

Error image aware content restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Sungwoo; Lee, Moonsik; Jung, Byunghee

2015-12-01

As the resolution of TV significantly increased, content consumers have become increasingly sensitive to the subtlest defect in TV contents. This rising standard in quality demanded by consumers has posed a new challenge in today's context where the tape-based process has transitioned to the file-based process: the transition necessitated digitalizing old archives, a process which inevitably produces errors such as disordered pixel blocks, scattered white noise, or totally missing pixels. Unsurprisingly, detecting and fixing such errors require a substantial amount of time and human labor to meet the standard demanded by today's consumers. In this paper, we introduce a novel, automated error restoration algorithm which can be applied to different types of classic errors by utilizing adjacent images while preserving the undamaged parts of an error image as much as possible. We tested our method to error images detected from our quality check system in KBS(Korean Broadcasting System) video archive. We are also implementing the algorithm as a plugin of well-known NLE(Non-linear editing system), which is a familiar tool for quality control agent.

The 16 August 1997 Novaya Zemlya seismic event as viewed from GSN stations KEV and KBS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hartse, H.E.

1997-11-01

Using current and historic seismic records from Global Seismic Network stations KEV and KBS, the authors find that S minus P arrival time comparisons between nuclear explosions and the 16 August 1997 seismic event (m{sub b} {approx} 3.6) from near Novaya Zemlya clearly indicate that (relative to KEV) the 16 August event occurred at least 80 km east of the Russian test site. Including S minus P arrival times from KBS constrains the location to beneath the Kara Sea and in good agreement with previously reported locations, over 100 km southeast of the test site. From an analysis of P{submore » n}/S{sub n} waveform ratios at frequencies above 4 Hz, they find that the 16 August event falls within the population of regional earthquakes and is distinctly separated from Novaya Zemlya and other northern Eurasian nuclear explosion populations. Thus, given its location and waveform characteristics, they conclude the 16 August event was an earthquake. The 16 August event was not detected at teleseismic distances, and thus, this event provides a good example of the regional detection, location, and identification efforts that will be required to monitor the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty below m{sub b} {approx} 4.« less

Stratigraphy, correlation, and age estimates for fossils from Area 123, Koobi Fora.

PubMed

Feibel, Craig S; Lepre, Christopher J; Quinn, Rhonda L

2009-08-01

Geological data from the Bura Hasuma region at Koobi Fora provide important constraints for estimating the ages of hominin fossils recovered there, including the cranium KNM-ER 1813. Strata of the upper Burgi, KBS, and Okote members in this part of Koobi Fora reflect three depositional regimes driven by changing paleogeography through time. The upper Burgi and lowermost KBS sequence in the southern Bura Hasuma region accumulated in a lacustrine to delta front setting, with highly localized depositional patterns, limiting the lateral extent of lithostratigraphic markers. Farther north, uppermost upper Burgi through KBS member strata document a fluctuating lake margin, with complex facies patterns. This interval is marked by laterally extensive lithostratigraphic markers, including molluscan packstones, beach sandstones, and stromatolite beds. The uppermost KBS and Okote members show a transition to dominantly fluvial character, with localized and discontinuous accumulation. An age model for the richly fossiliferous Area 123 sequence demonstrates the complexity of terrestrial accumulation patterns. Early lacustrine and delta front accumulation is marked by fairly continuous sedimentation, and high accumulation rates (up to ca. 91 cm/k.yr.). The fluctuating lake margin interval reflects lower sedimentation rates coupled with intervals of exposure, decreasing accumulation significantly (to ca. 13 cm/k.yr.). The capping fluvial interval is marked by significant erosion surfaces, breaks which may drop the overall accumulation rate even lower (ca. 0.3 cm/k.yr.). The data provided here establish a geological framework at odds with a recent proposal of ages considerably younger (by ca. 250 k.yr.) for many of the fossils from Area 123 and elsewhere. Tests of age models demonstrate that the younger ages are not possible. While minor refinements to age estimates for fossils are indicated by improved chronostratigraphic control, in the case of KNM-ER 1813, an age of younger than 1.78 Ma is precluded on magnetostratigraphic grounds.

KnowLife: a versatile approach for constructing a large knowledge graph for biomedical sciences.

PubMed

Ernst, Patrick; Siu, Amy; Weikum, Gerhard

2015-05-14

Biomedical knowledge bases (KB's) have become important assets in life sciences. Prior work on KB construction has three major limitations. First, most biomedical KBs are manually built and curated, and cannot keep up with the rate at which new findings are published. Second, for automatic information extraction (IE), the text genre of choice has been scientific publications, neglecting sources like health portals and online communities. Third, most prior work on IE has focused on the molecular level or chemogenomics only, like protein-protein interactions or gene-drug relationships, or solely address highly specific topics such as drug effects. We address these three limitations by a versatile and scalable approach to automatic KB construction. Using a small number of seed facts for distant supervision of pattern-based extraction, we harvest a huge number of facts in an automated manner without requiring any explicit training. We extend previous techniques for pattern-based IE with confidence statistics, and we combine this recall-oriented stage with logical reasoning for consistency constraint checking to achieve high precision. To our knowledge, this is the first method that uses consistency checking for biomedical relations. Our approach can be easily extended to incorporate additional relations and constraints. We ran extensive experiments not only for scientific publications, but also for encyclopedic health portals and online communities, creating different KB's based on different configurations. We assess the size and quality of each KB, in terms of number of facts and precision. The best configured KB, KnowLife, contains more than 500,000 facts at a precision of 93% for 13 relations covering genes, organs, diseases, symptoms, treatments, as well as environmental and lifestyle risk factors. KnowLife is a large knowledge base for health and life sciences, automatically constructed from different Web sources. As a unique feature, KnowLife is harvested from different text genres such as scientific publications, health portals, and online communities. Thus, it has the potential to serve as one-stop portal for a wide range of relations and use cases. To showcase the breadth and usefulness, we make the KnowLife KB accessible through the health portal (http://knowlife.mpi-inf.mpg.de).

A Low-power CMOS BFSK Transceiver for Health Monitoring Systems.

PubMed

Kim, Sungho; Lepkowski, William; Wilk, Seth J; Thornton, Trevor J; Bakkaloglu, Bertan

2011-01-01

A CMOS low-power transceiver for implantable and external health monitoring devices operating in the MICS band is presented. The LNA core has an integrated mixer in a folded configuration to reuse the bias current, allowing high linearity with a low power supply levels. The baseband strip consists of a pseudo differential MOS-C band-pass filter achieving demodulation of 150kHz-offset BFSK signals. An all digital frequency-locked loop is used for LO generation in the RX mode and for driving a class AB power amplifier in the TX mode. The MICS transceiver is designed and fabricated in a 0.18μm 1-poly, 6-metal CMOS process. The sensitivities of -70dBm and -98dBm were achieved with NF of 40dB and 11dB at the data rate of 100kb/s while consuming only 600μW and 1.5mW at 1.2V and 1.8V, respectively. The BERs are less than 10 -3 at the input powers of -70dBm at 1.2V and -98dBm at 1.8V at the data rate of 100kb/s. Finally, the output power of the transmitter is 0dBm for a power consumption of 1.8mW.

Influence of Ionic Liquids on Thermodynamics of Small Molecule-DNA Interaction: The Binding of Ethidium Bromide to Calf Thymus DNA.

PubMed

Mishra, Arpit; Ekka, Mary Krishna; Maiti, Souvik

2016-03-17

Ionic liquids (ILs) are salts with poor ionic coordination, resultantly remaining in liquid state below 100 °C and some may retain liquid state even at room temperature. ILs are known to provide a conducive environment for many biological enzymatic reactions, but their interaction with biomacromolecules are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigate the effect of various ionic liquids on DNA-small molecule interaction using calf thymus DNA (ctDNA)-ethidium bromide (EB) as a model system. The effect of various ionic liquids on these interactions is studied by an array of techniques such as circular dichroism (CD), UV melting, fluorescence exclusion and isothermal titration calorimetry. Interestingly, we observed that presence of IL increased the stability of ctDNA without altering its structure. The binding affinities Kbs for EB binding to ctDNA in the presence of 300 mM ILs are about half order of magnitude smaller than the Kbs in absence of ILs and correspond to a less favorable free energy. We noted that, when adjusted to corresponding buffer condition, the unfavorable shift in ΔG of ctDNA-EB interaction is attributed to decreased entropy in the case of ILs, whereas the same effect by NaCl was due to increased enthalpy.

More About Vector Adaptive/Predictive Coding Of Speech

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jedrey, Thomas C.; Gersho, Allen

1992-01-01

Report presents additional information about digital speech-encoding and -decoding system described in "Vector Adaptive/Predictive Encoding of Speech" (NPO-17230). Summarizes development of vector adaptive/predictive coding (VAPC) system and describes basic functions of algorithm. Describes refinements introduced enabling receiver to cope with errors. VAPC algorithm implemented in integrated-circuit coding/decoding processors (codecs). VAPC and other codecs tested under variety of operating conditions. Tests designed to reveal effects of various background quiet and noisy environments and of poor telephone equipment. VAPC found competitive with and, in some respects, superior to other 4.8-kb/s codecs and other codecs of similar complexity.

A Low-power CMOS BFSK Transceiver for Health Monitoring Systems

PubMed Central

Kim, Sungho; Lepkowski, William; Wilk, Seth J.; Thornton, Trevor J.; Bakkaloglu, Bertan

2014-01-01

A CMOS low-power transceiver for implantable and external health monitoring devices operating in the MICS band is presented. The LNA core has an integrated mixer in a folded configuration to reuse the bias current, allowing high linearity with a low power supply levels. The baseband strip consists of a pseudo differential MOS-C band-pass filter achieving demodulation of 150kHz-offset BFSK signals. An all digital frequency-locked loop is used for LO generation in the RX mode and for driving a class AB power amplifier in the TX mode. The MICS transceiver is designed and fabricated in a 0.18μm 1-poly, 6-metal CMOS process. The sensitivities of −70dBm and −98dBm were achieved with NF of 40dB and 11dB at the data rate of 100kb/s while consuming only 600μW and 1.5mW at 1.2V and 1.8V, respectively. The BERs are less than 10−3 at the input powers of −70dBm at 1.2V and −98dBm at 1.8V at the data rate of 100kb/s. Finally, the output power of the transmitter is 0dBm for a power consumption of 1.8mW. PMID:24473462

Broadcast satellite service: The international dimension

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samara, Noah

1991-01-01

The dawn of the 1990's has witnessed the birth of a new satellite service - satellite sound broadcasting. This new service is characterized by digital transmission at data rates up to 256 kb/s from satellites in geostationary orbit to small, low-cost, mobile and portable receivers. The satellite sound broadcasting service is a logical step beyond navigation satellite service, such as that provided by the GPS Navstar system. The mass market appeal of satellite sound broadcasting in the area of lightsat technology and low-cost digital radios has greatly facilitated the financing of this type of space service.

Broadcast satellite service: The international dimension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samara, Noah

1991-09-01

The dawn of the 1990's has witnessed the birth of a new satellite service - satellite sound broadcasting. This new service is characterized by digital transmission at data rates up to 256 kb/s from satellites in geostationary orbit to small, low-cost, mobile and portable receivers. The satellite sound broadcasting service is a logical step beyond navigation satellite service, such as that provided by the GPS Navstar system. The mass market appeal of satellite sound broadcasting in the area of lightsat technology and low-cost digital radios has greatly facilitated the financing of this type of space service.

On-board processing for future satellite communications systems: Satellite-Routed FDMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berk, G.; Christopher, P. F.; Hoffman, M.; Jean, P. N.; Rotholz, E.; White, B. E.

1981-05-01

A frequency division multiple access (FDMA) 30/20 GHz satellite communications architecture without on-board baseband processing is investigated. Conceptual system designs are suggested for domestic traffic models totaling 4 Gb/s of customer premises service (CPS) traffic and 6 Gb/s of trunking traffic. Emphasis is given to the CPS portion of the system which includes thousands of earth terminals with digital traffic ranging from a single 64 kb/s voice channel to hundreds of channels of voice, data, and video with an aggregate data rate of 33 Mb/s. A unique regional design concept that effectively smooths the non-uniform traffic distribution and greatly simplifies the satellite design is employed. The satellite antenna system forms thirty-two 0.33 deg beam on both the uplinks and the downlinks in one design. In another design matched to a traffic model with more dispersed users, there are twenty-four 0.33 deg beams and twenty-one 0.7 deg beams. Detailed system design techniques show that a single satellite producing approximately 5 kW of dc power is capable of handling at least 75% of the postulated traffic. A detailed cost model of the ground segment and estimated system costs based on current information from manufacturers are presented.

On-board processing for future satellite communications systems: Satellite-Routed FDMA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berk, G.; Christopher, P. F.; Hoffman, M.; Jean, P. N.; Rotholz, E.; White, B. E.

1981-01-01

A frequency division multiple access (FDMA) 30/20 GHz satellite communications architecture without on-board baseband processing is investigated. Conceptual system designs are suggested for domestic traffic models totaling 4 Gb/s of customer premises service (CPS) traffic and 6 Gb/s of trunking traffic. Emphasis is given to the CPS portion of the system which includes thousands of earth terminals with digital traffic ranging from a single 64 kb/s voice channel to hundreds of channels of voice, data, and video with an aggregate data rate of 33 Mb/s. A unique regional design concept that effectively smooths the non-uniform traffic distribution and greatly simplifies the satellite design is employed. The satellite antenna system forms thirty-two 0.33 deg beam on both the uplinks and the downlinks in one design. In another design matched to a traffic model with more dispersed users, there are twenty-four 0.33 deg beams and twenty-one 0.7 deg beams. Detailed system design techniques show that a single satellite producing approximately 5 kW of dc power is capable of handling at least 75% of the postulated traffic. A detailed cost model of the ground segment and estimated system costs based on current information from manufacturers are presented.

A web-based system for home monitoring of patients with Parkinson's disease using wearable sensors.

PubMed

Chen, Bor-Rong; Patel, Shyamal; Buckley, Thomas; Rednic, Ramona; McClure, Douglas J; Shih, Ludy; Tarsy, Daniel; Welsh, Matt; Bonato, Paolo

2011-03-01

This letter introduces MercuryLive, a platform to enable home monitoring of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) using wearable sensors. MercuryLive contains three tiers: a resource-aware data collection engine that relies upon wearable sensors, web services for live streaming and storage of sensor data, and a web-based graphical user interface client with video conferencing capability. Besides, the platform has the capability of analyzing sensor (i.e., accelerometer) data to reliably estimate clinical scores capturing the severity of tremor, bradykinesia, and dyskinesia. Testing results showed an average data latency of less than 400 ms and video latency of about 200 ms with video frame rate of about 13 frames/s when 800 kb/s of bandwidth were available and we used a 40% video compression, and data feature upload requiring 1 min of extra time following a 10 min interactive session. These results indicate that the proposed platform is suitable to monitor patients with PD to facilitate the titration of medications in the late stages of the disease.

An inductive narrow-pulse RFID telemetry system for gastric slow waves monitoring.

PubMed

Javan-Khoskholgh, Amir; Abukhalaf, Zaid; Ji Li; Miller, Larry S; Kiani, Mehdi; Farajidavar, Aydin

2016-08-01

We present a passive data telemetry system for real-time monitoring of gastric electrical activity of a living subject. The system is composed of three subsystems: an implantable unit (IU), a wearable unit (WU), and a stationary unit (SU). Data communication between the IU and WU is based on a radio-frequency identification (RFID) link operating at 13.56 MHz. Since wireless power transmission and reverse data telemetry system share the same inductive interface, a load shift keying (LSK)-based differential pulse position (DPP) coding data communication with only 6.25% duty cycle is developed to guarantee consistent wireless downlink power transmission and uplink high data transfer rate, simultaneously. The clock and data are encoded into one signal by an MSP430 microcontroller (MCU) at the IU side. This signal is sent to the WU through the inductive link, where decoded by an MSP432 MCU. Finally, the retrieved data at the WU are transmitted to the SU connected to a PC via a 2.4 GHz transceiver for real-time display and analysis. The results of the measurements on the implemented test bench, demonstrate IU-WU 125 kb/s and WU-SU 2 Mb/s data transmission rate with no observed mismatch, while the data stream was randomly generated, and matching between the transmitted data by the IU and received by the SU verified by a custom-made automated software.

Can a barcode scanner for blood collection improve patient identification integrity in the emergency department? A prospective before-and-after study.

PubMed

Spain, David; Crilly, Julia; Pierce, John; Steele, Michael; Scuffham, Paul; Keijzers, Gerben

2015-02-01

To describe the effect of interventions designed to improve patient identification (PI) during pathology collection in the ED. A prospective before-and-after intervention study was conducted between June 2009 and June 2010 in a regional ED in Queensland, Australia. Interventions aimed to improve PI and specimen labelling, and consisted of: (i) education alone; and (ii) education plus an armband scanner that voice-prompted collector behaviour. Main outcomes measured included: frequency of correct key behaviours (KBs) during specimen collection, pathology integrity errors and cost of interventions. Data from 282 ED pathology collections were analysed (before: n = 115, after with education: n = 95, after with education plus armband scanner: n = 72). KBs for PI and labelling improved significantly following education plus armband scanner use. Application of armbands before sample collection increased (36% vs 90%, P < 0.001), as did asking the patient to state their name (25% vs 93%, P < 0.001) and date of birth (22% vs 93%, P < 0.001). These results were similar, albeit less pronounced, when the effect of education only was assessed. No primary patient misidentification was detected in this small study. The annual costs for a hospital to adopt the education programme with and without the armband scanner were $104,045 and $5330 respectively. ED staff had poor behaviours for identifying patients and labelling pathology specimens before intervention. These safety behaviours were considered an assumed skill. Education alone improved critical KBs markedly that was further augmented by the armband scanner. The cost to adopt education alone is relatively low compared to the addition of armband scanner technology. © 2015 The Authors. Emergency Medicine Australasia published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Space vehicle Viterbi decoder. [data converters, algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The design and fabrication of an extremely low-power, constraint-length 7, rate 1/3 Viterbi decoder brassboard capable of operating at information rates of up to 100 kb/s is presented. The brassboard is partitioned to facilitate a later transition to an LSI version requiring even less power. The effect of soft-decision thresholds, path memory lengths, and output selection algorithms on the bit error rate is evaluated. A branch synchronization algorithm is compared with a more conventional approach. The implementation of the decoder and its test set (including all-digital noise source) are described along with the results of various system tests and evaluations. Results and recommendations are presented.

A digital audio/video interleaving system. [for Shuttle Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, R. W.

1978-01-01

A method of interleaving an audio signal with its associated video signal for simultaneous transmission or recording, and the subsequent separation of the two signals, is described. Comparisons are made between the new audio signal interleaving system and the Skylab Pam audio/video interleaving system, pointing out improvements gained by using the digital audio/video interleaving system. It was found that the digital technique is the simplest, most effective and most reliable method for interleaving audio and/or other types of data into the video signal for the Shuttle Orbiter application. Details of the design of a multiplexer capable of accommodating two basic data channels, each consisting of a single 31.5-kb/s digital bit stream are given. An adaptive slope delta modulation system is introduced to digitize audio signals, producing a high immunity of work intelligibility to channel errors, primarily due to the robust nature of the delta-modulation algorithm.

Broadband Satellite Technologies and Markets Assessed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallett, Thomas M.

1999-01-01

The current usage of broadband (data rate greater than 64 kilobits per second (kbs)) for multimedia network computer applications is increasing, and the need for network communications technologies and systems to support this use is also growing. Satellite technology will likely be an important part of the National Information Infrastructure (NII) and the Global Information Infrastructure (GII) in the next decade. Several candidate communications technologies that may be used to carry a portion of the increased data traffic have been reviewed, and estimates of the future demand for satellite capacity have been made. A study was conducted by the NASA Lewis Research Center to assess the satellite addressable markets for broadband applications. This study effort included four specific milestones: (1) assess the changing nature of broadband applications and their usage, (2) assess broadband satellite and terrestrial technologies, (3) estimate the size of the global satellite addressable market from 2000 to 2010, and (4) identify how the impact of future technology developments could increase the utility of satellite-based transport to serve this market.

Ultra-low-power wireless transmitter for neural prostheses with modified pulse position modulation.

PubMed

Goodarzy, Farhad; Skafidas, Stan E

2014-01-01

An ultra-low-power wireless transmitter for embedded bionic systems is proposed, which achieves 40 pJ/b energy efficiency and delivers 500 kb/s data using the medical implant communication service frequency band (402-405 MHz). It consumes a measured peak power of 200 µW from a 1.2 V supply while occupying an active area of 0.0016 mm(2) in a 130 nm technology. A modified pulse position modulation technique called saturated amplified signal is proposed and implemented, which can reduce the overall and per bit transferred power consumption of the transmitter while reducing the complexity of the transmitter architectures, and hence potentially shrinking the size of the implemented circuitry. The design is capable of being fully integrated on single-chip solutions for surgically implanted bionic systems, wearable devices and neural embedded systems.

Digital 8-DPSK Modem For Trellis-Coded Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jedrey, T. C.; Lay, N. E.; Rafferty, W.

1989-01-01

Digital real-time modem processes octuple differential-phase-shift-keyed trellis-coded modulation. Intended for use in communicating data at rate up to 4.8 kb/s in land-mobile satellite channel (Rician fading) of 5-kHz bandwidth at carrier frequency of 1 to 2 GHz. Modulator and demodulator contain digital signal processors performing modem functions. Design flexible in that functions altered via software. Modem successfully tested and evaluated in both laboratory and field experiments, including recent full-scale satellite experiment. In all cases, modem performed within 1 dB of theory. Other communication systems benefitting from this type of modem include land mobile (without satellites), paging, digitized voice, and frequency-modulation subcarrier data broadcasting.

Plio-Pleistocene facies environments from the KBS Member, Koobi Fora Formation: implications for climate controls on the development of lake-margin hominin habitats in the northeast Turkana Basin (northwest Kenya).

PubMed

Lepre, Christopher J; Quinn, Rhonda L; Joordens, Josephine C A; Swisher, Carl C; Feibel, Craig S

2007-11-01

Climate change is hypothesized as a cause of major events of Plio-Pleistocene East African hominin evolution, but the vertically discontinuous and laterally confined nature of the relevant geological records has led to difficulties with assessing probable links between the two. High-resolution sedimentary sequences from lacustrine settings can provide comprehensive data of environmental changes and detailed correlations with well-established orbital and marine records of climate. Hominin-bearing deposits from Koobi Fora Ridge localities in the northeast Turkana Basin of Kenya are an archive of Plio-Pleistocene lake-margin sedimentation though significant developmental junctures of northern African climates, East African environments, and hominin evolution. This study examines alluvial channel and floodplain, nearshore lacustrine, and offshore lacustrine facies environments for the approximately 136-m-thick KBS Member (Koobi Fora Formation) exposed at the Koobi Fora Ridge. Aspects of the facies environments record information on the changing hydrosedimentary dynamics of the lake margin and give insights into potential climatic controls. Seasonal/yearly climate changes are represented by the varve-like laminations in offshore mudstones and the slickensides, dish-shaped fractures, and other paleosol features overprinted on floodplain strata. Vertical shifts between facies environments, however, are interpreted to indicate lake-level fluctuations deriving from longer-term, dry-wet periods in monsoonal rainfall. Recurrence periods for the inferred lake-level changes range from about 10,000 to 50,000 years, and several are consistent with the average estimated timescales of orbital precession ( approximately 20,000 years) and obliquity ( approximately 40,000 years). KBS Member facies environments from the Koobi Fora Ridge document the development of lake-margin hominin habitats in the northeast Turkana Basin. Environmental changes in these habitats may be a result of monsoonal rainfall variations that derive from orbital insolation and/or glacial forcing.

Metabolism and acetylation contribute to leucine-mediated inhibition of cardiac glucose uptake.

PubMed

Renguet, Edith; Ginion, Audrey; Gélinas, Roselle; Bultot, Laurent; Auquier, Julien; Robillard Frayne, Isabelle; Daneault, Caroline; Vanoverschelde, Jean-Louis; Des Rosiers, Christine; Hue, Louis; Horman, Sandrine; Beauloye, Christophe; Bertrand, Luc

2017-08-01

High plasma leucine levels strongly correlate with type 2 diabetes. Studies of muscle cells have suggested that leucine alters the insulin response for glucose transport by activating an insulin-negative feedback loop driven by the mammalian target of rapamycin/p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (mTOR/p70S6K) pathway. Here, we examined the molecular mechanism involved in leucine's action on cardiac glucose uptake. Leucine was indeed able to curb glucose uptake after insulin stimulation in both cultured cardiomyocytes and perfused hearts. Although leucine activated mTOR/p70S6K, the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin did not prevent leucine's inhibitory action on glucose uptake, ruling out the contribution of the insulin-negative feedback loop. α-Ketoisocaproate, the first metabolite of leucine catabolism, mimicked leucine's effect on glucose uptake. Incubation of cardiomyocytes with [ 13 C]leucine ascertained its metabolism to ketone bodies (KBs), which had a similar negative impact on insulin-stimulated glucose transport. Both leucine and KBs reduced glucose uptake by affecting translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane. Finally, we found that leucine elevated the global protein acetylation level. Pharmacological inhibition of lysine acetyltransferases counteracted this increase in protein acetylation and prevented leucine's inhibitory action on both glucose uptake and GLUT4 translocation. Taken together, these results indicate that leucine metabolism into KBs contributes to inhibition of cardiac glucose uptake by hampering the translocation of GLUT4-containing vesicles via acetylation. They offer new insights into the establishment of insulin resistance in the heart. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Catabolism of the branched-chain amino acid leucine into ketone bodies efficiently inhibits cardiac glucose uptake through decreased translocation of glucose transporter 4 to the plasma membrane. Leucine increases protein acetylation. Pharmacological inhibition of acetylation reverses leucine's action, suggesting acetylation involvement in this phenomenon.Listen to this article's corresponding podcast at http://ajpheart.podbean.com/e/leucine-metabolism-inhibits-cardiac-glucose-uptake/. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Wireless recording systems: from noninvasive EEG-NIRS to invasive EEG devices.

PubMed

Sawan, Mohamad; Salam, Muhammad T; Le Lan, Jérôme; Kassab, Amal; Gelinas, Sébastien; Vannasing, Phetsamone; Lesage, Frédéric; Lassonde, Maryse; Nguyen, Dang K

2013-04-01

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a wireless wearable electronic system dedicated to remote data recording for brain monitoring. The reported wireless recording system is used for a) simultaneous near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS) and scalp electro-encephalography (EEG) for noninvasive monitoring and b) intracerebral EEG (icEEG) for invasive monitoring. Bluetooth and dual radio links were introduced for these recordings. The Bluetooth-based device was embedded in a noninvasive multichannel EEG-NIRS system for easy portability and long-term monitoring. On the other hand, the 32-channel implantable recording device offers 24-bit resolution, tunable features, and a sampling frequency up to 2 kHz per channel. The analog front-end preamplifier presents low input-referred noise of 5 μ VRMS and a signal-to-noise ratio of 112 dB. The communication link is implemented using a dual-band radio frequency transceiver offering a half-duplex 800 kb/s data rate, 16.5 mW power consumption and less than 10(-10) post-correction Bit-Error Rate (BER). The designed system can be accessed and controlled by a computer with a user-friendly graphical interface. The proposed wireless implantable recording device was tested in vitro using real icEEG signals from two patients with refractory epilepsy. The wirelessly recorded signals were compared to the original signals recorded using wired-connection, and measured normalized root-mean square deviation was under 2%.

JANUS: Joint Academic Network Using Satellite. Brief Description of Project. IET Papers on Broadcasting: No. 287.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, A. W.

The JANUS (Joint Academic Network Using Satellite) satellite network is being planned to link European institutions wishing to jointly produce distance teaching materials. Earth stations with capabilities for transmit/receive functions, voice/data functions, two 64 kbs channels, and connection to local telephone exchange and computer networks will…

Frequency-Accommodating Manchester Decoder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vasquez, Mario J.

1988-01-01

No adjustment necessary to cover a 10:1 frequency range. Decoding circuit converts biphase-level pulse-code modulation to nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ)-level pulse-code modulation plus clock signal. Circuit accommodates input data rate of 50 to 500 kb/s. Tracks gradual changes in rate automatically, eliminating need for extra circuits and manual switching to adjust to different rates.

An OKQPSK modem incorporating numerically controlled carrier synthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oetken, R.E.

1988-04-04

The feasibility of incorporating numerically controlled oscillators (NCO) in communication related applications is evaluated. NCO generation of sinusoids may prove useful in systems requiring precise frequency control, tuning linearity, and orthogonality versus frequency. An OKQPSK modem operating at a data rate of 200 kb/s was fabricated. The modem operates in a back to back hardwired channel and thus does not incorporate carrier or symbol timing recovery. Spectra of the NCO generated sinusoids are presented along with waveforms from the modulation and demodulation process. Generation of sinusoids in the digital domain is a viable alternative to analog oscillators. Implementation of anmore » NCO should be considered when frequency allocation, tuning bandwidth, or frequency hopped transmission requires precise frequency synthesis. 24 figs.« less

Long-range multi-carrier acoustic communications in shallow water based on iterative sparse channel estimation.

PubMed

Kang, Taehyuk; Song, H C; Hodgkiss, W S; Soo Kim, Jea

2010-12-01

Long-range orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) acoustic communications is demonstrated using data from the Kauai Acomms MURI 2008 (KAM08) experiment carried out in about 106 m deep shallow water west of Kauai, HI, in June 2008. The source bandwidth was 8 kHz (12-20 kHz), and the data were received by a 16-element vertical array at a distance of 8 km. Iterative sparse channel estimation is applied in conjunction with low-density parity-check decoding. In addition, the impact of diversity combining in a highly inhomogeneous underwater environment is investigated. Error-free transmission using 16-quadtrative amplitude modulation is achieved at a data rate of 10 kb/s.

Preparing the EPIC Model for Evaluating Bioenergy Production Systems: A Test of the Denitrification Submodel using a Long-Term Dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manowitz, D. H.; Schwab, D. E.; Izaurralde, R. C.

2010-12-01

As bioenergy production continues to increase, it is important to be able to predict not only the crop yields that are expected from future production, but also the various environmental impacts that will accompany it. Therefore, models that can be used to make such predictions must be validated against as many of these agricultural outputs as possible. The Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model is a widely used and tested model for simulating many agricultural ecosystem processes including plant growth, crop yield, carbon and nutrient cycling, wind and water erosion, runoff, leaching, as well as changes in soil physical and chemical properties. This model has undergone many improvements, including the addition of a process-based denitrification submodel. Here we evaluate the performance of EPIC in its ability to simulate nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes and related variables as observed in selected treatments of the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) cropping systems study at Kellogg Biological Station (KBS). We will provide a brief description of the EPIC model in the context of bioenergy production, describe the denitrification submodel, and compare simulated and observed values of crop yields, N2O emissions, soil carbon dynamics, and soil moisture.

Accuracy and Precision in Measurements of Biomass Oxidative Ratio and Carbon Oxidation State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallagher, M. E.; Masiello, C. A.; Randerson, J. T.; Chadwick, O. A.; Robertson, G. P.

2007-12-01

Ecosystem oxidative ratio (OR) is a critical parameter in the apportionment of anthropogenic CO2 between the terrestrial biosphere and ocean carbon reservoirs. OR is the ratio of O2 to CO2 in gas exchange fluxes between the terrestrial biosphere and atmosphere. Ecosystem OR is linearly related to biomass carbon oxidation state (Cox), a fundamental property of the earth system describing the bonding environment of carbon in molecules. Cox can range from -4 to +4 (CH4 to CO2). Variations in both Cox and OR are driven by photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition. We are developing several techniques to accurately measure variations in ecosystem Cox and OR; these include elemental analysis, bomb calorimetry, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A previous study, comparing the accuracy and precision of elemental analysis versus bomb calorimetry for pure chemicals, showed that elemental analysis-based measurements are more accurate, while calorimetry- based measurements yield more precise data. However, the limited biochemical range of natural samples makes it possible that calorimetry may ultimately prove most accurate, as well as most cost-effective. Here we examine more closely the accuracy of Cox and OR values generated by calorimetry on a large set of natural biomass samples collected from the Kellogg Biological Station-Long Term Ecological Research (KBS-LTER) site in Michigan.

Systems, methods and apparatus for verification of knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rash, James L. (Inventor); Gracinin, Denis (Inventor); Erickson, John D. (Inventor); Rouff, Christopher A. (Inventor); Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments, domain knowledge is translated into a knowledge-based system. In some embodiments, a formal specification is derived from rules of a knowledge-based system, the formal specification is analyzed, and flaws in the formal specification are used to identify and correct errors in the domain knowledge, from which a knowledge-based system is translated.

A relational data-knowledge base system and its potential in developing a distributed data-knowledge system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rahimian, Eric N.; Graves, Sara J.

1988-01-01

A new approach used in constructing a rational data knowledge base system is described. The relational database is well suited for distribution due to its property of allowing data fragmentation and fragmentation transparency. An example is formulated of a simple relational data knowledge base which may be generalized for use in developing a relational distributed data knowledge base system. The efficiency and ease of application of such a data knowledge base management system is briefly discussed. Also discussed are the potentials of the developed model for sharing the data knowledge base as well as the possible areas of difficulty in implementing the relational data knowledge base management system.

A domain-specific design architecture for composite material design and aircraft part redesign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Punch, W. F., III; Keller, K. J.; Bond, W.; Sticklen, J.

1992-01-01

Advanced composites have been targeted as a 'leapfrog' technology that would provide a unique global competitive position for U.S. industry. Composites are unique in the requirements for an integrated approach to designing, manufacturing, and marketing of products developed utilizing the new materials of construction. Numerous studies extending across the entire economic spectrum of the United States from aerospace to military to durable goods have identified composites as a 'key' technology. In general there have been two approaches to composite construction: build models of a given composite materials, then determine characteristics of the material via numerical simulation and empirical testing; and experience-directed construction of fabrication plans for building composites with given properties. The first route sets a goal to capture basic understanding of a device (the composite) by use of a rigorous mathematical model; the second attempts to capture the expertise about the process of fabricating a composite (to date) at a surface level typically expressed in a rule based system. From an AI perspective, these two research lines are attacking distinctly different problems, and both tracks have current limitations. The mathematical modeling approach has yielded a wealth of data but a large number of simplifying assumptions are needed to make numerical simulation tractable. Likewise, although surface level expertise about how to build a particular composite may yield important results, recent trends in the KBS area are towards augmenting surface level problem solving with deeper level knowledge. Many of the relative advantages of composites, e.g., the strength:weight ratio, is most prominent when the entire component is designed as a unitary piece. The bottleneck in undertaking such unitary design lies in the difficulty of the re-design task. Designing the fabrication protocols for a complex-shaped, thick section composite are currently very difficult. It is in fact this difficulty that our research will address.

A performance analysis of DS-CDMA and SCPC VSAT networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayes, David P.; Ha, Tri T.

1990-01-01

Spread-spectrum and single-channel-per-carrier (SCPC) transmission techniques work well in very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks for multiple-access purposes while allowing the earth station antennas to remain small. Direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) is the simplest spread-spectrum technique to use in a VSAT network since a frequency synthesizer is not required for each terminal. An examination is made of the DS-CDMA and SCPC Ku-band VSAT satellite systems for low-density (64-kb/s or less) communications. A method for improving the standardf link analysis of DS-CDMA satellite-switched networks by including certain losses is developed. The performance of 50-channel full mesh and star network architectures is analyzed. The selection of operating conditions producing optimum performance is demonstrated.

Full-Duplex Digital Communication on a Single Laser Beam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hazzard, D. A.; MacCannell, J. A.; Lee, G.; Selves, E. R.; Moore, D.; Payne, J. A.; Garrett, C. D.; Dahlstrom, N.; Shay, T. M.

2006-01-01

A proposed free-space optical communication system would operate in a full-duplex mode, using a single constant-power laser beam for transmission and reception of binary signals at both ends of the free-space optical path. The system was conceived for two-way data communication between a ground station and a spacecraft in a low orbit around the Earth. It has been estimated that in this application, a data rate of 10 kb/s could be achieved at a ground-station-to-spacecraft distance of 320 km, using a laser power of only 100 mW. The basic system concept is also applicable to terrestrial free-space optical communications. The system (see figure) would include a diode laser at one end of the link (originally, the ground station) and a liquid-crystal- based retroreflecting modulator at the other end of the link (originally, the spacecraft). At the laser end, the beam to be transmitted would be made to pass through a quarter-wave plate, which would convert its linear polarization to right circular polarization. For transmission of data from the laser end to the retroreflector end, the laser beam would be modulated with subcarrier phase-shift keying (SC-PSK). The transmitted beam would then pass through an aperture- sharing element (ASE) - basically, a mirror with a hole in it, used to separate the paths of the transmitted and received light beams. The transmitted beam would continue outward through a telescope (which, in the original application, would be equipped with a spacecraft-tracking system) that would launch the transmitted beam along the free-space optical path to the retroreflector end.

MIT-NASA/KSC space life science experiments - A telescience testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oman, Charles M.; Lichtenberg, Byron K.; Fiser, Richard L.; Vordermark, Deborah S.

1990-01-01

Experiments performed at MIT to better define Space Station information system telescience requirements for effective remote coaching of astronauts by principal investigators (PI) on the ground are described. The experiments were conducted via satellite video, data, and voice links to surrogate crewmembers working in a laboratory at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Teams of two PIs and two crewmembers performed two different space life sciences experiments. During 19 three-hour interactive sessions, a variety of test conditions were explored. Since bit rate limits are necessarily imposed on Space Station video experiments surveillance video was varied down to 50 Kb/s and the effectiveness of PI controlled frame rate, resolution, grey scale, and color decimation was investigated. It is concluded that remote coaching by voice works and that dedicated crew-PI voice loops would be of great value on the Space Station.

Engineering planetary lasers for interstellar communication. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwood, Brent

1988-01-01

Transmitting large amounts of data efficiently among neighboring stars will vitally support any eventual contact with extrasolar intelligence, whether alien or human. Laser carriers are particularly suitable for high-quality, targeted links. Space laser transmitter systems designed by this work, based on both demonstrated and imminent advanced space technology, could achieve reliable data transfer rates as high as 1 kb/s to matched receivers as far away as 25 pc, a distance including over 700 approximately solar-type stars. The centerpiece of this demonstration study is a fleet of automated spacecraft incorporating adaptive neural-net optical processing active structures, nuclear electric power plants, annular momentum control devices, and ion propulsion. Together the craft sustain, condition, modulate, and direct to stellar targets an infrared laser beam extracted from the natural mesospheric, solar-pumped, stimulated CO2 emission recently discovered at Venus. For a culture already supported by mature interplanetary industry, the cost of building planetary or high-power space laser systems for interstellar communication would be marginal, making such projects relevant for the next human century. Links using high-power lasers might support data transfer rates as high as optical frequencies could ever allow. A nanotechnological society such as we might become would inevitably use 10 to the 20th power b/yr transmission to promote its own evolutionary expansion out of the galaxy.

A Discussion of Knowledge Based Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Richard M.; Bauer, Steven X. S.

1999-01-01

A discussion of knowledge and Knowledge- Based design as related to the design of aircraft is presented. The paper discusses the perceived problem with existing design studies and introduces the concepts of design and knowledge for a Knowledge- Based design system. A review of several Knowledge-Based design activities is provided. A Virtual Reality, Knowledge-Based system is proposed and reviewed. The feasibility of Virtual Reality to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of aerodynamic and multidisciplinary design, evaluation, and analysis of aircraft through the coupling of virtual reality technology and a Knowledge-Based design system is also reviewed. The final section of the paper discusses future directions for design and the role of Knowledge-Based design.

A Knowledge-Based System Developer for aerospace applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shi, George Z.; Wu, Kewei; Fensky, Connie S.; Lo, Ching F.

1993-01-01

A prototype Knowledge-Based System Developer (KBSD) has been developed for aerospace applications by utilizing artificial intelligence technology. The KBSD directly acquires knowledge from domain experts through a graphical interface then builds expert systems from that knowledge. This raises the state of the art of knowledge acquisition/expert system technology to a new level by lessening the need for skilled knowledge engineers. The feasibility, applicability , and efficiency of the proposed concept was established, making a continuation which would develop the prototype to a full-scale general-purpose knowledge-based system developer justifiable. The KBSD has great commercial potential. It will provide a marketable software shell which alleviates the need for knowledge engineers and increase productivity in the workplace. The KBSD will therefore make knowledge-based systems available to a large portion of industry.

Construction of dynamic stochastic simulation models using knowledge-based techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, M. Douglas; Shiva, Sajjan G.

1990-01-01

Over the past three decades, computer-based simulation models have proven themselves to be cost-effective alternatives to the more structured deterministic methods of systems analysis. During this time, many techniques, tools and languages for constructing computer-based simulation models have been developed. More recently, advances in knowledge-based system technology have led many researchers to note the similarities between knowledge-based programming and simulation technologies and to investigate the potential application of knowledge-based programming techniques to simulation modeling. The integration of conventional simulation techniques with knowledge-based programming techniques is discussed to provide a development environment for constructing knowledge-based simulation models. A comparison of the techniques used in the construction of dynamic stochastic simulation models and those used in the construction of knowledge-based systems provides the requirements for the environment. This leads to the design and implementation of a knowledge-based simulation development environment. These techniques were used in the construction of several knowledge-based simulation models including the Advanced Launch System Model (ALSYM).

Plate Boundary Observatory GPS Network Status in California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walls, C. P.; Austin, K. E.; Dittman, T.; Mann, D.; Basset, A.; Turner, R.; Lawrence, S.; Woolace, A. C.; Kasmer, D.; Hodgkinson, K. M.; Feaux, K.; Mattioli, G. S.

2015-12-01

The EarthScope PBO GPS network, funded by the NSF and operated by UNAVCO, is comprised of 599 permanent GPS stations spanning three principal tectonic regimes and is administered by separate management regions (Subduction - Pacific Northwest [91 sites], Extension - East [41 sites], Transform - Southwest [467 sites]). Since the close of construction in September 2008 various enhancements have been implemented through additional funding by the NSF, NOAA, and NASA and in collaboration with stakeholders such as Caltrans, Scripps, and the USGS. Initially, the majority of stations used first generation IP based cellular modems and radios capable of ~10KB/s data rates. The bandwidth limitation was a challenge for regional high-rate data downloads for GPS-seismology and airborne LiDAR surveys, and real-time data flow. Today, only 13 of the original cell modems remain with 297 upgraded cell modems providing 3G/4G/LTE data communications with transfer rates ranging from 80-400 KB/s. Ongoing radio network expansion and upgrades continue to harden communications. 32 VSAT and one manual download site remain. In CA, the network capabilities for 1Hz and 5Hz downloads or real-time streaming are ~95%, ~80% and ~65%, respectively. During the past year, uptime ranged from 94-99% with data return for 15 s data exceeding 99%. Real-time (1 Hz) data from 204 sites are distributed in BINEX and RTCM 2.3/3.1 formats with an average latency of 0.5 s and completion of 86%. A variety of geophysical sensors are co-located with the GPS stations and include: 21 MEMS accelerometers, 31 strong motion and broadband seismometers, 9 borehole strainmeters and 1 long baseline strainmeter. Vaisala meteorological instruments are located at 60 sites of which 38 stream GPS/Met data. In an effort to modernize the network, Trimble NetRS receivers are gradually being replaced with GNSS-capable/enabled receivers and antennas. Today, 11 stations are GLONASS enabled and 84 are GNSS capable.

Terminological reference of a knowledge-based system: the data dictionary.

PubMed

Stausberg, J; Wormek, A; Kraut, U

1995-01-01

The development of open and integrated knowledge bases makes new demands on the definition of the used terminology. The definition should be realized in a data dictionary separated from the knowledge base. Within the works done at a reference model of medical knowledge, a data dictionary has been developed and used in different applications: a term definition shell, a documentation tool and a knowledge base. The data dictionary includes that part of terminology, which is largely independent of a certain knowledge model. For that reason, the data dictionary can be used as a basis for integrating knowledge bases into information systems, for knowledge sharing and reuse and for modular development of knowledge-based systems.

An intelligent knowledge-based and customizable home care system framework with ubiquitous patient monitoring and alerting techniques.

PubMed

Chen, Yen-Lin; Chiang, Hsin-Han; Yu, Chao-Wei; Chiang, Chuan-Yen; Liu, Chuan-Ming; Wang, Jenq-Haur

2012-01-01

This study develops and integrates an efficient knowledge-based system and a component-based framework to design an intelligent and flexible home health care system. The proposed knowledge-based system integrates an efficient rule-based reasoning model and flexible knowledge rules for determining efficiently and rapidly the necessary physiological and medication treatment procedures based on software modules, video camera sensors, communication devices, and physiological sensor information. This knowledge-based system offers high flexibility for improving and extending the system further to meet the monitoring demands of new patient and caregiver health care by updating the knowledge rules in the inference mechanism. All of the proposed functional components in this study are reusable, configurable, and extensible for system developers. Based on the experimental results, the proposed intelligent homecare system demonstrates that it can accomplish the extensible, customizable, and configurable demands of the ubiquitous healthcare systems to meet the different demands of patients and caregivers under various rehabilitation and nursing conditions.

An Intelligent Knowledge-Based and Customizable Home Care System Framework with Ubiquitous Patient Monitoring and Alerting Techniques

PubMed Central

Chen, Yen-Lin; Chiang, Hsin-Han; Yu, Chao-Wei; Chiang, Chuan-Yen; Liu, Chuan-Ming; Wang, Jenq-Haur

2012-01-01

This study develops and integrates an efficient knowledge-based system and a component-based framework to design an intelligent and flexible home health care system. The proposed knowledge-based system integrates an efficient rule-based reasoning model and flexible knowledge rules for determining efficiently and rapidly the necessary physiological and medication treatment procedures based on software modules, video camera sensors, communication devices, and physiological sensor information. This knowledge-based system offers high flexibility for improving and extending the system further to meet the monitoring demands of new patient and caregiver health care by updating the knowledge rules in the inference mechanism. All of the proposed functional components in this study are reusable, configurable, and extensible for system developers. Based on the experimental results, the proposed intelligent homecare system demonstrates that it can accomplish the extensible, customizable, and configurable demands of the ubiquitous healthcare systems to meet the different demands of patients and caregivers under various rehabilitation and nursing conditions. PMID:23112650

AN/TAC-1 demultiplexer circuit card assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krueger, Paul J.

1989-01-01

This report describes the design, operation, and testing of the AN/TAC-1 demultiplexer subassembly. It demultiplexes the 6144 kb/s digital data stream received over fiber optic cable or tropo satellite support radio, and converts it into 2 digital groups and 16 digital channels. Timing recovery is accomplished by generating a 18432 kHz master clock synchronized to the incoming data. This master clock is divided modulo two to generate the proper group and loop timing.

Additional results on palaeomagnetic stratigraphy of the Koobi Fora Formation, east of Lake Turkana (Lake Rudolf), Kenya

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hillhouse, J.W.; Ndombi, J.W.M.; Cox, A.; Brock, A.

1977-01-01

The magnetostratigraphy of the hominid-bearing sediments exposed east of Lake Turkana has been strengthened by new palaeomagnetic results. Ages obtained from several tuffs by the 40Ar/39Ar method suggest an approxmate match between the observed magnetozones and the geomagnetic polarity time scale; however, the palaeomagnetic results are also compatible with a younger chronology suggested by conventional K-Ar dating of the KBS Tuff. ?? 1977 Nature Publishing Group.

A portable telemetry system for brain stimulation and neuronal activity recording in freely behaving small animals.

PubMed

Ye, Xuesong; Wang, Peng; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Shaomin; Jiang, Jun; Wang, Qingbo; Chen, Weidong; Zheng, Xiaoxiang

2008-09-30

A portable multi-channel telemetry system which can be used for brain stimulation and neuronal activity recording in freely behaving small animals is described here. This system consists of three major components of headstage, backpack and portable Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The headstage contains high precision instrument amplifiers with high input impedance. The backpack is comprised of two parts: (1) a main board (size: 36 mm x 22 mm x 3.5 mm and weight: 40 g with batteries, 20 g without), with current/voltage stimulator and special circuit suitable for neuronal activity recording and (2) and a bluetooth transceiver, with a high data transmission rate up to 70 kb/s, suitable for downloading stimulation commands and uploading acquired data. We recorded neuronal activities of the primary motor area of a freely behaving rat with 12-bit resolution at 12 k samples/s. The recorded data and analysis results showed that the system was successful by comparing with the commercial equipment Cerebus 128-Channel Data Acquisition System (Cyberkinetics Inc.). Using the PDA, we can control stimulation and recording. It provides a flexible method to do some research work in the circumstances where other approaches would be difficult or impossible.

A novel knowledge-based system for interpreting complex engineering drawings: theory, representation, and implementation.

PubMed

Lu, Tong; Tai, Chiew-Lan; Yang, Huafei; Cai, Shijie

2009-08-01

We present a novel knowledge-based system to automatically convert real-life engineering drawings to content-oriented high-level descriptions. The proposed method essentially turns the complex interpretation process into two parts: knowledge representation and knowledge-based interpretation. We propose a new hierarchical descriptor-based knowledge representation method to organize the various types of engineering objects and their complex high-level relations. The descriptors are defined using an Extended Backus Naur Form (EBNF), facilitating modification and maintenance. When interpreting a set of related engineering drawings, the knowledge-based interpretation system first constructs an EBNF-tree from the knowledge representation file, then searches for potential engineering objects guided by a depth-first order of the nodes in the EBNF-tree. Experimental results and comparisons with other interpretation systems demonstrate that our knowledge-based system is accurate and robust for high-level interpretation of complex real-life engineering projects.

Knowledge information management toolkit and method

DOEpatents

Hempstead, Antoinette R.; Brown, Kenneth L.

2006-08-15

A system is provided for managing user entry and/or modification of knowledge information into a knowledge base file having an integrator support component and a data source access support component. The system includes processing circuitry, memory, a user interface, and a knowledge base toolkit. The memory communicates with the processing circuitry and is configured to store at least one knowledge base. The user interface communicates with the processing circuitry and is configured for user entry and/or modification of knowledge pieces within a knowledge base. The knowledge base toolkit is configured for converting knowledge in at least one knowledge base from a first knowledge base form into a second knowledge base form. A method is also provided.

An architecture for rule based system explanation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fennel, T. R.; Johannes, James D.

1990-01-01

A system architecture is presented which incorporate both graphics and text into explanations provided by rule based expert systems. This architecture facilitates explanation of the knowledge base content, the control strategies employed by the system, and the conclusions made by the system. The suggested approach combines hypermedia and inference engine capabilities. Advantages include: closer integration of user interface, explanation system, and knowledge base; the ability to embed links to deeper knowledge underlying the compiled knowledge used in the knowledge base; and allowing for more direct control of explanation depth and duration by the user. User models are suggested to control the type, amount, and order of information presented.

Automated knowledge generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myler, Harley R.; Gonzalez, Avelino J.

1988-01-01

The general objectives of the NASA/UCF Automated Knowledge Generation Project were the development of an intelligent software system that could access CAD design data bases, interpret them, and generate a diagnostic knowledge base in the form of a system model. The initial area of concentration is in the diagnosis of the process control system using the Knowledge-based Autonomous Test Engineer (KATE) diagnostic system. A secondary objective was the study of general problems of automated knowledge generation. A prototype was developed, based on object-oriented language (Flavors).

Machine learning research 1989-90

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, Bruce W.; Souther, Arthur

1990-01-01

Multifunctional knowledge bases offer a significant advance in artificial intelligence because they can support numerous expert tasks within a domain. As a result they amortize the costs of building a knowledge base over multiple expert systems and they reduce the brittleness of each system. Due to the inevitable size and complexity of multifunctional knowledge bases, their construction and maintenance require knowledge engineering and acquisition tools that can automatically identify interactions between new and existing knowledge. Furthermore, their use requires software for accessing those portions of the knowledge base that coherently answer questions. Considerable progress was made in developing software for building and accessing multifunctional knowledge bases. A language was developed for representing knowledge, along with software tools for editing and displaying knowledge, a machine learning program for integrating new information into existing knowledge, and a question answering system for accessing the knowledge base.

NetWeaver for EMDS user guide (version 1.1): a knowledge base development system.

Treesearch

Keith M. Reynolds

1999-01-01

The guide describes use of the NetWeaver knowledge base development system. Knowledge representation in NetWeaver is based on object-oriented fuzzy-logic networks that offer several significant advantages over the more traditional rulebased representation. Compared to rule-based knowledge bases, NetWeaver knowledge bases are easier to build, test, and maintain because...

Machine intelligence and autonomy for aerospace systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heer, Ewald (Editor); Lum, Henry (Editor)

1988-01-01

The present volume discusses progress toward intelligent robot systems in aerospace applications, NASA Space Program automation and robotics efforts, the supervisory control of telerobotics in space, machine intelligence and crew/vehicle interfaces, expert-system terms and building tools, and knowledge-acquisition for autonomous systems. Also discussed are methods for validation of knowledge-based systems, a design methodology for knowledge-based management systems, knowledge-based simulation for aerospace systems, knowledge-based diagnosis, planning and scheduling methods in AI, the treatment of uncertainty in AI, vision-sensing techniques in aerospace applications, image-understanding techniques, tactile sensing for robots, distributed sensor integration, and the control of articulated and deformable space structures.

Using Topdown Conceptual Analysis To Accelerate The Learning Of New Domains For Knowledge Engineers & Domain Experts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xuan, Albert L.; Shinghal, Rajjan

1989-03-01

As the need for knowledge-based systems increases, an increasing number of domain experts are becoming interested in taking more active part in the building of knowledge-based systems. However, such a domain expert often must deal with a large number of unfamiliar terms concepts, facts, procedures and principles based on different approaches and schools of thought. He (for brevity, we shall use masculine pronouns for both genders) may need the help of a knowledge engineer (KE) in building the knowledge-based system but may encounter a number of problems. For instance, much of the early interaction between him and the knowl edge engineer may be spent in educating each other about their seperate kinds of expertise. Since the knowledge engineer will usually be ignorant of the knowledge domain while the domain expert (DE) will have little knowledge about knowledge-based systems, a great deal of time will be wasted on these issues ad the DE and the KE train each other to the point where a fruitful interaction can occur. In some situations, it may not even be possible for the DE to find a suitable KE to work with because he has no time to train the latter in his domain. This will engender the need for the DE to be more knowledgeable about knowledge-based systems and for the KE to find methods and techniques which will allow them to learn new domains as fast as they can. In any event, it is likely that the process of building knowledge-based systems will be smooth, er and more efficient if the domain expert is knowledgeable about the methods and techniques of knowledge-based systems building.

System diagnostic builder: a rule-generation tool for expert systems that do intelligent data evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieten, Joseph L.; Burke, Roger

1993-03-01

The system diagnostic builder (SDB) is an automated knowledge acquisition tool using state- of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The SDB uses an inductive machine learning technique to generate rules from data sets that are classified by a subject matter expert (SME). Thus, data is captured from the subject system, classified by an expert, and used to drive the rule generation process. These rule-bases are used to represent the observable behavior of the subject system, and to represent knowledge about this system. The rule-bases can be used in any knowledge based system which monitors or controls a physical system or simulation. The SDB has demonstrated the utility of using inductive machine learning technology to generate reliable knowledge bases. In fact, we have discovered that the knowledge captured by the SDB can be used in any number of applications. For example, the knowledge bases captured from the SMS can be used as black box simulations by intelligent computer aided training devices. We can also use the SDB to construct knowledge bases for the process control industry, such as chemical production, or oil and gas production. These knowledge bases can be used in automated advisory systems to ensure safety, productivity, and consistency.

Knowledge Representation and Ontologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grimm, Stephan

Knowledge representation and reasoning aims at designing computer systems that reason about a machine-interpretable representation of the world. Knowledge-based systems have a computational model of some domain of interest in which symbols serve as surrogates for real world domain artefacts, such as physical objects, events, relationships, etc. [1]. The domain of interest can cover any part of the real world or any hypothetical system about which one desires to represent knowledge for com-putational purposes. A knowledge-based system maintains a knowledge base, which stores the symbols of the computational model in the form of statements about the domain, and it performs reasoning by manipulating these symbols. Applications can base their decisions on answers to domain-relevant questions posed to a knowledge base.

Distributed, cooperating knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walt

1991-01-01

Some current research in the development and application of distributed, cooperating knowledge-based systems technology is addressed. The focus of the current research is the spacecraft ground operations environment. The underlying hypothesis is that, because of the increasing size, complexity, and cost of planned systems, conventional procedural approaches to the architecture of automated systems will give way to a more comprehensive knowledge-based approach. A hallmark of these future systems will be the integration of multiple knowledge-based agents which understand the operational goals of the system and cooperate with each other and the humans in the loop to attain the goals. The current work includes the development of a reference model for knowledge-base management, the development of a formal model of cooperating knowledge-based agents, the use of testbed for prototyping and evaluating various knowledge-based concepts, and beginning work on the establishment of an object-oriented model of an intelligent end-to-end (spacecraft to user) system. An introductory discussion of these activities is presented, the major concepts and principles being investigated are highlighted, and their potential use in other application domains is indicated.

Validation of highly reliable, real-time knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Sally C.

1988-01-01

Knowledge-based systems have the potential to greatly increase the capabilities of future aircraft and spacecraft and to significantly reduce support manpower needed for the space station and other space missions. However, a credible validation methodology must be developed before knowledge-based systems can be used for life- or mission-critical applications. Experience with conventional software has shown that the use of good software engineering techniques and static analysis tools can greatly reduce the time needed for testing and simulation of a system. Since exhaustive testing is infeasible, reliability must be built into the software during the design and implementation phases. Unfortunately, many of the software engineering techniques and tools used for conventional software are of little use in the development of knowledge-based systems. Therefore, research at Langley is focused on developing a set of guidelines, methods, and prototype validation tools for building highly reliable, knowledge-based systems. The use of a comprehensive methodology for building highly reliable, knowledge-based systems should significantly decrease the time needed for testing and simulation. A proven record of delivering reliable systems at the beginning of the highly visible testing and simulation phases is crucial to the acceptance of knowledge-based systems in critical applications.

VINSON/AUTOVON Interface Applique for the Modem, Digital Data, AN/GSC-38

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-01

Measurement Indication Result Before Step 6 None Noise and beeping are heard in handset After Step 7 None Noise and beepi ng disappear Condition Measurement...linear range due to the compression used. Lowering the levels below the compression range may give increased linearity, but may cause signal-to- noise ...are encountered where the bit error rate at 16 KB/S results is objectionable audio noise or causes the KY-58 to squelch. On these channels the bit

Towards a knowledge-based system to assist the Brazilian data-collecting system operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodrigues, Valter; Simoni, P. O.; Oliveira, P. P. B.; Oliveira, C. A.; Nogueira, C. A. M.

1988-01-01

A study is reported which was carried out to show how a knowledge-based approach would lead to a flexible tool to assist the operation task in a satellite-based environmental data collection system. Some characteristics of a hypothesized system comprised of a satellite and a network of Interrogable Data Collecting Platforms (IDCPs) are pointed out. The Knowledge-Based Planning Assistant System (KBPAS) and some aspects about how knowledge is organized in the IDCP's domain are briefly described.

Knowledge-based reasoning in the Paladin tactical decision generation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chappell, Alan R.

1993-01-01

A real-time tactical decision generation system for air combat engagements, Paladin, has been developed. A pilot's job in air combat includes tasks that are largely symbolic. These symbolic tasks are generally performed through the application of experience and training (i.e. knowledge) gathered over years of flying a fighter aircraft. Two such tasks, situation assessment and throttle control, are identified and broken out in Paladin to be handled by specialized knowledge based systems. Knowledge pertaining to these tasks is encoded into rule-bases to provide the foundation for decisions. Paladin uses a custom built inference engine and a partitioned rule-base structure to give these symbolic results in real-time. This paper provides an overview of knowledge-based reasoning systems as a subset of rule-based systems. The knowledge used by Paladin in generating results as well as the system design for real-time execution is discussed.

Preliminary Design of a Consultation Knowledge-Based System for the Minimization of Distortion in Welded Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-02-01

which capture the knowledge of such experts. These Expert Systems, or Knowledge-Based Systems’, differ from the usual computer programming techniques...their applications in the fields of structural design and welding is reviewed. 5.1 Introduction Expert Systems, or KBES, are computer programs using Al...procedurally constructed as conventional computer programs usually are; * The knowledge base of such systems is executable, unlike databases 3 "Ill

A Knowledge-Base for a Personalized Infectious Disease Risk Prediction System.

PubMed

Vinarti, Retno; Hederman, Lucy

2018-01-01

We present a knowledge-base to represent collated infectious disease risk (IDR) knowledge. The knowledge is about personal and contextual risk of contracting an infectious disease obtained from declarative sources (e.g. Atlas of Human Infectious Diseases). Automated prediction requires encoding this knowledge in a form that can produce risk probabilities (e.g. Bayesian Network - BN). The knowledge-base presented in this paper feeds an algorithm that can auto-generate the BN. The knowledge from 234 infectious diseases was compiled. From this compilation, we designed an ontology and five rule types for modelling IDR knowledge in general. The evaluation aims to assess whether the knowledge-base structure, and its application to three disease-country contexts, meets the needs of personalized IDR prediction system. From the evaluation results, the knowledge-base conforms to the system's purpose: personalization of infectious disease risk.

The influence of a subduction component on magmatism in the Okinawa Trough: Evidence from thorium and related trace element ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Kun; Zeng, Zhi-Gang; Chen, Shuai; Zhang, Yu-Xiang; Qi, Hai-Yan; Ma, Yao

2017-09-01

The Okinawa Trough (OT) is a back-arc, initial continental marginal sea basin located behind the Ryukyu Arc-Trench System. Formation and evolution of the OT have been intimately related to subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) since the late Miocene; thus, the magma source of the trough has been affected by subduction components, as in the case of other active back-arc basins, including the Lau Basin (LB) and Mariana Trough (MT). We review all the available geochemical data relating to basaltic lavas from the OT and the middle Ryukyu Arc (RA) in this paper in order to determine the influence of the subduction components on the formation of arc and back-arc magmas within this subduction system. The results of this study reveal that the abundances of Th in OT basalts (OTBs) are higher than that in LB (LBBs) and MT basalts (MTBs) due to the mixing of subducted sediments and EMI-like enriched materials. The geochemical characteristics of Th and other trace element ratios indicate that the OTB originated from a more enriched mantle source (compared to N-mid-ocean ridge basalt, N-MORB) and was augmented by subducted sediments. Data show that the magma sources of the south OT (SOT) and middle Ryukyu Arc (MRA) basalts were principally influenced by subducted aqueous fluids and bulk sediments, which were potentially added into magma sources by accretion and underplating. At the same time, the magma sources of the middle OT (MOT) and Kobi-syo and Sekibi-Syo (KBS+SBS) basalts were impacted by subducted aqueous fluids from both altered oceanic crust (AOC) and sediment. The variable geochemical characteristics of these basalts are due to different Wadati-Benioff depths and tectonic environments of formation, while the addition of subducted bulk sediment to SOT and MRA basalts may be due to accretion and underplating, and subsequent to form mélange formation, which would occur partial melting after aqueous fluids are added. The addition of AOC and sediment aqueous fluid to MOT and KBS+SBS basalts is therefore the result of cold subducted slab dehydration combined with a rapid subduction rate (82 mm/a), leading to the migration of fluids into the mantle wedge. The presence of these attributes is likely because the OT was a back-arc, initial continental marginal sea basin.

A diagnostic prototype of the potable water subsystem of the Space Station Freedom ECLSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lukefahr, Brenda D.; Rochowiak, Daniel M.; Benson, Brian L.; Rogers, John S.; Mckee, James W.

1989-01-01

In analyzing the baseline Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) command and control architecture, various processes are found which would be enhanced by the use of knowledge based system methods of implementation. The most suitable process for prototyping using rule based methods are documented, while domain knowledge resources and other practical considerations are examined. Requirements for a prototype rule based software system are documented. These requirements reflect Space Station Freedom ECLSS software and hardware development efforts, and knowledge based system requirements. A quick prototype knowledge based system environment is researched and developed.

Expert system for web based collaborative CAE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Liang; Lin, Zusheng

2006-11-01

An expert system for web based collaborative CAE was developed based on knowledge engineering, relational database and commercial FEA (Finite element analysis) software. The architecture of the system was illustrated. In this system, the experts' experiences, theories and typical examples and other related knowledge, which will be used in the stage of pre-process in FEA, were categorized into analysis process and object knowledge. Then, the integrated knowledge model based on object-oriented method and rule based method was described. The integrated reasoning process based on CBR (case based reasoning) and rule based reasoning was presented. Finally, the analysis process of this expert system in web based CAE application was illustrated, and an analysis example of a machine tool's column was illustrated to prove the validity of the system.

Feasibility of using a knowledge-based system concept for in-flight primary flight display research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ricks, Wendell R.

1991-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the feasibility of using knowledge-based systems architectures for inflight research of primary flight display information management issues. The feasibility relied on the ability to integrate knowledge-based systems with existing onboard aircraft systems. And, given the hardware and software platforms available, the feasibility also depended on the ability to use interpreted LISP software with the real time operation of the primary flight display. In addition to evaluating these feasibility issues, the study determined whether the software engineering advantages of knowledge-based systems found for this application in the earlier workstation study extended to the inflight research environment. To study these issues, two integrated knowledge-based systems were designed to control the primary flight display according to pre-existing specifications of an ongoing primary flight display information management research effort. These two systems were implemented to assess the feasibility and software engineering issues listed. Flight test results were successful in showing the feasibility of using knowledge-based systems inflight with actual aircraft data.

Conceptual model of knowledge base system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naykhanova, L. V.; Naykhanova, I. V.

2018-05-01

In the article, the conceptual model of the knowledge based system by the type of the production system is provided. The production system is intended for automation of problems, which solution is rigidly conditioned by the legislation. A core component of the system is a knowledge base. The knowledge base consists of a facts set, a rules set, the cognitive map and ontology. The cognitive map is developed for implementation of a control strategy, ontology - the explanation mechanism. Knowledge representation about recognition of a situation in the form of rules allows describing knowledge of the pension legislation. This approach provides the flexibility, originality and scalability of the system. In the case of changing legislation, it is necessary to change the rules set. This means that the change of the legislation would not be a big problem. The main advantage of the system is that there is an opportunity to be adapted easily to changes of the legislation.

Building Better Decision-Support by Using Knowledge Discovery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jurisica, Igor

2000-01-01

Discusses knowledge-based decision-support systems that use artificial intelligence approaches. Addresses the issue of how to create an effective case-based reasoning system for complex and evolving domains, focusing on automated methods for system optimization and domain knowledge evolution that can supplement knowledge acquired from domain…

Applying knowledge compilation techniques to model-based reasoning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M.

1991-01-01

Researchers in the area of knowledge compilation are developing general purpose techniques for improving the efficiency of knowledge-based systems. In this article, an attempt is made to define knowledge compilation, to characterize several classes of knowledge compilation techniques, and to illustrate how some of these techniques can be applied to improve the performance of model-based reasoning systems.

Reducing the Conflict Factors Strategies in Question Answering System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwarningsih, W.; Purwarianti, A.; Supriana, I.

2017-03-01

A rule-based system is prone to conflict as new knowledge every time will emerge and indirectly must sign in to the knowledge base that is used by the system. A conflict occurred between the rules in the knowledge base can lead to the errors of reasoning or reasoning circulation. Therefore, when added, the new rules will lead to conflict with other rules, and the only rules that really can be added to the knowledge base. From these conditions, this paper aims to propose a conflict resolution strategy for a medical debriefing system by analyzing scenarios based upon the runtime to improve the efficiency and reliability of systems.

Cooperative Knowledge Bases.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-01

intellegent knowledge bases. The present state of our system for concurrent evaluation of a knowledge base of logic clauses using static allocation...de Kleer, J., An assumption-based TMS, Artificial Intelligence, Vol. 28, No. 2, 1986. [Doyle 79) Doyle, J. A truth maintenance system, Artificial

Visible light communication applications in healthcare.

PubMed

Muhammad, Shoaib; Qasid, Syed Hussain Ahmed; Rehman, Shafia; Rai, Aitzaz Bin Sulltan

2016-01-01

With the development in science, methods of communication are also improved, replacing old ones with new advanced ways in an attempt to make data transfer more secure, safer for health, and time as well as cost efficient. One of such methods is Visible Light Communication, as the name implies data is transferred through a light equipment such as incandescent or florescent bulb having speed of 10 Kb/s or LEDs approaching speed of 500 Mb/s [1]. VLC uses visible light between 384 and 789 THz [2,3]. Though range is limitation of VLC, however data transfer up-to distance of 1 to 2 km although at lower transfer rate has been reached.The VLC system comprises of light source like LED and receiver equipment, however, with advancement, now LEDs are used for both sending and receiving data. LED remains on all the time, and there is no change in brightness level during the whole process, making it safe for eyes. Currently, VLC system is facing some serious technical challenges before it could be applied in daily life.

Automated extraction of knowledge for model-based diagnostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, Avelino J.; Myler, Harley R.; Towhidnejad, Massood; Mckenzie, Frederic D.; Kladke, Robin R.

1990-01-01

The concept of accessing computer aided design (CAD) design databases and extracting a process model automatically is investigated as a possible source for the generation of knowledge bases for model-based reasoning systems. The resulting system, referred to as automated knowledge generation (AKG), uses an object-oriented programming structure and constraint techniques as well as internal database of component descriptions to generate a frame-based structure that describes the model. The procedure has been designed to be general enough to be easily coupled to CAD systems that feature a database capable of providing label and connectivity data from the drawn system. The AKG system is capable of defining knowledge bases in formats required by various model-based reasoning tools.

PVDaCS - A prototype knowledge-based expert system for certification of spacecraft data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wharton, Cathleen; Shiroma, Patricia J.; Simmons, Karen E.

1989-01-01

On-line data management techniques to certify spacecraft information are mandated by increasing telemetry rates. Knowledge-based expert systems offer the ability to certify data electronically without the need for time-consuming human interaction. Issues of automatic certification are explored by designing a knowledge-based expert system to certify data from a scientific instrument, the Orbiter Ultraviolet Spectrometer, on an operating NASA planetary spacecraft, Pioneer Venus. The resulting rule-based system, called PVDaCS (Pioneer Venus Data Certification System), is a functional prototype demonstrating the concepts of a larger system design. A key element of the system design is the representation of an expert's knowledge through the usage of well ordered sequences. PVDaCS produces a certification value derived from expert knowledge and an analysis of the instrument's operation. Results of system performance are presented.

Knowledge-based diagnosis for aerospace systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, David J.

1988-01-01

The need for automated diagnosis in aerospace systems and the approach of using knowledge-based systems are examined. Research issues in knowledge-based diagnosis which are important for aerospace applications are treated along with a review of recent relevant research developments in Artificial Intelligence. The design and operation of some existing knowledge-based diagnosis systems are described. The systems described and compared include the LES expert system for liquid oxygen loading at NASA Kennedy Space Center, the FAITH diagnosis system developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the PES procedural expert system developed at SRI International, the CSRL approach developed at Ohio State University, the StarPlan system developed by Ford Aerospace, the IDM integrated diagnostic model, and the DRAPhys diagnostic system developed at NASA Langley Research Center.

Development of a Spacecraft Materials Selector Expert System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pippin, G.; Kauffman, W. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This report contains a description of the knowledge base tool and examples of its use. A downloadable version of the Spacecraft Materials Selector (SMS) knowledge base is available through the NASA Space Environments and Effects Program. The "Spacecraft Materials Selector" knowledge base is part of an electronic expert system. The expert system consists of an inference engine that contains the "decision-making" code and the knowledge base that contains the selected body of information. The inference engine is a software package previously developed at Boeing, called the Boeing Expert System Tool (BEST) kit.

Case-based tutoring from a medical knowledge base.

PubMed

Chin, H L; Cooper, G F

1989-01-01

The past decade has seen the emergence of programs that make use of large knowledge bases to assist physicians in diagnosis within the general field of internal medicine. One such program, Internist-I, contains knowledge about over 600 diseases, covering a significant proportion of internal medicine. This paper describes the process of converting a subset of this knowledge base--in the area of cardiovascular diseases--into a probabilistic format, and the use of this resulting knowledge base to teach medical diagnostic knowledge. The system (called KBSimulator--for Knowledge-Based patient Simulator) generates simulated patient cases and uses these cases as a focal point from which to teach medical knowledge. This project demonstrates the feasibility of building an intelligent, flexible instructional system that uses a knowledge base constructed primarily for medical diagnosis.

Bit error rate performance of pi/4-DQPSK in a frequency-selective fast Rayleigh fading channel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Chia-Liang; Feher, Kamilo

1991-01-01

The bit error rate (BER) performance of pi/4-differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) modems in cellular mobile communication systems is derived and analyzed. The system is modeled as a frequency-selective fast Rayleigh fading channel corrupted by additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and co-channel interference (CCI). The probability density function of the phase difference between two consecutive symbols of M-ary differential phase shift keying (DPSK) signals is first derived. In M-ary DPSK systems, the information is completely contained in this phase difference. For pi/4-DQPSK, the BER is derived in a closed form and calculated directly. Numerical results show that for the 24 kBd (48 kb/s) pi/4-DQPSK operated at a carrier frequency of 850 MHz and C/I less than 20 dB, the BER will be dominated by CCI if the vehicular speed is below 100 mi/h. In this derivation, frequency-selective fading is modeled by two independent Rayleigh signal paths. Only one co-channel is assumed in this derivation. The results obtained are also shown to be valid for discriminator detection of M-ary DPSK signals.

Approximate Degrees of Similarity between a User's Knowledge and the Tutorial Systems' Knowledge Base

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mogharreban, Namdar

2004-01-01

A typical tutorial system functions by means of interaction between four components: the expert knowledge base component, the inference engine component, the learner's knowledge component and the user interface component. In typical tutorial systems the interaction and the sequence of presentation as well as the mode of evaluation are…

KBGIS-II: A knowledge-based geographic information system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Terence; Peuquet, Donna; Menon, Sudhakar; Agarwal, Pankaj

1986-01-01

The architecture and working of a recently implemented Knowledge-Based Geographic Information System (KBGIS-II), designed to satisfy several general criteria for the GIS, is described. The system has four major functions including query-answering, learning and editing. The main query finds constrained locations for spatial objects that are describable in a predicate-calculus based spatial object language. The main search procedures include a family of constraint-satisfaction procedures that use a spatial object knowledge base to search efficiently for complex spatial objects in large, multilayered spatial data bases. These data bases are represented in quadtree form. The search strategy is designed to reduce the computational cost of search in the average case. The learning capabilities of the system include the addition of new locations of complex spatial objects to the knowledge base as queries are answered, and the ability to learn inductively definitions of new spatial objects from examples. The new definitions are added to the knowledge base by the system. The system is performing all its designated tasks successfully. Future reports will relate performance characteristics of the system.

System and method for knowledge based matching of users in a network

DOEpatents

Verspoor, Cornelia Maria [Santa Fe, NM; Sims, Benjamin Hayden [Los Alamos, NM; Ambrosiano, John Joseph [Los Alamos, NM; Cleland, Timothy James [Los Alamos, NM

2011-04-26

A knowledge-based system and methods to matchmaking and social network extension are disclosed. The system is configured to allow users to specify knowledge profiles, which are collections of concepts that indicate a certain topic or area of interest selected from an. The system utilizes the knowledge model as the semantic space within which to compare similarities in user interests. The knowledge model is hierarchical so that indications of interest in specific concepts automatically imply interest in more general concept. Similarity measures between profiles may then be calculated based on suitable distance formulas within this space.

Development of an expert system prototype for determining software functional requirements for command management activities at NASA Goddard

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liebowitz, J.

1986-01-01

The development of an expert system prototype for software functional requirement determination for NASA Goddard's Command Management System, as part of its process of transforming general requests into specific near-earth satellite commands, is described. The present knowledge base was formulated through interactions with domain experts, and was then linked to the existing Knowledge Engineering Systems (KES) expert system application generator. Steps in the knowledge-base development include problem-oriented attribute hierarchy development, knowledge management approach determination, and knowledge base encoding. The KES Parser and Inspector, in addition to backcasting and analogical mapping, were used to validate the expert system-derived requirements for one of the major functions of a spacecraft, the solar Maximum Mission. Knowledge refinement, evaluation, and implementation procedures of the expert system were then accomplished.

A knowledge base browser using hypermedia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pocklington, Tony; Wang, Lui

1990-01-01

A hypermedia system is being developed to browse CLIPS (C Language Integrated Production System) knowledge bases. This system will be used to help train flight controllers for the Mission Control Center. Browsing this knowledge base will be accomplished either by having navigating through the various collection nodes that have already been defined, or through the query languages.

Synchronization techniques for all digital 16-ary QAM receivers operating over land mobile satellite links

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fines, P.; Aghvami, A. H.

1990-01-01

The performance of a low bit rate (64 Kb/s) all digital 16-ary Differentially Encoded Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (16-DEQAM) demodulator operating over a mobile satellite channel, is considered. The synchronization and detection techniques employed to overcome the Rician channel impairments, are described. The acquisition and steady state performance of this modem, are evaluated by computer simulation over AWGN and RICIAN channels. The results verify the suitability of the 16-DEQAM transmission over slowly faded and/or mildly faded channels.

Applications of artificial intelligence 1993: Knowledge-based systems in aerospace and industry; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, Apr. 13-15, 1993

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fayyad, Usama M. (Editor); Uthurusamy, Ramasamy (Editor)

1993-01-01

The present volume on applications of artificial intelligence with regard to knowledge-based systems in aerospace and industry discusses machine learning and clustering, expert systems and optimization techniques, monitoring and diagnosis, and automated design and expert systems. Attention is given to the integration of AI reasoning systems and hardware description languages, care-based reasoning, knowledge, retrieval, and training systems, and scheduling and planning. Topics addressed include the preprocessing of remotely sensed data for efficient analysis and classification, autonomous agents as air combat simulation adversaries, intelligent data presentation for real-time spacecraft monitoring, and an integrated reasoner for diagnosis in satellite control. Also discussed are a knowledge-based system for the design of heat exchangers, reuse of design information for model-based diagnosis, automatic compilation of expert systems, and a case-based approach to handling aircraft malfunctions.

The Visual Representation and Acquisition of Driving Knowledge for Autonomous Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhaoxia; Jiang, Qing; Li, Ping; Song, LiangTu; Wang, Rujing; Yu, Biao; Mei, Tao

2017-09-01

In this paper, the driving knowledge base of autonomous vehicle is designed. Based on the driving knowledge modeling system, the driving knowledge of autonomous vehicle is visually acquired, managed, stored, and maintenanced, which has vital significance for creating the development platform of intelligent decision-making systems of automatic driving expert systems for autonomous vehicle.

A method of non-contact reading code based on computer vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chunsen; Zong, Xiaoyu; Guo, Bingxuan

2018-03-01

With the purpose of guarantee the computer information exchange security between internal and external network (trusted network and un-trusted network), A non-contact Reading code method based on machine vision has been proposed. Which is different from the existing network physical isolation method. By using the computer monitors, camera and other equipment. Deal with the information which will be on exchanged, Include image coding ,Generate the standard image , Display and get the actual image , Calculate homography matrix, Image distort correction and decoding in calibration, To achieve the computer information security, Non-contact, One-way transmission between the internal and external network , The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by experiments on real computer text data, The speed of data transfer can be achieved 24kb/s. The experiment shows that this algorithm has the characteristics of high security, fast velocity and less loss of information. Which can meet the daily needs of the confidentiality department to update the data effectively and reliably, Solved the difficulty of computer information exchange between Secret network and non-secret network, With distinctive originality, practicability, and practical research value.

Engineering Knowledge for Assistive Living

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Liming; Nugent, Chris

This paper introduces a knowledge based approach to assistive living in smart homes. It proposes a system architecture that makes use of knowledge in the lifecycle of assistive living. The paper describes ontology based knowledge engineering practices and discusses mechanisms for exploiting knowledge for activity recognition and assistance. It presents system implementation and experiments, and discusses initial results.

Intrusion Detection Systems with Live Knowledge System

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-31

Ripple -down Rule (RDR) to maintain the knowledge from human experts with knowledge base generated by the Induct RDR, which is a machine-learning based RDR...propose novel approach that uses Ripple -down Rule (RDR) to maintain the knowledge from human experts with knowledge base generated by the Induct RDR...detection model by applying Induct RDR approach. The proposed induct RDR ( Ripple Down Rules) approach allows to acquire the phishing detection

Object-oriented fault tree models applied to system diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iverson, David L.; Patterson-Hine, F. A.

1990-01-01

When a diagnosis system is used in a dynamic environment, such as the distributed computer system planned for use on Space Station Freedom, it must execute quickly and its knowledge base must be easily updated. Representing system knowledge as object-oriented augmented fault trees provides both features. The diagnosis system described here is based on the failure cause identification process of the diagnostic system described by Narayanan and Viswanadham. Their system has been enhanced in this implementation by replacing the knowledge base of if-then rules with an object-oriented fault tree representation. This allows the system to perform its task much faster and facilitates dynamic updating of the knowledge base in a changing diagnosis environment. Accessing the information contained in the objects is more efficient than performing a lookup operation on an indexed rule base. Additionally, the object-oriented fault trees can be easily updated to represent current system status. This paper describes the fault tree representation, the diagnosis algorithm extensions, and an example application of this system. Comparisons are made between the object-oriented fault tree knowledge structure solution and one implementation of a rule-based solution. Plans for future work on this system are also discussed.

PRAIS: Distributed, real-time knowledge-based systems made easy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, David G.

1990-01-01

This paper discusses an architecture for real-time, distributed (parallel) knowledge-based systems called the Parallel Real-time Artificial Intelligence System (PRAIS). PRAIS strives for transparently parallelizing production (rule-based) systems, even when under real-time constraints. PRAIS accomplishes these goals by incorporating a dynamic task scheduler, operating system extensions for fact handling, and message-passing among multiple copies of CLIPS executing on a virtual blackboard. This distributed knowledge-based system tool uses the portability of CLIPS and common message-passing protocols to operate over a heterogeneous network of processors.

Enhancing acronym/abbreviation knowledge bases with semantic information.

PubMed

Torii, Manabu; Liu, Hongfang

2007-10-11

In the biomedical domain, a terminology knowledge base that associates acronyms/abbreviations (denoted as SFs) with the definitions (denoted as LFs) is highly needed. For the construction such terminology knowledge base, we investigate the feasibility to build a system automatically assigning semantic categories to LFs extracted from text. Given a collection of pairs (SF,LF) derived from text, we i) assess the coverage of LFs and pairs (SF,LF) in the UMLS and justify the need of a semantic category assignment system; and ii) automatically derive name phrases annotated with semantic category and construct a system using machine learning. Utilizing ADAM, an existing collection of (SF,LF) pairs extracted from MEDLINE, our system achieved an f-measure of 87% when assigning eight UMLS-based semantic groups to LFs. The system has been incorporated into a web interface which integrates SF knowledge from multiple SF knowledge bases. Web site: http://gauss.dbb.georgetown.edu/liblab/SFThesurus.

Knowledge-Based Entrepreneurship in a Boundless Research System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dell'Anno, Davide

2008-01-01

International entrepreneurship and knowledge-based entrepreneurship have recently generated considerable academic and non-academic attention. This paper explores the "new" field of knowledge-based entrepreneurship in a boundless research system. Cultural barriers to the development of business opportunities by researchers persist in some academic…

Issues on the use of meta-knowledge in expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Facemire, Jon; Chen, Imao

1988-01-01

Meta knowledge is knowledge about knowledge; knowledge that is not domain specific but is concerned instead with its own internal structure. Several past systems have used meta-knowledge to improve the nature of the user interface, to maintain the knowledge base, and to control the inference engine. More extensive use of meta-knowledge is probable for the future as larger scale problems are considered. A proposed system architecture is presented and discussed in terms of meta-knowledge applications. The principle components of this system: the user support subsystem, the control structure, the knowledge base, the inference engine, and a learning facility are all outlined and discussed in light of the use of meta-knowledge. Problems with meta-constructs are also mentioned but it is concluded that the use of meta-knowledge is crucial for increasingly autonomous operations.

Knowledge-based environment for optical system design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, R. Barry

1991-01-01

Optical systems are extensively utilized by industry government and military organizations. The conceptual design engineering design fabrication and testing of these systems presently requires significant time typically on the order of 3-5 years. The Knowledge-Based Environment for Optical System Design (KB-OSD) Program has as its principal objectives the development of a methodology and tool(s) that will make a notable reduction in the development time of optical system projects reduce technical risk and overall cost. KB-OSD can be considered as a computer-based optical design associate for system engineers and design engineers. By utilizing artificial intelligence technology coupled with extensive design/evaluation computer application programs and knowledge bases the KB-OSD will provide the user with assistance and guidance to accomplish such activities as (i) develop system level and hardware level requirements from mission requirements (ii) formulate conceptual designs (iii) construct a statement of work for an RFP (iv) develop engineering level designs (v) evaluate an existing design and (vi) explore the sensitivity of a system to changing scenarios. The KB-OSD comprises a variety of computer platforms including a Stardent Titan supercomputer numerous design programs (lens design coating design thermal materials structural atmospherics etc. ) data bases and heuristic knowledge bases. An important element of the KB-OSD Program is the inclusion of the knowledge of individual experts in various areas of optics and optical system engineering. This knowledge is obtained by KB-OSD knowledge engineers performing

A knowledge-based flight status monitor for real-time application in digital avionics systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, E. L.; Disbrow, J. D.; Butler, G. F.

1989-01-01

The Dryden Flight Research Facility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) is the principal NASA facility for the flight testing and evaluation of new and complex avionics systems. To aid in the interpretation of system health and status data, a knowledge-based flight status monitor was designed. The monitor was designed to use fault indicators from the onboard system which are telemetered to the ground and processed by a rule-based model of the aircraft failure management system to give timely advice and recommendations in the mission control room. One of the important constraints on the flight status monitor is the need to operate in real time, and to pursue this aspect, a joint research activity between NASA Ames-Dryden and the Royal Aerospace Establishment (RAE) on real-time knowledge-based systems was established. Under this agreement, the original LISP knowledge base for the flight status monitor was reimplemented using the intelligent knowledge-based system toolkit, MUSE, which was developed under RAE sponsorship. Details of the flight status monitor and the MUSE implementation are presented.

PDA: A coupling of knowledge and memory for case-based reasoning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bharwani, S.; Walls, J.; Blevins, E.

1988-01-01

Problem solving in most domains requires reference to past knowledge and experience whether such knowledge is represented as rules, decision trees, networks or any variant of attributed graphs. Regardless of the representational form employed, designers of expert systems rarely make a distinction between the static and dynamic aspects of the system's knowledge base. The current paper clearly distinguishes between knowledge-based and memory-based reasoning where the former in its most pure sense is characterized by a static knowledge based resulting in a relatively brittle expert system while the latter is dynamic and analogous to the functions of human memory which learns from experience. The paper discusses the design of an advisory system which combines a knowledge base consisting of domain vocabulary and default dependencies between concepts with a dynamic conceptual memory which stores experimental knowledge in the form of cases. The case memory organizes past experience in the form of MOPs (memory organization packets) and sub-MOPs. Each MOP consists of a context frame and a set of indices. The context frame contains information about the features (norms) common to all the events and sub-MOPs indexed under it.

Nitrous oxide emissions during establishment of eight alternative cellulosic bioenergy cropping systems in the North Central United States

DOE PAGES

Oates, Lawrence G.; Duncan, David S.; Gelfand, Ilya; ...

2015-05-14

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils are a key sustainability metric of cropping systems. During crop establishment, disruptive land-use change is known to be a critical, but under reported period, for determining GHG emissions. We measured soil N 2O emissions and potential environmental drivers of these fluxes from a three-year establishment-phase bioenergy cropping systems experiment replicated in southcentral Wisconsin (ARL) and southwestern Michigan (KBS). Cropping systems treatments were annual monocultures (continuous corn, corn–soybean–canola rotation), perennial monocultures (switchgrass, miscanthus, and poplar), and perennial polycultures (native grass mixture, early successional community, and restored prairie) all grown using best management practices specific tomore » the system. Cumulative three-year N 2O emissions from annuals were 142% higher than from perennials, with fertilized perennials 190% higher than unfertilized perennials. Emissions ranged from 3.1 to 19.1 kg N 2O-N ha -1 yr -1 for the annuals with continuous corn > corn–soybean–canola rotation and 1.1 to 6.3 kg N 2O-N ha -1 yr -1 for perennials. Nitrous oxide peak fluxes typically were associated with precipitation events that closely followed fertilization. Bayesian modeling of N 2O fluxes based on measured environmental factors explained 33% of variability across all systems. Models trained on single systems performed well in most monocultures (e.g., R 2 = 0.52 for poplar) but notably worse in polycultures (e.g., R 2 = 0.17 for early successional, R 2 = 0.06 for restored prairie), indicating that simulation models that include N 2O emissions should be parameterized specific to particular plant communities. These results indicate that perennial bioenergy crops in their establishment phase emit less N 2O than annual crops, especially when not fertilized. These findings should be considered further alongside yield and other metrics contributing to important ecosystem services.« less

Knowledge acquisition in the fuzzy knowledge representation framework of a medical consultation system.

PubMed

Boegl, Karl; Adlassnig, Klaus-Peter; Hayashi, Yoichi; Rothenfluh, Thomas E; Leitich, Harald

2004-01-01

This paper describes the fuzzy knowledge representation framework of the medical computer consultation system MedFrame/CADIAG-IV as well as the specific knowledge acquisition techniques that have been developed to support the definition of knowledge concepts and inference rules. As in its predecessor system CADIAG-II, fuzzy medical knowledge bases are used to model the uncertainty and the vagueness of medical concepts and fuzzy logic reasoning mechanisms provide the basic inference processes. The elicitation and acquisition of medical knowledge from domain experts has often been described as the most difficult and time-consuming task in knowledge-based system development in medicine. It comes as no surprise that this is even more so when unfamiliar representations like fuzzy membership functions are to be acquired. From previous projects we have learned that a user-centered approach is mandatory in complex and ill-defined knowledge domains such as internal medicine. This paper describes the knowledge acquisition framework that has been developed in order to make easier and more accessible the three main tasks of: (a) defining medical concepts; (b) providing appropriate interpretations for patient data; and (c) constructing inferential knowledge in a fuzzy knowledge representation framework. Special emphasis is laid on the motivations for some system design and data modeling decisions. The theoretical framework has been implemented in a software package, the Knowledge Base Builder Toolkit. The conception and the design of this system reflect the need for a user-centered, intuitive, and easy-to-handle tool. First results gained from pilot studies have shown that our approach can be successfully implemented in the context of a complex fuzzy theoretical framework. As a result, this critical aspect of knowledge-based system development can be accomplished more easily.

An expert system for the design of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camejo, Pedro Jose

1989-12-01

Expert systems are computer programs that seek to mimic human reason. An expert system shelf, a software program commonly used for developing expert systems in a relatively short time, was used to develop a prototypical expert system for the design of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings. Because HVAC design involves several related knowledge domains, developing an expert system for HVAC design requires the integration of several smaller expert systems known as knowledge bases. A menu program and several auxiliary programs for gathering data, completing calculations, printing project reports, and passing data between the knowledge bases are needed and have been developed to join the separate knowledge bases into one simple-to-use program unit.

Integrative pathway knowledge bases as a tool for systems molecular medicine.

PubMed

Liang, Mingyu

2007-08-20

There exists a sense of urgency to begin to generate a cohesive assembly of biomedical knowledge as the pace of knowledge accumulation accelerates. The urgency is in part driven by the emergence of systems molecular medicine that emphasizes the combination of systems analysis and molecular dissection in the future of medical practice and research. A potentially powerful approach is to build integrative pathway knowledge bases that link organ systems function with molecules.

Autonomous power expert fault diagnostic system for Space Station Freedom electrical power system testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truong, Long V.; Walters, Jerry L.; Roth, Mary Ellen; Quinn, Todd M.; Krawczonek, Walter M.

1990-01-01

The goal of the Autonomous Power System (APS) program is to develop and apply intelligent problem solving and control to the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System (SSF/EPS) testbed being developed and demonstrated at NASA Lewis Research Center. The objectives of the program are to establish artificial intelligence technology paths, to craft knowledge-based tools with advanced human-operator interfaces for power systems, and to interface and integrate knowledge-based systems with conventional controllers. The Autonomous Power EXpert (APEX) portion of the APS program will integrate a knowledge-based fault diagnostic system and a power resource planner-scheduler. Then APEX will interface on-line with the SSF/EPS testbed and its Power Management Controller (PMC). The key tasks include establishing knowledge bases for system diagnostics, fault detection and isolation analysis, on-line information accessing through PMC, enhanced data management, and multiple-level, object-oriented operator displays. The first prototype of the diagnostic expert system for fault detection and isolation has been developed. The knowledge bases and the rule-based model that were developed for the Power Distribution Control Unit subsystem of the SSF/EPS testbed are described. A corresponding troubleshooting technique is also described.

How Can a Ketogenic Diet Improve Motor Function?

PubMed Central

Veyrat-Durebex, Charlotte; Reynier, Pascal; Procaccio, Vincent; Hergesheimer, Rudolf; Corcia, Philippe; Andres, Christian R.; Blasco, Hélène

2018-01-01

A ketogenic diet (KD) is a normocaloric diet composed by high fat (80–90%), low carbohydrate, and low protein consumption that induces fasting-like effects. KD increases ketone body (KBs) production and its concentration in the blood, providing the brain an alternative energy supply that enhances oxidative mitochondrial metabolism. In addition to its profound impact on neuro-metabolism and bioenergetics, the neuroprotective effect of specific polyunsaturated fatty acids and KBs involves pleiotropic mechanisms, such as the modulation of neuronal membrane excitability, inflammation, or reactive oxygen species production. KD is a therapy that has been used for almost a century to treat medically intractable epilepsy and has been increasingly explored in a number of neurological diseases. Motor function has also been shown to be improved by KD and/or medium-chain triglyceride diets in rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and spinal cord injury. These studies have proposed that KD may induce a modification in synaptic morphology and function, involving ionic channels, glutamatergic transmission, or synaptic vesicular cycling machinery. However, little is understood about the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of KD on motor function and the perspectives of its use to acquire the neuromuscular effects. The aim of this review is to explore the conditions through which KD might improve motor function. First, we will describe the main consequences of KD exposure in tissues involved in motor function. Second, we will report and discuss the relevance of KD in pre-clinical and clinical trials in the major diseases presenting motor dysfunction. PMID:29434537

Human umbilical vein: involvement of cyclooxygenase-2 pathway in bradykinin B1 receptor-sensitized responses.

PubMed

Errasti, A E; Rey-Ares, V; Daray, F M; Rogines-Velo, M P; Sardi, S P; Paz, C; Podestá, E J; Rothlin, R P

2001-08-01

In isolated human umbilical vein (HUV), the contractile response to des-Arg9-bradykinin (des-Arg9-BK), selective BK B1 receptor agonist, increases as a function of the incubation time. Here, we evaluated whether cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway is involved in BK B1-sensitized response obtained in 5-h incubated HUV rings. The effect of different concentrations of indomethacin, sodium salicylate, ibuprofen, meloxicam, lysine clonixinate or NS-398 administrated 30 min before concentration-response curves (CRC) was studied. All treatments produced a significant rightward shift of the CRC to des-Arg9-BK in a concentration-dependent manner, which provides pharmacological evidence that COX pathway is involved in the BK B1 responses. Moreover, in this tissue, the NS-398 pKb (5.2) observed suggests that COX-2 pathway is the most relevant. The strong correlation between published pIC50 for COX-2 and the NSAIDs' pKbs estimated further supports the hypothesis that COX-2 metabolites are involved in BK B1 receptor-mediated responses. In other rings, indomethacin (30, 100 micromol/l) or NS-398 (10, 30 micromol/l) produced a significant rightward shift of the CRC to BK, selective BK B2 agonist, and its pKbs were similar to the values to inhibit BK B1 receptor responses, suggesting that COX-2 pathway also is involved in BK B2 receptor responses. Western blot analysis shows that COX-1 and COX-2 isoenzymes are present before and after 5-h in vitro incubation and apparently COX-2 does not suffer additional induction.

Use of metaknowledge in the verification of knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morell, Larry J.

1989-01-01

Knowledge-based systems are modeled as deductive systems. The model indicates that the two primary areas of concern in verification are demonstrating consistency and completeness. A system is inconsistent if it asserts something that is not true of the modeled domain. A system is incomplete if it lacks deductive capability. Two forms of consistency are discussed along with appropriate verification methods. Three forms of incompleteness are discussed. The use of metaknowledge, knowledge about knowledge, is explored in connection to each form of incompleteness.

Cockpit weather information system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tu, Jeffrey Chen-Yu (Inventor)

2000-01-01

Weather information, periodically collected from throughout a global region, is periodically assimilated and compiled at a central source and sent via a high speed data link to a satellite communication service, such as COMSAT. That communication service converts the compiled weather information to GSDB format, and transmits the GSDB encoded information to an orbiting broadcast satellite, INMARSAT, transmitting the information at a data rate of no less than 10.5 kilobits per second. The INMARSAT satellite receives that data over its P-channel and rebroadcasts the GDSB encoded weather information, in the microwave L-band, throughout the global region at a rate of no less than 10.5 KB/S. The transmission is received aboard an aircraft by means of an onboard SATCOM receiver and the output is furnished to a weather information processor. A touch sensitive liquid crystal panel display allows the pilot to select the weather function by touching a predefined icon overlain on the display's surface and in response a color graphic display of the weather is displayed for the pilot.

Creation of a master table for checking indication and contraindication of medicine from a knowledge base linked with a thesaurus.

PubMed

Ji, Shanmei; Matsumura, Yasushi; Kuwata, Shigeki; Nakano, Hirohiko; Chen, Yufeng; Teratani, Tadamasa; Zhang, Qiyan; Mineno, Takahiro; Takeda, Hiroshi

2004-12-01

To develop a system for checking indication and contraindication of medicines in prescription order entry system, a master table consisting of the disease names corresponding to the medicines adopted in a hospital is needed. The creation of this table requires a considerable manpower. We developed a Web-based system for constructing a medicine/disease thesaurus and a knowledge base. By authority management of users, this system enables many specialists to create the thesaurus collaboratively without confusion. It supports the creation of a knowledge base using concept names by referring to the thesaurus, which is automatically converted to the check master table. When a disease name or medicine name was added to the thesaurus, the check table was automatically updated. We constructed a thesaurus and a knowledge base in the field of circulatory system disease. The knowledge base linked with the thesaurus proved to be efficient for making the check master table for indication/contraindication of medicines.

Knowledge-based machine indexing from natural language text: Knowledge base design, development, and maintenance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Genuardi, Michael T.

1993-01-01

One strategy for machine-aided indexing (MAI) is to provide a concept-level analysis of the textual elements of documents or document abstracts. In such systems, natural-language phrases are analyzed in order to identify and classify concepts related to a particular subject domain. The overall performance of these MAI systems is largely dependent on the quality and comprehensiveness of their knowledge bases. These knowledge bases function to (1) define the relations between a controlled indexing vocabulary and natural language expressions; (2) provide a simple mechanism for disambiguation and the determination of relevancy; and (3) allow the extension of concept-hierarchical structure to all elements of the knowledge file. After a brief description of the NASA Machine-Aided Indexing system, concerns related to the development and maintenance of MAI knowledge bases are discussed. Particular emphasis is given to statistically-based text analysis tools designed to aid the knowledge base developer. One such tool, the Knowledge Base Building (KBB) program, presents the domain expert with a well-filtered list of synonyms and conceptually-related phrases for each thesaurus concept. Another tool, the Knowledge Base Maintenance (KBM) program, functions to identify areas of the knowledge base affected by changes in the conceptual domain (for example, the addition of a new thesaurus term). An alternate use of the KBM as an aid in thesaurus construction is also discussed.

Rule-based simulation models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nieten, Joseph L.; Seraphine, Kathleen M.

1991-01-01

Procedural modeling systems, rule based modeling systems, and a method for converting a procedural model to a rule based model are described. Simulation models are used to represent real time engineering systems. A real time system can be represented by a set of equations or functions connected so that they perform in the same manner as the actual system. Most modeling system languages are based on FORTRAN or some other procedural language. Therefore, they must be enhanced with a reaction capability. Rule based systems are reactive by definition. Once the engineering system has been decomposed into a set of calculations using only basic algebraic unary operations, a knowledge network of calculations and functions can be constructed. The knowledge network required by a rule based system can be generated by a knowledge acquisition tool or a source level compiler. The compiler would take an existing model source file, a syntax template, and a symbol table and generate the knowledge network. Thus, existing procedural models can be translated and executed by a rule based system. Neural models can be provide the high capacity data manipulation required by the most complex real time models.

Space shuttle main engine anomaly data and inductive knowledge based systems: Automated corporate expertise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Modesitt, Kenneth L.

1987-01-01

Progress is reported on the development of SCOTTY, an expert knowledge-based system to automate the analysis procedure following test firings of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). The integration of a large-scale relational data base system, a computer graphics interface for experts and end-user engineers, potential extension of the system to flight engines, application of the system for training of newly-hired engineers, technology transfer to other engines, and the essential qualities of good software engineering practices for building expert knowledge-based systems are among the topics discussed.

Integration of a knowledge-based system and a clinical documentation system via a data dictionary.

PubMed

Eich, H P; Ohmann, C; Keim, E; Lang, K

1997-01-01

This paper describes the design and realisation of a knowledge-based system and a clinical documentation system linked via a data dictionary. The software was developed as a shell with object oriented methods and C++ for IBM-compatible PC's and WINDOWS 3.1/95. The data dictionary covers terminology and document objects with relations to external classifications. It controls the terminology in the documentation program with form-based entry of clinical documents and in the knowledge-based system with scores and rules. The software was applied to the clinical field of acute abdominal pain by implementing a data dictionary with 580 terminology objects, 501 document objects, and 2136 links; a documentation module with 8 clinical documents and a knowledge-based system with 10 scores and 7 sets of rules.

Satellite switched FDMA advanced communication technology satellite program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atwood, S.; Higton, G. H.; Wood, K.; Kline, A.; Furiga, A.; Rausch, M.; Jan, Y.

1982-01-01

The satellite switched frequency division multiple access system provided a detailed system architecture that supports a point to point communication system for long haul voice, video and data traffic between small Earth terminals at Ka band frequencies at 30/20 GHz. A detailed system design is presented for the space segment, small terminal/trunking segment at network control segment for domestic traffic model A or B, each totaling 3.8 Gb/s of small terminal traffic and 6.2 Gb/s trunk traffic. The small terminal traffic (3.8 Gb/s) is emphasized, for the satellite router portion of the system design, which is a composite of thousands of Earth stations with digital traffic ranging from a single 32 Kb/s CVSD voice channel to thousands of channels containing voice, video and data with a data rate as high as 33 Mb/s. The system design concept presented, effectively optimizes a unique frequency and channelization plan for both traffic models A and B with minimum reorganization of the satellite payload transponder subsystem hardware design. The unique zoning concept allows multiple beam antennas while maximizing multiple carrier frequency reuse. Detailed hardware design estimates for an FDMA router (part of the satellite transponder subsystem) indicate a weight and dc power budget of 353 lbs, 195 watts for traffic model A and 498 lbs, 244 watts for traffic model B.

STRUTEX: A prototype knowledge-based system for initially configuring a structure to support point loads in two dimensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L.; Feyock, Stefan; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

1988-01-01

The purpose of this research effort is to investigate the benefits that might be derived from applying artificial intelligence tools in the area of conceptual design. Therefore, the emphasis is on the artificial intelligence aspects of conceptual design rather than structural and optimization aspects. A prototype knowledge-based system, called STRUTEX, was developed to initially configure a structure to support point loads in two dimensions. This system combines numerical and symbolic processing by the computer with interactive problem solving aided by the vision of the user by integrating a knowledge base interface and inference engine, a data base interface, and graphics while keeping the knowledge base and data base files separate. The system writes a file which can be input into a structural synthesis system, which combines structural analysis and optimization.

KBGIS-2: A knowledge-based geographic information system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, T.; Peuquet, D.; Menon, S.; Agarwal, P.

1986-01-01

The architecture and working of a recently implemented knowledge-based geographic information system (KBGIS-2) that was designed to satisfy several general criteria for the geographic information system are described. The system has four major functions that include query-answering, learning, and editing. The main query finds constrained locations for spatial objects that are describable in a predicate-calculus based spatial objects language. The main search procedures include a family of constraint-satisfaction procedures that use a spatial object knowledge base to search efficiently for complex spatial objects in large, multilayered spatial data bases. These data bases are represented in quadtree form. The search strategy is designed to reduce the computational cost of search in the average case. The learning capabilities of the system include the addition of new locations of complex spatial objects to the knowledge base as queries are answered, and the ability to learn inductively definitions of new spatial objects from examples. The new definitions are added to the knowledge base by the system. The system is currently performing all its designated tasks successfully, although currently implemented on inadequate hardware. Future reports will detail the performance characteristics of the system, and various new extensions are planned in order to enhance the power of KBGIS-2.

Automated knowledge-base refinement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mooney, Raymond J.

1994-01-01

Over the last several years, we have developed several systems for automatically refining incomplete and incorrect knowledge bases. These systems are given an imperfect rule base and a set of training examples and minimally modify the knowledge base to make it consistent with the examples. One of our most recent systems, FORTE, revises first-order Horn-clause knowledge bases. This system can be viewed as automatically debugging Prolog programs based on examples of correct and incorrect I/O pairs. In fact, we have already used the system to debug simple Prolog programs written by students in a programming language course. FORTE has also been used to automatically induce and revise qualitative models of several continuous dynamic devices from qualitative behavior traces. For example, it has been used to induce and revise a qualitative model of a portion of the Reaction Control System (RCS) of the NASA Space Shuttle. By fitting a correct model of this portion of the RCS to simulated qualitative data from a faulty system, FORTE was also able to correctly diagnose simple faults in this system.

Knowledge retrieval as one type of knowledge-based decision support in medicine: results of an evaluation study.

PubMed

Haux, R; Grothe, W; Runkel, M; Schackert, H K; Windeler, H J; Winter, A; Wirtz, R; Herfarth, C; Kunze, S

1996-04-01

We report on a prospective, prolective observational study, supplying information on how physicians and other health care professionals retrieve medical knowledge on-line within the Heidelberg University Hospital information system. Within this hospital information system, on-line access to medical knowledge has been realised by installing a medical knowledge server in the range of about 24 GB and by providing access to it by health care professional workstations in wards, physicians' rooms, etc. During the study, we observed about 96 accesses per working day. The main group of health care professionals retrieving medical knowledge were physicians and medical students. Primary reasons for its utilisation were identified as support for the users' scientific work (50%), own clinical cases (19%), general medical problems (14%) and current clinical problems (13%). Health care professionals had accesses to medical knowledge bases such as MEDLINE (79%), drug bases ('Rote Liste', 6%), and to electronic text books and knowledge base systems as well. Sixty-five percent of accesses to medical knowledge were judged to be successful. In our opinion, medical knowledge retrieval can serve as a first step towards knowledge processing in medicine. We point out the consequences for the management of hospital information systems in order to provide the prerequisites for such a type of knowledge retrieval.

What Is the Current Level of Asthma Knowledge in Elementary, Middle, and High School Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Stephen

2013-01-01

This study examined teacher asthma knowledge based on three areas including (a) the level of teacher asthma knowledge in the Maury County Public School System, (b) the level of teacher asthma knowledge based on five demographic factors, and (c) the level of teacher asthma knowledge in the Maury County Public School System compared with teacher…

A Knowledge Portal and Collaboration Environment for the Earth Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Agnese, F. A.

2008-12-01

Earth Knowledge is developing a web-based 'Knowledge Portal and Collaboration Environment' that will serve as the information-technology-based foundation of a modular Internet-based Earth-Systems Monitoring, Analysis, and Management Tool. This 'Knowledge Portal' is essentially a 'mash- up' of web-based and client-based tools and services that support on-line collaboration, community discussion, and broad public dissemination of earth and environmental science information in a wide-area distributed network. In contrast to specialized knowledge-management or geographic-information systems developed for long- term and incremental scientific analysis, this system will exploit familiar software tools using industry standard protocols, formats, and APIs to discover, process, fuse, and visualize existing environmental datasets using Google Earth and Google Maps. An early form of these tools and services is being used by Earth Knowledge to facilitate the investigations and conversations of scientists, resource managers, and citizen-stakeholders addressing water resource sustainability issues in the Great Basin region of the desert southwestern United States. These ongoing projects will serve as use cases for the further development of this information-technology infrastructure. This 'Knowledge Portal' will accelerate the deployment of Earth- system data and information into an operational knowledge management system that may be used by decision-makers concerned with stewardship of water resources in the American Desert Southwest.

Comparison of LISP and MUMPS as implementation languages for knowledge-based systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Curtis, A.C.

1984-01-01

Major components of knowledge-based systems are summarized, along with the programming language features generally useful in their implementation. LISP and MUMPS are briefly described and compared as vehicles for building knowledge-based systems. The paper concludes with suggestions for extensions to MUMPS which might increase its usefulness in artificial intelligence applications without affecting the essential nature of the language. 8 references.

Knowledge-based nursing diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Claudette; Hay, D. Robert

1991-03-01

Nursing diagnosis is an integral part of the nursing process and determines the interventions leading to outcomes for which the nurse is accountable. Diagnoses under the time constraints of modern nursing can benefit from a computer assist. A knowledge-based engineering approach was developed to address these problems. A number of problems were addressed during system design to make the system practical extended beyond capture of knowledge. The issues involved in implementing a professional knowledge base in a clinical setting are discussed. System functions, structure, interfaces, health care environment, and terminology and taxonomy are discussed. An integrated system concept from assessment through intervention and evaluation is outlined.

Development of a component centered fault monitoring and diagnosis knowledge based system for space power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, S. C.; Lollar, Louis F.

1988-01-01

The overall approach currently being taken in the development of AMPERES (Autonomously Managed Power System Extendable Real-time Expert System), a knowledge-based expert system for fault monitoring and diagnosis of space power systems, is discussed. The system architecture, knowledge representation, and fault monitoring and diagnosis strategy are examined. A 'component-centered' approach developed in this project is described. Critical issues requiring further study are identified.

Perspectives on knowledge in engineering design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rasdorf, W. J.

1985-01-01

Various perspectives are given of the knowledge currently used in engineering design, specifically dealing with knowledge-based expert systems (KBES). Constructing an expert system often reveals inconsistencies in domain knowledge while formalizing it. The types of domain knowledge (facts, procedures, judgments, and control) differ from the classes of that knowledge (creative, innovative, and routine). The feasible tasks for expert systems can be determined based on these types and classes of knowledge. Interpretive tasks require reasoning about a task in light of the knowledge available, where generative tasks create potential solutions to be tested against constraints. Only after classifying the domain by type and level can the engineer select a knowledge-engineering tool for the domain being considered. The critical features to be weighed after classification are knowledge representation techniques, control strategies, interface requirements, compatibility with traditional systems, and economic considerations.

A formal approach to validation and verification for knowledge-based control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castore, Glen

1987-01-01

As control systems become more complex in response to desires for greater system flexibility, performance and reliability, the promise is held out that artificial intelligence might provide the means for building such systems. An obstacle to the use of symbolic processing constructs in this domain is the need for verification and validation (V and V) of the systems. Techniques currently in use do not seem appropriate for knowledge-based software. An outline of a formal approach to V and V for knowledge-based control systems is presented.

Expert system for the design of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems. Master's thesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Camejo, P.J.

1989-12-01

Expert systems are computer programs that seek to mimic human reason. An expert system shelf, a software program commonly used for developing expert systems in a relatively short time, was used to develop a prototypical expert system for the design of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings. Because HVAC design involves several related knowledge domains, developing an expert system for HVAC design requires the integration of several smaller expert systems known as knowledge bases. A menu program and several auxiliary programs for gathering data, completing calculations, printing project reports, and passing data between the knowledge bases are neededmore » and have been developed to join the separate knowledge bases into one simple-to-use program unit.« less

An expert system prototype for aiding in the development of software functional requirements for NASA Goddard's command management system: A case study and lessons learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liebowitz, Jay

1986-01-01

At NASA Goddard, the role of the command management system (CMS) is to transform general requests for spacecraft opeerations into detailed operational plans to be uplinked to the spacecraft. The CMS is part of the NASA Data System which entails the downlink of science and engineering data from NASA near-earth satellites to the user, and the uplink of command and control data to the spacecraft. Presently, it takes one to three years, with meetings once or twice a week, to determine functional requirements for CMS software design. As an alternative approach to the present technique of developing CMS software functional requirements, an expert system prototype was developed to aid in this function. Specifically, the knowledge base was formulated through interactions with domain experts, and was then linked to an existing expert system application generator called 'Knowledge Engineering System (Version 1.3).' Knowledge base development focused on four major steps: (1) develop the problem-oriented attribute hierachy; (2) determine the knowledge management approach; (3) encode the knowledge base; and (4) validate, test, certify, and evaluate the knowledge base and the expert system prototype as a whole. Backcasting was accomplished for validating and testing the expert system prototype. Knowledge refinement, evaluation, and implementation procedures of the expert system prototype were then transacted.

Foundation: Transforming data bases into knowledge bases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purves, R. B.; Carnes, James R.; Cutts, Dannie E.

1987-01-01

One approach to transforming information stored in relational data bases into knowledge based representations and back again is described. This system, called Foundation, allows knowledge bases to take advantage of vast amounts of pre-existing data. A benefit of this approach is inspection, and even population, of data bases through an intelligent knowledge-based front-end.

Collaborative Learning and Knowledge-Construction through a Knowledge-Based WWW Authoring Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haugsjaa, Erik

This paper outlines hurdles to using the World Wide Web for learning, specifically in a collaborative knowledge-construction environment. Theoretical solutions based directly on existing Web environments, as well as on research and system prototypes in the areas of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) and ITS authoring systems, are suggested. Topics…

Web-Based Knowledge Exchange through Social Links in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filipowski, Tomasz; Kazienko, Przemyslaw; Brodka, Piotr; Kajdanowicz, Tomasz

2012-01-01

Knowledge exchange between employees is an essential feature of recent commercial organisations on the competitive market. Based on the data gathered by various information technology (IT) systems, social links can be extracted and exploited in knowledge exchange systems of a new kind. Users of such a system ask their queries and the system…

Multi-viewpoint clustering analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehrotra, Mala; Wild, Chris

1993-01-01

In this paper, we address the feasibility of partitioning rule-based systems into a number of meaningful units to enhance the comprehensibility, maintainability and reliability of expert systems software. Preliminary results have shown that no single structuring principle or abstraction hierarchy is sufficient to understand complex knowledge bases. We therefore propose the Multi View Point - Clustering Analysis (MVP-CA) methodology to provide multiple views of the same expert system. We present the results of using this approach to partition a deployed knowledge-based system that navigates the Space Shuttle's entry. We also discuss the impact of this approach on verification and validation of knowledge-based systems.

An object-oriented, knowledge-based system for cardiovascular rehabilitation--phase II.

PubMed Central

Ryder, R. M.; Inamdar, B.

1995-01-01

The Heart Monitor is an object-oriented, knowledge-based system designed to support the clinical activities of cardiovascular (CV) rehabilitation. The original concept was developed as part of graduate research completed in 1992. This paper describes the second generation system which is being implemented in collaboration with a local heart rehabilitation program. The PC UNIX-based system supports an extensive patient database organized by clinical areas. In addition, a knowledge base is employed to monitor patient status. Rule-based automated reasoning is employed to assess risk factors contraindicative to exercise therapy and to monitor administrative and statutory requirements. PMID:8563285

Assessment of Teachers' Reactions to a Knowledge- and Skills-Based Pay Structure at an International School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Joel Courtney

2013-01-01

This study explores teachers' reactions to a knowledge- and skills-based pay (KSBP) system implemented in a large international school. Such systems are designed to set teacher compensation based on demonstrated professional knowledge and skills as opposed to the traditional scale based on years of experience and degrees attained. This study fills…

Rule-based mechanisms of learning for intelligent adaptive flight control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handelman, David A.; Stengel, Robert F.

1990-01-01

How certain aspects of human learning can be used to characterize learning in intelligent adaptive control systems is investigated. Reflexive and declarative memory and learning are described. It is shown that model-based systems-theoretic adaptive control methods exhibit attributes of reflexive learning, whereas the problem-solving capabilities of knowledge-based systems of artificial intelligence are naturally suited for implementing declarative learning. Issues related to learning in knowledge-based control systems are addressed, with particular attention given to rule-based systems. A mechanism for real-time rule-based knowledge acquisition is suggested, and utilization of this mechanism within the context of failure diagnosis for fault-tolerant flight control is demonstrated.

The Spacecraft Materials Selector: An Artificial Intelligence System for Preliminary Design Trade Studies, Materials Assessments, and Estimates of Environments Present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pippin, H. G.; Woll, S. L. B.

2000-01-01

Institutions need ways to retain valuable information even as experienced individuals leave an organization. Modern electronic systems have enough capacity to retain large quantities of information that can mitigate the loss of experience. Performance information for long-term space applications is relatively scarce and specific information (typically held by a few individuals within a single project) is often rather narrowly distributed. Spacecraft operate under severe conditions and the consequences of hardware and/or system failures, in terms of cost, loss of information, and time required to replace the loss, are extreme. These risk factors place a premium on appropriate choice of materials and components for space applications. An expert system is a very cost-effective method for sharing valuable and scarce information about spacecraft performance. Boeing has an artificial intelligence software package, called the Boeing Expert System Tool (BEST), to construct and operate knowledge bases to selectively recall and distribute information about specific subjects. A specific knowledge base to evaluate the on-orbit performance of selected materials on spacecraft has been developed under contract to the NASA SEE program. The performance capabilities of the Spacecraft Materials Selector (SMS) knowledge base are described. The knowledge base is a backward-chaining, rule-based system. The user answers a sequence of questions, and the expert system provides estimates of optical and mechanical performance of selected materials under specific environmental conditions. The initial operating capability of the system will include data for Kapton, silverized Teflon, selected paints, silicone-based materials, and certain metals. For situations where a mission profile (launch date, orbital parameters, mission duration, spacecraft orientation) is not precisely defined, the knowledge base still attempts to provide qualitative observations about materials performance and likely exposures. Prior to the NASA contract, a knowledge base, the Spacecraft Environments Assistant (SEA,) was initially developed by Boeing to estimate the environmental factors important for a specific spacecraft mission profile. The NASA SEE program has funded specific enhancements to the capability of this knowledge base. The SEA qualitatively identifies over 25 environmental factors that may influence the performance of a spacecraft during its operational lifetime. For cases where sufficiently detailed answers are provided to questions asked by the knowledge base, atomic oxygen fluence levels, proton and/or electron fluence and dose levels, and solar exposure hours are calculated. The SMS knowledge base incorporates the previously developed SEA knowledge base. A case history for previous flight experiment will be shown as an example, and capabilities and limitations of the system will be discussed.

Study of Design Knowledge Capture (DKC) schemes implemented in magnetic bearing applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

A design knowledge capture (DKC) scheme was implemented using frame-based techniques. The objective of such a system is to capture not only the knowledge which describes a design, but also that which explains how the design decisions were reached. These knowledge types were labelled definitive and explanatory, respectively. Examination of the design process helped determine what knowledge to retain and at what stage that knowledge is used. A discussion of frames resulted in the recognition of their value to knowledge representation and organization. The FORMS frame system was used as a basis for further development, and for examples using magnetic bearing design. The specific contributions made by this research include: determination that frame-based systems provide a useful methodology for management and application of design knowledge; definition of specific user interface requirements, (this consists of a window-based browser); specification of syntax for DKC commands; and demonstration of the feasibility of DKC by applications to existing designs. It was determined that design knowledge capture could become an extremely valuable engineering tool for complicated, long-life systems, but that further work was needed, particularly the development of a graphic, window-based interface.

Computer Assisted Multi-Center Creation of Medical Knowledge Bases

PubMed Central

Giuse, Nunzia Bettinsoli; Giuse, Dario A.; Miller, Randolph A.

1988-01-01

Computer programs which support different aspects of medical care have been developed in recent years. Their capabilities range from diagnosis to medical imaging, and include hospital management systems and therapy prescription. In spite of their diversity these systems have one commonality: their reliance on a large body of medical knowledge in computer-readable form. This knowledge enables such programs to draw inferences, validate hypotheses, and in general to perform their intended task. As has been clear to developers of such systems, however, the creation and maintenance of medical knowledge bases are very expensive. Practical and economical difficulties encountered during this long-term process have discouraged most attempts. This paper discusses knowledge base creation and maintenance, with special emphasis on medical applications. We first describe the methods currently used and their limitations. We then present our recent work on developing tools and methodologies which will assist in the process of creating a medical knowledge base. We focus, in particular, on the possibility of multi-center creation of the knowledge base.

Development of a mobile satellite communication unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suzuki, Ryutaro; Ikegami, Tetsushi; Hamamoto, Naokazu; Taguchi, Tetsu; Endo, Nobuhiro; Yamamoto, Osamu; Ichiyoshi, Osamu

1988-01-01

A compact 210(W) x 280(H) x 330(D) mm mobile terminal capable of transmitting voice and data through L-band mobile satellites is described. The Voice Codec can convert an analog voice to or from digital codes at rates of 9.6, 8 and 4.8 kb/s by an MPC algorithm. The terminal functions with a single 12 V power supplied vehicle battery. The equipment can operate at any L-band frequency allocated for mobile uses in a full duplex mode and will soon be put into a field test via Japans's ETS-V satellite.

Hybrid forecasting of chaotic processes: Using machine learning in conjunction with a knowledge-based model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Jaideep; Wikner, Alexander; Fussell, Rebeckah; Chandra, Sarthak; Hunt, Brian R.; Girvan, Michelle; Ott, Edward

2018-04-01

A model-based approach to forecasting chaotic dynamical systems utilizes knowledge of the mechanistic processes governing the dynamics to build an approximate mathematical model of the system. In contrast, machine learning techniques have demonstrated promising results for forecasting chaotic systems purely from past time series measurements of system state variables (training data), without prior knowledge of the system dynamics. The motivation for this paper is the potential of machine learning for filling in the gaps in our underlying mechanistic knowledge that cause widely-used knowledge-based models to be inaccurate. Thus, we here propose a general method that leverages the advantages of these two approaches by combining a knowledge-based model and a machine learning technique to build a hybrid forecasting scheme. Potential applications for such an approach are numerous (e.g., improving weather forecasting). We demonstrate and test the utility of this approach using a particular illustrative version of a machine learning known as reservoir computing, and we apply the resulting hybrid forecaster to a low-dimensional chaotic system, as well as to a high-dimensional spatiotemporal chaotic system. These tests yield extremely promising results in that our hybrid technique is able to accurately predict for a much longer period of time than either its machine-learning component or its model-based component alone.

Software-engineering challenges of building and deploying reusable problem solvers.

PubMed

O'Connor, Martin J; Nyulas, Csongor; Tu, Samson; Buckeridge, David L; Okhmatovskaia, Anna; Musen, Mark A

2009-11-01

Problem solving methods (PSMs) are software components that represent and encode reusable algorithms. They can be combined with representations of domain knowledge to produce intelligent application systems. A goal of research on PSMs is to provide principled methods and tools for composing and reusing algorithms in knowledge-based systems. The ultimate objective is to produce libraries of methods that can be easily adapted for use in these systems. Despite the intuitive appeal of PSMs as conceptual building blocks, in practice, these goals are largely unmet. There are no widely available tools for building applications using PSMs and no public libraries of PSMs available for reuse. This paper analyzes some of the reasons for the lack of widespread adoptions of PSM techniques and illustrate our analysis by describing our experiences developing a complex, high-throughput software system based on PSM principles. We conclude that many fundamental principles in PSM research are useful for building knowledge-based systems. In particular, the task-method decomposition process, which provides a means for structuring knowledge-based tasks, is a powerful abstraction for building systems of analytic methods. However, despite the power of PSMs in the conceptual modeling of knowledge-based systems, software engineering challenges have been seriously underestimated. The complexity of integrating control knowledge modeled by developers using PSMs with the domain knowledge that they model using ontologies creates a barrier to widespread use of PSM-based systems. Nevertheless, the surge of recent interest in ontologies has led to the production of comprehensive domain ontologies and of robust ontology-authoring tools. These developments present new opportunities to leverage the PSM approach.

Software-engineering challenges of building and deploying reusable problem solvers

PubMed Central

O’CONNOR, MARTIN J.; NYULAS, CSONGOR; TU, SAMSON; BUCKERIDGE, DAVID L.; OKHMATOVSKAIA, ANNA; MUSEN, MARK A.

2012-01-01

Problem solving methods (PSMs) are software components that represent and encode reusable algorithms. They can be combined with representations of domain knowledge to produce intelligent application systems. A goal of research on PSMs is to provide principled methods and tools for composing and reusing algorithms in knowledge-based systems. The ultimate objective is to produce libraries of methods that can be easily adapted for use in these systems. Despite the intuitive appeal of PSMs as conceptual building blocks, in practice, these goals are largely unmet. There are no widely available tools for building applications using PSMs and no public libraries of PSMs available for reuse. This paper analyzes some of the reasons for the lack of widespread adoptions of PSM techniques and illustrate our analysis by describing our experiences developing a complex, high-throughput software system based on PSM principles. We conclude that many fundamental principles in PSM research are useful for building knowledge-based systems. In particular, the task–method decomposition process, which provides a means for structuring knowledge-based tasks, is a powerful abstraction for building systems of analytic methods. However, despite the power of PSMs in the conceptual modeling of knowledge-based systems, software engineering challenges have been seriously underestimated. The complexity of integrating control knowledge modeled by developers using PSMs with the domain knowledge that they model using ontologies creates a barrier to widespread use of PSM-based systems. Nevertheless, the surge of recent interest in ontologies has led to the production of comprehensive domain ontologies and of robust ontology-authoring tools. These developments present new opportunities to leverage the PSM approach. PMID:23565031

Students' Refinement of Knowledge during the Development of Knowledge Bases for Expert Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lippert, Renate; Finley, Fred

The refinement of the cognitive knowledge base was studied through exploration of the transition from novice to expert and the use of an instructional strategy called novice knowledge engineering. Six college freshmen, who were enrolled in an honors physics course, used an expert system to create questions, decisions, rules, and explanations…

A knowledge-based object recognition system for applications in the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhawan, Atam P.

1988-01-01

A knowledge-based three-dimensional (3D) object recognition system is being developed. The system uses primitive-based hierarchical relational and structural matching for the recognition of 3D objects in the two-dimensional (2D) image for interpretation of the 3D scene. At present, the pre-processing, low-level preliminary segmentation, rule-based segmentation, and the feature extraction are completed. The data structure of the primitive viewing knowledge-base (PVKB) is also completed. Algorithms and programs based on attribute-trees matching for decomposing the segmented data into valid primitives were developed. The frame-based structural and relational descriptions of some objects were created and stored in a knowledge-base. This knowledge-base of the frame-based descriptions were developed on the MICROVAX-AI microcomputer in LISP environment. The simulated 3D scene of simple non-overlapping objects as well as real camera data of images of 3D objects of low-complexity have been successfully interpreted.

Course Ontology-Based User's Knowledge Requirement Acquisition from Behaviors within E-Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeng, Qingtian; Zhao, Zhongying; Liang, Yongquan

2009-01-01

User's knowledge requirement acquisition and analysis are very important for a personalized or user-adaptive learning system. Two approaches to capture user's knowledge requirement about course content within an e-learning system are proposed and implemented in this paper. The first approach is based on the historical data accumulated by an…

A knowledge-based support system for mechanical ventilation of the lungs. The KUSIVAR concept and prototype.

PubMed

Rudowski, R; Frostell, C; Gill, H

1989-09-01

The KUSIVAR is an expert system for mechanical ventilation of adult patients suffering from respiratory insufficiency. Its main objective is to provide guidance in respirator management. The knowledge base includes both qualitative, rule-based knowledge and quantitative knowledge expressed in the form of mathematical models (expert control) which is used for prediction of arterial gas tensions and optimization purposes. The system is data driven and uses a forward chaining mechanism for rule invocation. The interaction with the user will be performed in advisory, critiquing, semi-automatic and automatic modes. The system is at present in an advanced prototype stage. Prototyping is performed using KEE (Knowledge Engineering Environment) on a Sperry Explorer workstation. For further development and clinical use the expert system will be downloaded to an advanced PC. The system is intended to support therapy with a Siemens-Elema Servoventilator 900 C.

From knowledge presentation to knowledge representation to knowledge construction: Future directions for hypermedia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palumbo, David B.

1990-01-01

Relationships between human memory systems and hypermedia systems are discussed with particular emphasis on the underlying importance of associational memory. The distinctions between knowledge presentation, knowledge representation, and knowledge constructions are addressed. Issues involved in actually developing individualizable hypermedia based knowledge construction tools are presented.

GUIDON-WATCH: A Graphic Interface for Viewing a Knowledge-Based System. Technical Report #14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richer, Mark H.; Clancey, William J.

This paper describes GUIDON-WATCH, a graphic interface that uses multiple windows and a mouse to allow a student to browse a knowledge base and view reasoning processes during diagnostic problem solving. The GUIDON project at Stanford University is investigating how knowledge-based systems can provide the basis for teaching programs, and this…

A tele-operated mobile ultrasound scanner using a light-weight robot.

PubMed

Delgorge, Cécile; Courrèges, Fabien; Al Bassit, Lama; Novales, Cyril; Rosenberger, Christophe; Smith-Guerin, Natalie; Brù, Concepció; Gilabert, Rosa; Vannoni, Maurizio; Poisson, Gérard; Vieyres, Pierre

2005-03-01

This paper presents a new tele-operated robotic chain for real-time ultrasound image acquisition and medical diagnosis. This system has been developed in the frame of the Mobile Tele-Echography Using an Ultralight Robot European Project. A light-weight six degrees-of-freedom serial robot, with a remote center of motion, has been specially designed for this application. It holds and moves a real probe on a distant patient according to the expert gesture and permits an image acquisition using a standard ultrasound device. The combination of mechanical structure choice for the robot and dedicated control law, particularly nearby the singular configuration allows a good path following and a robotized gesture accuracy. The choice of compression techniques for image transmission enables a compromise between flow and quality. These combined approaches, for robotics and image processing, enable the medical specialist to better control the remote ultrasound probe holder system and to receive stable and good quality ultrasound images to make a diagnosis via any type of communication link from terrestrial to satellite. Clinical tests have been performed since April 2003. They used both satellite or Integrated Services Digital Network lines with a theoretical bandwidth of 384 Kb/s. They showed the tele-echography system helped to identify 66% of lesions and 83% of symptomatic pathologies.

Validation of a Crowdsourcing Methodology for Developing a Knowledge Base of Related Problem-Medication Pairs.

PubMed

McCoy, A B; Wright, A; Krousel-Wood, M; Thomas, E J; McCoy, J A; Sittig, D F

2015-01-01

Clinical knowledge bases of problem-medication pairs are necessary for many informatics solutions that improve patient safety, such as clinical summarization. However, developing these knowledge bases can be challenging. We sought to validate a previously developed crowdsourcing approach for generating a knowledge base of problem-medication pairs in a large, non-university health care system with a widely used, commercially available electronic health record. We first retrieved medications and problems entered in the electronic health record by clinicians during routine care during a six month study period. Following the previously published approach, we calculated the link frequency and link ratio for each pair then identified a threshold cutoff for estimated problem-medication pair appropriateness through clinician review; problem-medication pairs meeting the threshold were included in the resulting knowledge base. We selected 50 medications and their gold standard indications to compare the resulting knowledge base to the pilot knowledge base developed previously and determine its recall and precision. The resulting knowledge base contained 26,912 pairs, had a recall of 62.3% and a precision of 87.5%, and outperformed the pilot knowledge base containing 11,167 pairs from the previous study, which had a recall of 46.9% and a precision of 83.3%. We validated the crowdsourcing approach for generating a knowledge base of problem-medication pairs in a large non-university health care system with a widely used, commercially available electronic health record, indicating that the approach may be generalizable across healthcare settings and clinical systems. Further research is necessary to better evaluate the knowledge, to compare crowdsourcing with other approaches, and to evaluate if incorporating the knowledge into electronic health records improves patient outcomes.

Validation of a Crowdsourcing Methodology for Developing a Knowledge Base of Related Problem-Medication Pairs

PubMed Central

Wright, A.; Krousel-Wood, M.; Thomas, E. J.; McCoy, J. A.; Sittig, D. F.

2015-01-01

Summary Background Clinical knowledge bases of problem-medication pairs are necessary for many informatics solutions that improve patient safety, such as clinical summarization. However, developing these knowledge bases can be challenging. Objective We sought to validate a previously developed crowdsourcing approach for generating a knowledge base of problem-medication pairs in a large, non-university health care system with a widely used, commercially available electronic health record. Methods We first retrieved medications and problems entered in the electronic health record by clinicians during routine care during a six month study period. Following the previously published approach, we calculated the link frequency and link ratio for each pair then identified a threshold cutoff for estimated problem-medication pair appropriateness through clinician review; problem-medication pairs meeting the threshold were included in the resulting knowledge base. We selected 50 medications and their gold standard indications to compare the resulting knowledge base to the pilot knowledge base developed previously and determine its recall and precision. Results The resulting knowledge base contained 26,912 pairs, had a recall of 62.3% and a precision of 87.5%, and outperformed the pilot knowledge base containing 11,167 pairs from the previous study, which had a recall of 46.9% and a precision of 83.3%. Conclusions We validated the crowdsourcing approach for generating a knowledge base of problem-medication pairs in a large non-university health care system with a widely used, commercially available electronic health record, indicating that the approach may be generalizable across healthcare settings and clinical systems. Further research is necessary to better evaluate the knowledge, to compare crowdsourcing with other approaches, and to evaluate if incorporating the knowledge into electronic health records improves patient outcomes. PMID:26171079

Integration of object-oriented knowledge representation with the CLIPS rule based system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logie, David S.; Kamil, Hasan

1990-01-01

The paper describes a portion of the work aimed at developing an integrated, knowledge based environment for the development of engineering-oriented applications. An Object Representation Language (ORL) was implemented in C++ which is used to build and modify an object-oriented knowledge base. The ORL was designed in such a way so as to be easily integrated with other representation schemes that could effectively reason with the object base. Specifically, the integration of the ORL with the rule based system C Language Production Systems (CLIPS), developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center, will be discussed. The object-oriented knowledge representation provides a natural means of representing problem data as a collection of related objects. Objects are comprised of descriptive properties and interrelationships. The object-oriented model promotes efficient handling of the problem data by allowing knowledge to be encapsulated in objects. Data is inherited through an object network via the relationship links. Together, the two schemes complement each other in that the object-oriented approach efficiently handles problem data while the rule based knowledge is used to simulate the reasoning process. Alone, the object based knowledge is little more than an object-oriented data storage scheme; however, the CLIPS inference engine adds the mechanism to directly and automatically reason with that knowledge. In this hybrid scheme, the expert system dynamically queries for data and can modify the object base with complete access to all the functionality of the ORL from rules.

VIP: A knowledge-based design aid for the engineering of space systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Steven M.; Bellman, Kirstie L.

1990-01-01

The Vehicles Implementation Project (VIP), a knowledge-based design aid for the engineering of space systems is described. VIP combines qualitative knowledge in the form of rules, quantitative knowledge in the form of equations, and other mathematical modeling tools. The system allows users rapidly to develop and experiment with models of spacecraft system designs. As information becomes available to the system, appropriate equations are solved symbolically and the results are displayed. Users may browse through the system, observing dependencies and the effects of altering specific parameters. The system can also suggest approaches to the derivation of specific parameter values. In addition to providing a tool for the development of specific designs, VIP aims at increasing the user's understanding of the design process. Users may rapidly examine the sensitivity of a given parameter to others in the system and perform tradeoffs or optimizations of specific parameters. A second major goal of VIP is to integrate the existing corporate knowledge base of models and rules into a central, symbolic form.

Methods and systems for detecting abnormal digital traffic

DOEpatents

Goranson, Craig A [Kennewick, WA; Burnette, John R [Kennewick, WA

2011-03-22

Aspects of the present invention encompass methods and systems for detecting abnormal digital traffic by assigning characterizations of network behaviors according to knowledge nodes and calculating a confidence value based on the characterizations from at least one knowledge node and on weighting factors associated with the knowledge nodes. The knowledge nodes include a characterization model based on prior network information. At least one of the knowledge nodes should not be based on fixed thresholds or signatures. The confidence value includes a quantification of the degree of confidence that the network behaviors constitute abnormal network traffic.

The impact of innovation intermediary on knowledge transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Min; Wei, Jun

2018-07-01

Many firms have opened up their innovation process and actively transfer knowledge with external partners in the market of technology. To reduce some of the market inefficiencies, more and more firms collaborate with innovation intermediaries. In light of the increasing importance of intermediary in the context of open innovation, we in this paper systematically investigate the effect of innovation intermediary on knowledge transfer and innovation process in networked systems. We find that the existence of innovation intermediary is conducive to the knowledge diffusion and facilitate the knowledge growth at system level. Interestingly, the scale of the innovation intermediary has little effect on the growth of knowledge. We further investigate the selection of intermediary members by comparing four selection strategies: random selection, initial knowledge level based selection, absorptive capability based selection, and innovative ability based selection. It is found that the selection strategy based on innovative ability outperforms all the other strategies in promoting the system knowledge growth. Our study provides a theoretical understanding of the impact of innovation intermediary on knowledge transfer and sheds light on the design and selection of innovation intermediary in open innovation.

Automated knowledge base development from CAD/CAE databases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, R. Glenn; Blanchard, Mary

1988-01-01

Knowledge base development requires a substantial investment in time, money, and resources in order to capture the knowledge and information necessary for anything other than trivial applications. This paper addresses a means to integrate the design and knowledge base development process through automated knowledge base development from CAD/CAE databases and files. Benefits of this approach include the development of a more efficient means of knowledge engineering, resulting in the timely creation of large knowledge based systems that are inherently free of error.

Design of Composite Structures Using Knowledge-Based and Case Based Reasoning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambright, Jonathan Paul

1996-01-01

A method of using knowledge based and case based reasoning to assist designers during conceptual design tasks of composite structures was proposed. The cooperative use of heuristics, procedural knowledge, and previous similar design cases suggests a potential reduction in design cycle time and ultimately product lead time. The hypothesis of this work is that the design process of composite structures can be improved by using Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) and Knowledge-Based (KB) reasoning in the early design stages. The technique of using knowledge-based and case-based reasoning facilitates the gathering of disparate information into one location that is easily and readily available. The method suggests that the inclusion of downstream life-cycle issues into the conceptual design phase reduces potential of defective, and sub-optimal composite structures. Three industry experts were interviewed extensively. The experts provided design rules, previous design cases, and test problems. A Knowledge Based Reasoning system was developed using the CLIPS (C Language Interpretive Procedural System) environment and a Case Based Reasoning System was developed using the Design Memory Utility For Sharing Experiences (MUSE) xviii environment. A Design Characteristic State (DCS) was used to document the design specifications, constraints, and problem areas using attribute-value pair relationships. The DCS provided consistent design information between the knowledge base and case base. Results indicated that the use of knowledge based and case based reasoning provided a robust design environment for composite structures. The knowledge base provided design guidance from well defined rules and procedural knowledge. The case base provided suggestions on design and manufacturing techniques based on previous similar designs and warnings of potential problems and pitfalls. The case base complemented the knowledge base and extended the problem solving capability beyond the existence of limited well defined rules. The findings indicated that the technique is most effective when used as a design aid and not as a tool to totally automate the composites design process. Other areas of application and implications for future research are discussed.

A Logical Framework for Service Migration Based Survivability

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-24

platforms; Service Migration Strategy Fuzzy Inference System Knowledge Base Fuzzy rules representing domain expert knowledge about implications of...service migration strategy. Our approach uses expert knowledge as linguistic reasoning rules and takes service programs damage assessment, service...programs complexity, and available network capability as input. The fuzzy inference system includes four components as shown in Figure 5: (1) a knowledge

Construction of Expert Knowledge Monitoring and Assessment System Based on Integral Method of Knowledge Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golovachyova, Viktoriya N.; Menlibekova, Gulbakhyt Zh.; Abayeva, Nella F.; Ten, Tatyana L.; Kogaya, Galina D.

2016-01-01

Using computer-based monitoring systems that rely on tests could be the most effective way of knowledge evaluation. The problem of objective knowledge assessment by means of testing takes on a new dimension in the context of new paradigms in education. The analysis of the existing test methods enabled us to conclude that tests with selected…

Towards Methodologies for Building Knowledge-Based Instructional Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duchastel, Philippe

1992-01-01

Examines the processes involved in building instructional systems that are based on artificial intelligence and hypermedia technologies. Traditional instructional systems design methodology is discussed; design issues including system architecture and learning strategies are addressed; and a new methodology for building knowledge-based…

Expert and Knowledge Based Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demaid, Adrian; Edwards, Lyndon

1987-01-01

Discusses the nature and current state of knowledge-based systems and expert systems. Describes an expert system from the viewpoints of a computer programmer and an applications expert. Addresses concerns related to materials selection and forecasts future developments in the teaching of materials engineering. (ML)

Knowledge-Based Information Retrieval.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Nigel

1991-01-01

Discussion of information retrieval focuses on theoretical and empirical advances in knowledge-based information retrieval. Topics discussed include the use of natural language for queries; the use of expert systems; intelligent tutoring systems; user modeling; the need for evaluation of system effectiveness; and examples of systems, including…

Knowledge-Driven Event Extraction in Russian: Corpus-Based Linguistic Resources

PubMed Central

Solovyev, Valery; Ivanov, Vladimir

2016-01-01

Automatic event extraction form text is an important step in knowledge acquisition and knowledge base population. Manual work in development of extraction system is indispensable either in corpus annotation or in vocabularies and pattern creation for a knowledge-based system. Recent works have been focused on adaptation of existing system (for extraction from English texts) to new domains. Event extraction in other languages was not studied due to the lack of resources and algorithms necessary for natural language processing. In this paper we define a set of linguistic resources that are necessary in development of a knowledge-based event extraction system in Russian: a vocabulary of subordination models, a vocabulary of event triggers, and a vocabulary of Frame Elements that are basic building blocks for semantic patterns. We propose a set of methods for creation of such vocabularies in Russian and other languages using Google Books NGram Corpus. The methods are evaluated in development of event extraction system for Russian. PMID:26955386

A data structure and algorithm for fault diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosworth, Edward L., Jr.

1987-01-01

Results of preliminary research on the design of a knowledge based fault diagnosis system for use with on-orbit spacecraft such as the Hubble Space Telescope are presented. A candidate data structure and associated search algorithm from which the knowledge based system can evolve is discussed. This algorithmic approach will then be examined in view of its inability to diagnose certain common faults. From that critique, a design for the corresponding knowledge based system will be given.

A NASA/RAE cooperation in the development of a real-time knowledge-based autopilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daysh, Colin; Corbin, Malcolm; Butler, Geoff; Duke, Eugene L.; Belle, Steven D.; Brumbaugh, Randal W.

1991-01-01

As part of a US/UK cooperative aeronautical research program, a joint activity between the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility and the Royal Aerospace Establishment on knowledge-based systems was established. This joint activity is concerned with tools and techniques for the implementation and validation of real-time knowledge-based systems. The proposed next stage of this research is described, in which some of the problems of implementing and validating a knowledge-based autopilot for a generic high-performance aircraft are investigated.

A Survey of Knowledge Management Research & Development at NASA Ames Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M.; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This chapter catalogs knowledge management research and development activities at NASA Ames Research Center as of April 2002. A general categorization scheme for knowledge management systems is first introduced. This categorization scheme divides knowledge management capabilities into five broad categories: knowledge capture, knowledge preservation, knowledge augmentation, knowledge dissemination, and knowledge infrastructure. Each of nearly 30 knowledge management systems developed at Ames is then classified according to this system. Finally, a capsule description of each system is presented along with information on deployment status, funding sources, contact information, and both published and internet-based references.

Knowledge Base Editor (SharpKBE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tikidjian, Raffi; James, Mark; Mackey, Ryan

2007-01-01

The SharpKBE software provides a graphical user interface environment for domain experts to build and manage knowledge base systems. Knowledge bases can be exported/translated to various target languages automatically, including customizable target languages.

Small Knowledge-Based Systems in Education and Training: Something New Under the Sun.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Brent G.; Welsh, Jack R.

1986-01-01

Discusses artificial intelligence, robotics, natural language processing, and expert or knowledge-based systems research; examines two large expert systems, MYCIN and XCON; and reviews the resources required to build large expert systems and affordable smaller systems (intelligent job aids) for training. Expert system vendors and products are…

A Text Knowledge Base from the AI Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Robert F.

1987-01-01

Describes a prototype natural language text knowledge system (TKS) that was used to organize 50 pages of a handbook on artificial intelligence as an inferential knowledge base with natural language query and command capabilities. Representation of text, database navigation, query systems, discourse structuring, and future research needs are…

Using Knowledge-Based Systems to Support Learning of Organizational Knowledge: A Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, Lynne P.; Nash, Rebecca L.; Phan, Tu-Anh T.; Bailey, Teresa R.

2003-01-01

This paper describes the deployment of a knowledge system to support learning of organizational knowledge at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a US national research laboratory whose mission is planetary exploration and to 'do what no one has done before.' Data collected over 19 weeks of operation were used to assess system performance with respect to design considerations, participation, effectiveness of communication mechanisms, and individual-based learning. These results are discussed in the context of organizational learning research and implications for practice.

Knowledge Acquisition Using Linguistic-Based Knowledge Analysis

Treesearch

Daniel L. Schmoldt

1998-01-01

Most knowledge-based system developmentefforts include acquiring knowledge from one or more sources. difficulties associated with this knowledge acquisition task are readily acknowledged by most researchers. While a variety of knowledge acquisition methods have been reported, little has been done to organize those different methods and to suggest how to apply them...

Proposed Conceptual Requirements for the CTBT Knowledge Base,

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-08-14

knowledge available to automated processing routines and human analysts are significant, and solving these problems is an essential step in ensuring...knowledge storage in a CTBT system. In addition to providing regional knowledge to automated processing routines, the knowledge base will also address

A Knowledge-Based System For Analysis, Intervention Planning and Prevention of Defects in Immovable Cultural Heritage Objects and Monuments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valach, J.; Cacciotti, R.; Kuneš, P.; ČerÅanský, M.; Bláha, J.

2012-04-01

The paper presents a project aiming to develop a knowledge-based system for documentation and analysis of defects of cultural heritage objects and monuments. The MONDIS information system concentrates knowledge on damage of immovable structures due to various causes, and preventive/remedial actions performed to protect/repair them, where possible. The currently built system is to provide for understanding of causal relationships between a defect, materials, external load, and environment of built object. Foundation for the knowledge-based system will be the systemized and formalized knowledge on defects and their mitigation acquired in the process of analysis of a representative set of cases documented in the past. On the basis of design comparability, used technologies, materials and the nature of the external forces and surroundings, the developed software system has the capacity to indicate the most likely risks of new defect occurrence or the extension of the existing ones. The system will also allow for a comparison of the actual failure with similar cases documented and will propose a suitable technical intervention plan. The system will provide conservationists, administrators and owners of historical objects with a toolkit for defect documentation for their objects. Also, advanced artificial intelligence methods will offer accumulated knowledge to users and will also enable them to get oriented in relevant techniques of preventive interventions and reconstructions based on similarity with their case.

The Genome-based Knowledge Management in Cycles model: a complex adaptive systems framework for implementation of genomic applications.

PubMed

Arar, Nedal; Knight, Sara J; Modell, Stephen M; Issa, Amalia M

2011-03-01

The main mission of the Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network™ is to advance collaborative efforts involving partners from across the public health sector to realize the promise of genomics in healthcare and disease prevention. We introduce a new framework that supports the Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network mission and leverages the characteristics of the complex adaptive systems approach. We call this framework the Genome-based Knowledge Management in Cycles model (G-KNOMIC). G-KNOMIC proposes that the collaborative work of multidisciplinary teams utilizing genome-based applications will enhance translating evidence-based genomic findings by creating ongoing knowledge management cycles. Each cycle consists of knowledge synthesis, knowledge evaluation, knowledge implementation and knowledge utilization. Our framework acknowledges that all the elements in the knowledge translation process are interconnected and continuously changing. It also recognizes the importance of feedback loops, and the ability of teams to self-organize within a dynamic system. We demonstrate how this framework can be used to improve the adoption of genomic technologies into practice using two case studies of genomic uptake.

Demonstration of DFTS-OFDM and equalization technology using in VLC communication on the headset port of Android device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fumin; Shi, Meng; Chi, Nan

2016-10-01

Visible light communication (VLC) is one of the hottest research directions in wireless communication. It is safe, fast and free of electromagnetic interference. We carry out the visible light communication using DFTS-OFDM modulation mode through the headset port to and take equalization technique to compensate the channel. In this paper, we first test the feasibility of the DFTS-OFDM modulated VLC system by analyzing the constellation and the transmission error rate via the headset interface of the smartphone. Then we change the peak value of the signal generated by the AWG as well as the static current to find the best working point. We tested the effect of changing the up-sample number on the BER performance of the communication system, and compared the BER performance of 16QAM and 8QAM modulation in different equalization method. We also do experiment to find how distance affect the performance of the communication and the maximum communication rate that can be achieved. We successfully demonstrated a visible light communication system detected by a headset port of a smart phone for a 32QAM DFTS-OFDM modulated signal of 27.5kb/s over a 3-meter free space transmission. The light source is traditional phosphorescent white LED. This result, as far as we know, is the highest data rate of VLC system via headset port detection.

Cooperative knowledge evolution: a construction-integration approach to knowledge discovery in medicine.

PubMed

Schmalhofer, F J; Tschaitschian, B

1998-11-01

In this paper, we perform a cognitive analysis of knowledge discovery processes. As a result of this analysis, the construction-integration theory is proposed as a general framework for developing cooperative knowledge evolution systems. We thus suggest that for the acquisition of new domain knowledge in medicine, one should first construct pluralistic views on a given topic which may contain inconsistencies as well as redundancies. Only thereafter does this knowledge become consolidated into a situation-specific circumscription and the early inconsistencies become eliminated. As a proof for the viability of such knowledge acquisition processes in medicine, we present the IDEAS system, which can be used for the intelligent documentation of adverse events in clinical studies. This system provides a better documentation of the side-effects of medical drugs. Thereby, knowledge evolution occurs by achieving consistent explanations in increasingly larger contexts (i.e., more cases and more pharmaceutical substrates). Finally, it is shown how prototypes, model-based approaches and cooperative knowledge evolution systems can be distinguished as different classes of knowledge-based systems.

An Expert System for Automating Nuclear Strike Aircraft Replacement, Aircraft Beddown, and Logistics Movement for the Theater Warfare Exercise.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

that can be easily understood. (9) Parallelism. Several system components may need to execute in parallel. For example, the processing of sensor data...knowledge base are not accessible for processing by the database. Also in the likely case that the expert system poses a series of related queries, the...hiharken nxpfilcs’Iog - Knowledge base for the automation of loCgistics rr-ovenet T’he Ii rectorY containing the strike aircraft replacement knowledge base

A new intrusion prevention model using planning knowledge graph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Zengyu; Feng, Yuan; Liu, Shuru; Gan, Yong

2013-03-01

Intelligent plan is a very important research in artificial intelligence, which has applied in network security. This paper proposes a new intrusion prevention model base on planning knowledge graph and discuses the system architecture and characteristics of this model. The Intrusion Prevention based on plan knowledge graph is completed by plan recognition based on planning knowledge graph, and the Intrusion response strategies and actions are completed by the hierarchical task network (HTN) planner in this paper. Intrusion prevention system has the advantages of intelligent planning, which has the advantage of the knowledge-sharing, the response focused, learning autonomy and protective ability.

A knowledge-based system for prototypical reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lieto, Antonio; Minieri, Andrea; Piana, Alberto; Radicioni, Daniele P.

2015-04-01

In this work we present a knowledge-based system equipped with a hybrid, cognitively inspired architecture for the representation of conceptual information. The proposed system aims at extending the classical representational and reasoning capabilities of the ontology-based frameworks towards the realm of the prototype theory. It is based on a hybrid knowledge base, composed of a classical symbolic component (grounded on a formal ontology) with a typicality based one (grounded on the conceptual spaces framework). The resulting system attempts to reconcile the heterogeneous approach to the concepts in Cognitive Science with the dual process theories of reasoning and rationality. The system has been experimentally assessed in a conceptual categorisation task where common sense linguistic descriptions were given in input, and the corresponding target concepts had to be identified. The results show that the proposed solution substantially extends the representational and reasoning 'conceptual' capabilities of standard ontology-based systems.

The importance of knowledge-based technology.

PubMed

Cipriano, Pamela F

2012-01-01

Nurse executives are responsible for a workforce that can provide safer and more efficient care in a complex sociotechnical environment. National quality priorities rely on technologies to provide data collection, share information, and leverage analytic capabilities to interpret findings and inform approaches to care that will achieve better outcomes. As a key steward for quality, the nurse executive exercises leadership to provide the infrastructure to build and manage nursing knowledge and instill accountability for following evidence-based practices. These actions contribute to a learning health system where new knowledge is captured as a by-product of care delivery enabled by knowledge-based electronic systems. The learning health system also relies on rigorous scientific evidence embedded into practice at the point of care. The nurse executive optimizes use of knowledge-based technologies, integrated throughout the organization, that have the capacity to help transform health care.

VHBuild.com: A Web-Based System for Managing Knowledge in Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Heng; Tang, Sandy; Man, K. F.; Love, Peter E. D.

2002-01-01

Describes an intelligent Web-based construction project management system called VHBuild.com which integrates project management, knowledge management, and artificial intelligence technologies. Highlights include an information flow model; time-cost optimization based on genetic algorithms; rule-based drawing interpretation; and a case-based…

Automatic acquisition of domain and procedural knowledge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferber, H. J.; Ali, M.

1988-01-01

The design concept and performance of AKAS, an automated knowledge-acquisition system for the development of expert systems, are discussed. AKAS was developed using the FLES knowledge base for the electrical system of the B-737 aircraft and employs a 'learn by being told' strategy. The system comprises four basic modules, a system administration module, a natural-language concept-comprehension module, a knowledge-classification/extraction module, and a knowledge-incorporation module; details of the module architectures are explored.

Medical Knowledge Bases.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Randolph A.; Giuse, Nunzia B.

1991-01-01

Few commonly available, successful computer-based tools exist in medical informatics. Faculty expertise can be included in computer-based medical information systems. Computers allow dynamic recombination of knowledge to answer questions unanswerable with print textbooks. Such systems can also create stronger ties between academic and clinical…

System Diagnostic Builder - A rule generation tool for expert systems that do intelligent data evaluation. [applied to Shuttle Mission Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nieten, Joseph; Burke, Roger

1993-01-01

Consideration is given to the System Diagnostic Builder (SDB), an automated knowledge acquisition tool using state-of-the-art AI technologies. The SDB employs an inductive machine learning technique to generate rules from data sets that are classified by a subject matter expert. Thus, data are captured from the subject system, classified, and used to drive the rule generation process. These rule bases are used to represent the observable behavior of the subject system, and to represent knowledge about this system. The knowledge bases captured from the Shuttle Mission Simulator can be used as black box simulations by the Intelligent Computer Aided Training devices. The SDB can also be used to construct knowledge bases for the process control industry, such as chemical production or oil and gas production.

SWAN: An expert system with natural language interface for tactical air capability assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simmons, Robert M.

1987-01-01

SWAN is an expert system and natural language interface for assessing the war fighting capability of Air Force units in Europe. The expert system is an object oriented knowledge based simulation with an alternate worlds facility for performing what-if excursions. Responses from the system take the form of generated text, tables, or graphs. The natural language interface is an expert system in its own right, with a knowledge base and rules which understand how to access external databases, models, or expert systems. The distinguishing feature of the Air Force expert system is its use of meta-knowledge to generate explanations in the frame and procedure based environment.

EXPECT: Explicit Representations for Flexible Acquisition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swartout, BIll; Gil, Yolanda

1995-01-01

To create more powerful knowledge acquisition systems, we not only need better acquisition tools, but we need to change the architecture of the knowledge based systems we create so that their structure will provide better support for acquisition. Current acquisition tools permit users to modify factual knowledge but they provide limited support for modifying problem solving knowledge. In this paper, the authors argue that this limitation (and others) stem from the use of incomplete models of problem-solving knowledge and inflexible specification of the interdependencies between problem-solving and factual knowledge. We describe the EXPECT architecture which addresses these problems by providing an explicit representation for problem-solving knowledge and intent. Using this more explicit representation, EXPECT can automatically derive the interdependencies between problem-solving and factual knowledge. By deriving these interdependencies from the structure of the knowledge-based system itself EXPECT supports more flexible and powerful knowledge acquisition.

Progress and challenges in the application of artificial intelligence to computational fluid dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, Alison E.

1987-01-01

An approach to analyzing CFD knowledge-based systems is proposed which is based, in part, on the concept of knowledge-level analysis. Consideration is given to the expert cooling fan design system, the PAN AIR knowledge system, grid adaptation, and expert zonal grid generation. These AI/CFD systems demonstrate that current AI technology can be successfully applied to well-formulated problems that are solved by means of classification or selection of preenumerated solutions.

An assessment of maintainability of elevator system to improve facilities management knowledge-base

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siti, N. A.; Asmone, A. S.; Chew, M. Y. L.

2018-02-01

Elevator system is a highly specialized machinery that requires technicians that have a wider array of knowledge in maintaining the system to be safe and reliable. While attaining reliable data of elevator malfunction become challenges, this study has filled the gap by gathering the management-maintenance issues and operational defects of elevator system. Forty-three types of operation defects were found and the consequence defects and their possible causes of occurrences were discussed. To respond to the prime challenges of maintaining elevator system provided by the industry players’ perspective, a theoretical framework is established as a recommendation to improve knowledge base of defects in elevator system which comprises good practices, and solutions to rectify each defects found. Hence, this research paper has theoretically improved the knowledge base of maintainability of elevator system and provide meaningful guidelines in practical senses to the industry professionals.

Operator assistant systems - An experimental approach using a telerobotics application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boy, Guy A.; Mathe, Nathalie

1993-01-01

This article presents a knowledge-based system methodology for developing operator assistant (OA) systems in dynamic and interactive environments. This is a problem both of training and design, which is the subject of this article. Design includes both design of the system to be controlled and design of procedures for operating this system. A specific knowledge representation is proposed for representing the corresponding system and operational knowledge. This representation is based on the situation recognition and analytical reasoning paradigm. It tries to make explicit common factors involved in both human and machine intelligence, including perception and reasoning. An OA system based on this representation has been developed for space telerobotics. Simulations have been carried out with astronauts and the resulting protocols have been analyzed. Results show the relevance of the approach and have been used for improving the knowledge representation and the OA architecture.

Development of the Spacecraft Materials Selector Expert System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pippin, H. G.

2000-01-01

A specific knowledge base to evaluate the on-orbit performance of selected materials on spacecraft is being developed under contract to the NASA SEE program. An artificial intelligence software package, the Boeing Expert System Tool (BEST), contains an inference engine used to operate knowledge bases constructed to selectively recall and distribute information about materials performance in space applications. This same system is used to make estimates of the environmental exposures expected for a given space flight. The performance capabilities of the Spacecraft Materials Selector (SMS) knowledge base are described in this paper. A case history for a planned flight experiment on ISS is shown as an example of the use of the SMS, and capabilities and limitations of the knowledge base are discussed.

Integrating knowledge and control into hypermedia-based training environments: Experiments with HyperCLIPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Randall W., Jr.

1990-01-01

The issues of knowledge representation and control in hypermedia-based training environments are discussed. The main objective is to integrate the flexible presentation capability of hypermedia with a knowledge-based approach to lesson discourse management. The instructional goals and their associated concepts are represented in a knowledge representation structure called a 'concept network'. Its functional usages are many: it is used to control the navigation through a presentation space, generate tests for student evaluation, and model the student. This architecture was implemented in HyperCLIPS, a hybrid system that creates a bridge between HyperCard, a popular hypertext-like system used for building user interfaces to data bases and other applications, and CLIPS, a highly portable government-owned expert system shell.

Assessing an AI knowledge-base for asymptomatic liver diseases.

PubMed

Babic, A; Mathiesen, U; Hedin, K; Bodemar, G; Wigertz, O

1998-01-01

Discovering not yet seen knowledge from clinical data is of importance in the field of asymptomatic liver diseases. Avoidance of liver biopsy which is used as the ultimate confirmation of diagnosis by making the decision based on relevant laboratory findings only, would be considered an essential support. The system based on Quinlan's ID3 algorithm was simple and efficient in extracting the sought knowledge. Basic principles of applying the AI systems are therefore described and complemented with medical evaluation. Some of the diagnostic rules were found to be useful as decision algorithms i.e. they could be directly applied in clinical work and made a part of the knowledge-base of the Liver Guide, an automated decision support system.

The smooth (tractor) operator: insights of knowledge engineering.

PubMed

Cullen, Ralph H; Smarr, Cory-Ann; Serrano-Baquero, Daniel; McBride, Sara E; Beer, Jenay M; Rogers, Wendy A

2012-11-01

The design of and training for complex systems requires in-depth understanding of task demands imposed on users. In this project, we used the knowledge engineering approach (Bowles et al., 2004) to assess the task of mowing in a citrus grove. Knowledge engineering is divided into four phases: (1) Establish goals. We defined specific goals based on the stakeholders involved. The main goal was to identify operator demands to support improvement of the system. (2) Create a working model of the system. We reviewed product literature, analyzed the system, and conducted expert interviews. (3) Extract knowledge. We interviewed tractor operators to understand their knowledge base. (4) Structure knowledge. We analyzed and organized operator knowledge to inform project goals. We categorized the information and developed diagrams to display the knowledge effectively. This project illustrates the benefits of knowledge engineering as a qualitative research method to inform technology design and training. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Research and development for Onboard Navigation (ONAV) ground based expert/trainer system: Preliminary ascent knowledge requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bochsler, Daniel C.

1988-01-01

The preliminary version of expert knowledge for the Onboard Navigation (ONAV) Ground Based Expert Trainer Ascent system for the space shuttle is presented. Included is some brief background information along with the information describing the knowledge the system will contain. Information is given on rules and heuristics, telemetry status, landing sites, inertial measurement units, and a high speed trajectory determinator (HSTD) state vector.

Knowledge Acquisition and Job Training for Advanced Technical Skills Using Immersive Virtual Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanuki, Keiichi; Kojima, Kazuyuki

The environment in which Japanese industry has achieved great respect is changing tremendously due to the globalization of world economies, while Asian countries are undergoing economic and technical development as well as benefiting from the advances in information technology. For example, in the design of custom-made casting products, a designer who lacks knowledge of casting may not be able to produce a good design. In order to obtain a good design and manufacturing result, it is necessary to equip the designer and manufacturer with a support system related to casting design, or a so-called knowledge transfer and creation system. This paper proposes a new virtual reality based knowledge acquisition and job training system for casting design, which is composed of the explicit and tacit knowledge transfer systems using synchronized multimedia and the knowledge internalization system using portable virtual environment. In our proposed system, the education content is displayed in the immersive virtual environment, whereby a trainee may experience work in the virtual site operation. Provided that the trainee has gained explicit and tacit knowledge of casting through the multimedia-based knowledge transfer system, the immersive virtual environment catalyzes the internalization of knowledge and also enables the trainee to gain tacit knowledge before undergoing on-the-job training at a real-time operation site.

Intrusive and Non-Intrusive Instruction in Dynamic Skill Training.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

less sensitive to the processing load imposed by the dynaic task together with instructional feedback processing than were the decison - making and...betwee computer based instruction of knowledge systems and computer based instruction of dynamic skills. There is reason to expect that the findings of...knowledge 3Ytm and computer based instruction of dynlamic skill.. There is reason to expect that the findings of research on knowledge system

A knowledge-base generating hierarchical fuzzy-neural controller.

PubMed

Kandadai, R M; Tien, J M

1997-01-01

We present an innovative fuzzy-neural architecture that is able to automatically generate a knowledge base, in an extractable form, for use in hierarchical knowledge-based controllers. The knowledge base is in the form of a linguistic rule base appropriate for a fuzzy inference system. First, we modify Berenji and Khedkar's (1992) GARIC architecture to enable it to automatically generate a knowledge base; a pseudosupervised learning scheme using reinforcement learning and error backpropagation is employed. Next, we further extend this architecture to a hierarchical controller that is able to generate its own knowledge base. Example applications are provided to underscore its viability.

Extracting semantically enriched events from biomedical literature

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Research into event-based text mining from the biomedical literature has been growing in popularity to facilitate the development of advanced biomedical text mining systems. Such technology permits advanced search, which goes beyond document or sentence-based retrieval. However, existing event-based systems typically ignore additional information within the textual context of events that can determine, amongst other things, whether an event represents a fact, hypothesis, experimental result or analysis of results, whether it describes new or previously reported knowledge, and whether it is speculated or negated. We refer to such contextual information as meta-knowledge. The automatic recognition of such information can permit the training of systems allowing finer-grained searching of events according to the meta-knowledge that is associated with them. Results Based on a corpus of 1,000 MEDLINE abstracts, fully manually annotated with both events and associated meta-knowledge, we have constructed a machine learning-based system that automatically assigns meta-knowledge information to events. This system has been integrated into EventMine, a state-of-the-art event extraction system, in order to create a more advanced system (EventMine-MK) that not only extracts events from text automatically, but also assigns five different types of meta-knowledge to these events. The meta-knowledge assignment module of EventMine-MK performs with macro-averaged F-scores in the range of 57-87% on the BioNLP’09 Shared Task corpus. EventMine-MK has been evaluated on the BioNLP’09 Shared Task subtask of detecting negated and speculated events. Our results show that EventMine-MK can outperform other state-of-the-art systems that participated in this task. Conclusions We have constructed the first practical system that extracts both events and associated, detailed meta-knowledge information from biomedical literature. The automatically assigned meta-knowledge information can be used to refine search systems, in order to provide an extra search layer beyond entities and assertions, dealing with phenomena such as rhetorical intent, speculations, contradictions and negations. This finer grained search functionality can assist in several important tasks, e.g., database curation (by locating new experimental knowledge) and pathway enrichment (by providing information for inference). To allow easy integration into text mining systems, EventMine-MK is provided as a UIMA component that can be used in the interoperable text mining infrastructure, U-Compare. PMID:22621266

Extracting semantically enriched events from biomedical literature.

PubMed

Miwa, Makoto; Thompson, Paul; McNaught, John; Kell, Douglas B; Ananiadou, Sophia

2012-05-23

Research into event-based text mining from the biomedical literature has been growing in popularity to facilitate the development of advanced biomedical text mining systems. Such technology permits advanced search, which goes beyond document or sentence-based retrieval. However, existing event-based systems typically ignore additional information within the textual context of events that can determine, amongst other things, whether an event represents a fact, hypothesis, experimental result or analysis of results, whether it describes new or previously reported knowledge, and whether it is speculated or negated. We refer to such contextual information as meta-knowledge. The automatic recognition of such information can permit the training of systems allowing finer-grained searching of events according to the meta-knowledge that is associated with them. Based on a corpus of 1,000 MEDLINE abstracts, fully manually annotated with both events and associated meta-knowledge, we have constructed a machine learning-based system that automatically assigns meta-knowledge information to events. This system has been integrated into EventMine, a state-of-the-art event extraction system, in order to create a more advanced system (EventMine-MK) that not only extracts events from text automatically, but also assigns five different types of meta-knowledge to these events. The meta-knowledge assignment module of EventMine-MK performs with macro-averaged F-scores in the range of 57-87% on the BioNLP'09 Shared Task corpus. EventMine-MK has been evaluated on the BioNLP'09 Shared Task subtask of detecting negated and speculated events. Our results show that EventMine-MK can outperform other state-of-the-art systems that participated in this task. We have constructed the first practical system that extracts both events and associated, detailed meta-knowledge information from biomedical literature. The automatically assigned meta-knowledge information can be used to refine search systems, in order to provide an extra search layer beyond entities and assertions, dealing with phenomena such as rhetorical intent, speculations, contradictions and negations. This finer grained search functionality can assist in several important tasks, e.g., database curation (by locating new experimental knowledge) and pathway enrichment (by providing information for inference). To allow easy integration into text mining systems, EventMine-MK is provided as a UIMA component that can be used in the interoperable text mining infrastructure, U-Compare.

Preparing the Plate Boundary Observatory GNSS Network for the Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, K. E.; Walls, C. P.; Dittman, T.; Mann, D.; Boyce, E. S.; Basset, A.; Woolace, A. C.; Turner, R.; Lawrence, S.; Rhoades, S.; Pyatt, C.; Willoughby, H.; Feaux, K.; Mattioli, G. S.

2017-12-01

The EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) GNSS network, funded by the NSF and operated by UNAVCO, is comprised of 1100 permanent GPS and GNSS stations spanning three principal tectonic regimes and is administered by distinct management. The GPS-only network was initially designed for daily data file downloads primarily for tectonic analysis. This low data volume requirement and circa-2004 IP-based cellular/VSat modems provided significant freedom for station placement and enabled science-targeted installation of stations in some of the most remote and geologically interesting areas. Community requests for high-rate data downloads for GNSS seismology, airborne LiDAR surveys, meteorological/GNSS/seismic real-time data flow and other demands, however, require significantly increased bandwidth beyond the 5-20 kB/s transfer rates that were needed as part of the original design. Since the close of construction in September 2008, PBO enhancements have been implemented through additional funding by the NSF (ARRA/Cascadia), NOAA, and NASA and in collaboration with stakeholders such as Caltrans, ODOT, Scripps, and the USGS. Today, only 18 of the original cell modems remain, with 601 upgraded cell modems providing 3G/4G/LTE data communications that support transfer rates ranging from 80-400 kB/s. Radio network expansion and upgrades continue to harden communications using both 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz radios. 78 VSAT and 5 manual download sites remain. PBO-wide the network capabilities for 1 Hz & 5 Hz downloads or low latency 1 Hz streaming are 85%, 80% and 65% of PBO stations, respectively, with 708 active 1 Hz streams. Vaisala meteorological instruments are located at 140 sites most of which stream GPS/Met data in real time. GPS-only receivers are being replaced with GNSS receivers and antennas. Today, there are 279 stations in the PBO network with either GLONASS enabled Trimble NetR9 or full GNSS constellation Septentrio PolaRx5 receivers. Just as the scale and geographical density of the PBO project has opened up new and unexpected avenues for geophysical research across disciplines (e.g. atmosphere, meteorology, snow pack, tides, vegetation growth, drought monitoring, etc.), the coming decade under the NGEO banner will undoubtedly present new opportunities as the network continues to be modernized.

Advanced software development workstation project ACCESS user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

ACCESS is a knowledge based software information system designed to assist the user in modifying retrieved software to satisfy user specifications. A user's guide is presented for the knowledge engineer who wishes to create for ACCESS a knowledge base consisting of representations of objects in some software system. This knowledge is accessible to an end user who wishes to use the catalogued software objects to create a new application program or an input stream for an existing system. The application specific portion of an ACCESS knowledge base consists of a taxonomy of object classes, as well as instances of these classes. All objects in the knowledge base are stored in an associative memory. ACCESS provides a standard interface for the end user to browse and modify objects. In addition, the interface can be customized by the addition of application specific data entry forms and by specification of display order for the taxonomy and object attributes. These customization options are described.

Radiation induced corrosion of copper for spent nuclear fuel storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Björkbacka, Åsa; Hosseinpour, Saman; Johnson, Magnus; Leygraf, Christofer; Jonsson, Mats

2013-11-01

The long term safety of repositories for radioactive waste is one of the main concerns for countries utilizing nuclear power. The integrity of engineered and natural barriers in such repositories must be carefully evaluated in order to minimize the release of radionuclides to the biosphere. One of the most developed concepts of long term storage of spent nuclear fuel is the Swedish KBS-3 method. According to this method, the spent fuel will be sealed inside copper canisters surrounded by bentonite clay and placed 500 m down in stable bedrock. Despite the importance of the process of radiation induced corrosion of copper, relatively few studies have been reported. In this work the effect of the total gamma dose on radiation induced corrosion of copper in anoxic pure water has been studied experimentally. Copper samples submerged in water were exposed to a series of total doses using three different dose rates. Unirradiated samples were used as reference samples throughout. The copper surfaces were examined qualitatively using IRAS and XPS and quantitatively using cathodic reduction. The concentration of copper in solution after irradiation was measured using ICP-AES. The influence of aqueous radiation chemistry on the corrosion process was evaluated based on numerical simulations. The experiments show that the dissolution as well as the oxide layer thickness increase upon radiation. Interestingly, the evaluation using numerical simulations indicates that aqueous radiation chemistry is not the only process driving the corrosion of copper in these systems.

Knowledge-based support for the participatory design and implementation of shift systems.

PubMed

Gissel, A; Knauth, P

1998-01-01

This study developed a knowledge-based software system to support the participatory design and implementation of shift systems as a joint planning process including shift workers, the workers' committee, and management. The system was developed using a model-based approach. During the 1st phase, group discussions were repeatedly conducted with 2 experts. Thereafter a structure model of the process was generated and subsequently refined by the experts in additional semistructured interviews. Next, a factual knowledge base of 1713 relevant studies was collected on the effects of shift work. Finally, a prototype of the knowledge-based system was tested on 12 case studies. During the first 2 phases of the system, important basic information about the tasks to be carried out is provided for the user. During the 3rd phase this approach uses the problem-solving method of case-based reasoning to determine a shift rota which has already proved successful in other applications. It can then be modified in the 4th phase according to the shift workers' preferences. The last 2 phases support the final testing and evaluation of the system. The application of this system has shown that it is possible to obtain shift rotas suitable to actual problems and representative of good ergonomic solutions. A knowledge-based approach seems to provide valuable support for the complex task of designing and implementing a new shift system. The separation of the task into several phases, the provision of information at all stages, and the integration of all parties concerned seem to be essential factors for the success of the application.

A web-based knowledge management system integrating Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine for relational medical diagnosis.

PubMed

Herrera-Hernandez, Maria C; Lai-Yuen, Susana K; Piegl, Les A; Zhang, Xiao

2016-10-26

This article presents the design of a web-based knowledge management system as a training and research tool for the exploration of key relationships between Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine, in order to facilitate relational medical diagnosis integrating these mainstream healing modalities. The main goal of this system is to facilitate decision-making processes, while developing skills and creating new medical knowledge. Traditional Chinese Medicine can be considered as an ancient relational knowledge-based approach, focusing on balancing interrelated human functions to reach a healthy state. Western Medicine focuses on specialties and body systems and has achieved advanced methods to evaluate the impact of a health disorder on the body functions. Identifying key relationships between Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine opens new approaches for health care practices and can increase the understanding of human medical conditions. Our knowledge management system was designed from initial datasets of symptoms, known diagnosis and treatments, collected from both medicines. The datasets were subjected to process-oriented analysis, hierarchical knowledge representation and relational database interconnection. Web technology was implemented to develop a user-friendly interface, for easy navigation, training and research. Our system was prototyped with a case study on chronic prostatitis. This trial presented the system's capability for users to learn the correlation approach, connecting knowledge in Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine by querying the database, mapping validated medical information, accessing complementary information from official sites, and creating new knowledge as part of the learning process. By addressing the challenging tasks of data acquisition and modeling, organization, storage and transfer, the proposed web-based knowledge management system is presented as a tool for users in medical training and research to explore, learn and update relational information for the practice of integrated medical diagnosis. This proposal in education has the potential to enable further creation of medical knowledge from both Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for improved care providing. The presented system positively improves the information visualization, learning process and knowledge sharing, for training and development of new skills for diagnosis and treatment, and a better understanding of medical diseases. © IMechE 2016.

Engineering youth service system infrastructure: Hawaii's continued efforts at large-scale implementation through knowledge management strategies.

PubMed

Nakamura, Brad J; Mueller, Charles W; Higa-McMillan, Charmaine; Okamura, Kelsie H; Chang, Jaime P; Slavin, Lesley; Shimabukuro, Scott

2014-01-01

Hawaii's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division provides a unique illustration of a youth public mental health system with a long and successful history of large-scale quality improvement initiatives. Many advances are linked to flexibly organizing and applying knowledge gained from the scientific literature and move beyond installing a limited number of brand-named treatment approaches that might be directly relevant only to a small handful of system youth. This article takes a knowledge-to-action perspective and outlines five knowledge management strategies currently under way in Hawaii. Each strategy represents one component of a larger coordinated effort at engineering a service system focused on delivering both brand-named treatment approaches and complimentary strategies informed by the evidence base. The five knowledge management examples are (a) a set of modular-based professional training activities for currently practicing therapists, (b) an outreach initiative for supporting youth evidence-based practices training at Hawaii's mental health-related professional programs, (c) an effort to increase consumer knowledge of and demand for youth evidence-based practices, (d) a practice and progress agency performance feedback system, and (e) a sampling of system-level research studies focused on understanding treatment as usual. We end by outlining a small set of lessons learned and a longer term vision for embedding these efforts into the system's infrastructure.

Design of customer knowledge management system for Aglaonema Nursery in South Tangerang, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiarto, D.; Mardianto, I.; Dewayana, TS; Khadafi, M.

2017-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of customer knowledge management system to support customer relationship management activities for an aglaonema nursery in South Tangerang, Indonesia. System. The steps were knowledge identification (knowledge about customer, knowledge from customer, knowledge for customer), knowledge capture, codification, analysis of system requirement and create use case and activity diagram. The result showed that some key knowledge were about supporting customer in plant care (know how) and types of aglaonema including with the prices (know what). That knowledge for customer then codified and shared in knowledge portal website integrated with social media. Knowledge about customer were about customers and their behaviour in purchasing aglaonema. Knowledge from customer were about feedback, favorite and customer experience. Codified knowledge were placed and shared using content management system based on wordpress.

SBexpert users guide (version 1.0): a knowledge-based decision-support system for spruce beetle management.

Treesearch

Keith M. Reynolds; Edward H. Holsten; Richard A. Werner

1994-01-01

SBexpert version 1.0 is a knowledge-based decision-support system for spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rutipennis (Kby.)) management developed for use in Microsoft Windows with the KnowledgePro Windows development language. The SBexpert users guide provides detailed instructions on the use of all SBexpert features. SBexpert has four main topics (...

A veterinary anatomy tutoring system.

PubMed

Theodoropoulos, G; Loumos, V; Antonopoulos, J

1994-02-14

A veterinary anatomy tutoring system was developed by using Knowledge Pro, an object-oriented software development tool with hypermedia capabilities, and MS Access, a relational database. Communication between them is facilitated by using the Structured Query Language (SQL). The architecture of the system is based on knowledge sets, each of which covers four different descriptions of an organ, namely gross anatomy (general description), gross anatomy (comparative features), histology, and embryology, which constitute the knowledge units. These knowledge units are linked with three global variables that define the animals, the topographies, and the system to which this organ belongs, creating three data-bases. These three data-bases are interrelated through the organ field in order to establish a relational model. This system allows versatility in the student's navigation through the information space by offering different modes for information location and presentation. These include course mode, review mode, reference mode, dissection mode, and comparison mode. In addition, the system provides a self-evaluation mode.

The computer integrated documentation project: A merge of hypermedia and AI techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathe, Nathalie; Boy, Guy

1993-01-01

To generate intelligent indexing that allows context-sensitive information retrieval, a system must be able to acquire knowledge directly through interaction with users. In this paper, we present the architecture for CID (Computer Integrated Documentation). CID is a system that enables integration of various technical documents in a hypertext framework and includes an intelligent browsing system that incorporates indexing in context. CID's knowledge-based indexing mechanism allows case based knowledge acquisition by experimentation. It utilizes on-line user information requirements and suggestions either to reinforce current indexing in case of success or to generate new knowledge in case of failure. This allows CID's intelligent interface system to provide helpful responses, based on previous experience (user feedback). We describe CID's current capabilities and provide an overview of our plans for extending the system.

Decision Support Systems for Launch and Range Operations Using Jess

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thirumalainambi, Rajkumar

2007-01-01

The virtual test bed for launch and range operations developed at NASA Ames Research Center consists of various independent expert systems advising on weather effects, toxic gas dispersions and human health risk assessment during space-flight operations. An individual dedicated server supports each expert system and the master system gather information from the dedicated servers to support the launch decision-making process. Since the test bed is based on the web system, reducing network traffic and optimizing the knowledge base is critical to its success of real-time or near real-time operations. Jess, a fast rule engine and powerful scripting environment developed at Sandia National Laboratory has been adopted to build the expert systems providing robustness and scalability. Jess also supports XML representation of knowledge base with forward and backward chaining inference mechanism. Facts added - to working memory during run-time operations facilitates analyses of multiple scenarios. Knowledge base can be distributed with one inference engine performing the inference process. This paper discusses details of the knowledge base and inference engine using Jess for a launch and range virtual test bed.

Software For Fault-Tree Diagnosis Of A System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iverson, Dave; Patterson-Hine, Ann; Liao, Jack

1993-01-01

Fault Tree Diagnosis System (FTDS) computer program is automated-diagnostic-system program identifying likely causes of specified failure on basis of information represented in system-reliability mathematical models known as fault trees. Is modified implementation of failure-cause-identification phase of Narayanan's and Viswanadham's methodology for acquisition of knowledge and reasoning in analyzing failures of systems. Knowledge base of if/then rules replaced with object-oriented fault-tree representation. Enhancement yields more-efficient identification of causes of failures and enables dynamic updating of knowledge base. Written in C language, C++, and Common LISP.

Research and development for Onboard Navigation (ONAV) ground based expert/trainer system: ONAV entry knowledge requirements specification update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bochsler, Daniel C.

1988-01-01

A revised version of expert knowledge for the onboard navigation (ONAV) entry system is given. Included is some brief background information together with information describing the knowledge that the system does contain.

a Study on Satellite Diagnostic Expert Systems Using Case-Based Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Young-Tack; Kim, Jae-Hoon; Park, Hyun-Soo

1997-06-01

Many research works are on going to monitor and diagnose diverse malfunctions of satellite systems as the complexity and number of satellites increase. Currently, many works on monitoring and diagnosis are carried out by human experts but there are needs to automate much of the routine works of them. Hence, it is necessary to study on using expert systems which can assist human experts routine work by doing automatically, thereby allow human experts devote their expertise more critical and important areas of monitoring and diagnosis. In this paper, we are employing artificial intelligence techniques to model human experts' knowledge and inference the constructed knowledge. Especially, case-based approaches are used to construct a knowledge base to model human expert capabilities which use previous typical exemplars. We have designed and implemented a prototype case-based system for diagnosing satellite malfunctions using cases. Our system remembers typical failure cases and diagnoses a current malfunction by indexing the case base. Diverse methods are used to build a more user friendly interface which allows human experts can build a knowledge base in as easy way.

Autonomous power expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringer, Mark J.; Quinn, Todd M.

1990-01-01

The goal of the Autonomous Power System (APS) program is to develop and apply intelligent problem solving and control technologies to the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power Systems (SSF/EPS). The objectives of the program are to establish artificial intelligence/expert system technology paths, to create knowledge based tools with advanced human-operator interfaces, and to integrate and interface knowledge-based and conventional control schemes. This program is being developed at the NASA-Lewis. The APS Brassboard represents a subset of a 20 KHz Space Station Power Management And Distribution (PMAD) testbed. A distributed control scheme is used to manage multiple levels of computers and switchgear. The brassboard is comprised of a set of intelligent switchgear used to effectively switch power from the sources to the loads. The Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) portion of the APS program integrates a knowledge based fault diagnostic system, a power resource scheduler, and an interface to the APS Brassboard. The system includes knowledge bases for system diagnostics, fault detection and isolation, and recommended actions. The scheduler autonomously assigns start times to the attached loads based on temporal and power constraints. The scheduler is able to work in a near real time environment for both scheduling and dynamic replanning.

Autonomous power expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ringer, Mark J.; Quinn, Todd M.

1990-01-01

The goal of the Autonomous Power System (APS) program is to develop and apply intelligent problem solving and control technologies to the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power Systems (SSF/EPS). The objectives of the program are to establish artificial intelligence/expert system technology paths, to create knowledge based tools with advanced human-operator interfaces, and to integrate and interface knowledge-based and conventional control schemes. This program is being developed at the NASA-Lewis. The APS Brassboard represents a subset of a 20 KHz Space Station Power Management And Distribution (PMAD) testbed. A distributed control scheme is used to manage multiple levels of computers and switchgear. The brassboard is comprised of a set of intelligent switchgear used to effectively switch power from the sources to the loads. The Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) portion of the APS program integrates a knowledge based fault diagnostic system, a power resource scheduler, and an interface to the APS Brassboard. The system includes knowledge bases for system diagnostics, fault detection and isolation, and recommended actions. The scheduler autonomously assigns start times to the attached loads based on temporal and power constraints. The scheduler is able to work in a near real time environment for both scheduling an dynamic replanning.

Methodology for calculation of carbon balances for biofuel crops production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerlfand, I.; Hamilton, S. K.; Snapp, S. S.; Robertson, G. P.

2012-04-01

Understanding the carbon balance implications for different biofuel crop production systems is important for the development of decision making tools and policies. We present here a detailed methodology for assessing carbon balances in agricultural and natural ecosystems. We use 20 years of data from Long-term Ecological Research (LTER) experiments at the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS), combined with models to produce farm level CO2 balances for different management practices. We compared four grain and one forage systems in the U.S. Midwest: corn (Zea mays) - soybean (Glycine max) - wheat (Triticum aestivum) rotations managed with (1) conventional tillage, (2) no till, (3) low chemical input, and (4) biologically-based (organic) practices; and (5) continuous alfalfa (Medicago sativa). In addition we use an abandoned agricultural field (successionnal ecosystem) as reference system. Measurements include fluxes of N2O and CH4, soil organic carbon change, agricultural yields, and agricultural inputs (e.g. fertilization and farm fuel use). In addition to measurements, we model carbon offsets associated with the use of bioenergy from agriculturally produced crops. Our analysis shows the importance of establishing appropriate system boundaries for carbon balance calculations. We explore how different assumptions regarding production methods and emission factors affect overall conclusions on carbon balances of different agricultural systems. Our results show management practices that have major the most important effects on carbon balances. Overall, agricultural management with conventional tillage was found to be a net CO2 source to the atmosphere, while agricultural management under reduced tillage, low input, or organic management sequestered carbon at rates of 93, -23, -51, and -14 g CO2e m-2 yr-1, respectively for conventionally tilled, no-till, low-input, and organically managed ecosystems. Perennial systems (alfalfa and the successionnal fields) showed net carbon sequestration of -44 and -382 g CO2e m-2 yr-1, respectively. When studied systems were assumed to be used for bioenergy production, all system exhibited carbon sequestration -- between -149 and -841 g CO2e m-2 yr-1, for conventionally tilled and successionnal ecosystems, respectively.

Graphical explanation in an expert system for Space Station Freedom rack integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craig, F. G.; Cutts, D. E.; Fennel, T. R.; Purves, B.

1990-01-01

The rationale and methodology used to incorporate graphics into explanations provided by an expert system for Space Station Freedom rack integration is examined. The rack integration task is typical of a class of constraint satisfaction problems for large programs where expertise from several areas is required. Graphically oriented approaches are used to explain the conclusions made by the system, the knowledge base content, and even at more abstract levels the control strategies employed by the system. The implemented architecture combines hypermedia and inference engine capabilities. The advantages of this architecture include: closer integration of user interface, explanation system, and knowledge base; the ability to embed links to deeper knowledge underlying the compiled knowledge used in the knowledge base; and allowing for more direct control of explanation depth and duration by the user. The graphical techniques employed range from simple statis presentation of schematics to dynamic creation of a series of pictures presented motion picture style. User models control the type, amount, and order of information presented.

Leveraging Event Reporting Through Knowledge Support: A Knowledge-Based Approach to Promoting Patient Fall Prevention.

PubMed

Yao, Bin; Kang, Hong; Miao, Qi; Zhou, Sicheng; Liang, Chen; Gong, Yang

2017-01-01

Patient falls are a common safety event type that impairs the healthcare quality. Strategies including solution tools and reporting systems for preventing patient falls have been developed and implemented in the U.S. However, the current strategies do not include timely knowledge support, which is in great need in bridging the gap between reporting and learning. In this study, we constructed a knowledge base of fall events by combining expert-reviewed fall prevention solutions and then integrating them into a reporting system. The knowledge base enables timely and tailored knowledge support and thus will serve as a prevailing fall prevention tool. This effort holds promise in making knowledge acquisition and management a routine process for enhancing the reporting and understanding of patient safety events.

On-the-spot lung cancer differential diagnosis by label-free, molecular vibrational imaging and knowledge-based classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Liang; Li, Fuhai; Thrall, Michael J.; Yang, Yaliang; Xing, Jiong; Hammoudi, Ahmad A.; Zhao, Hong; Massoud, Yehia; Cagle, Philip T.; Fan, Yubo; Wong, Kelvin K.; Wang, Zhiyong; Wong, Stephen T. C.

2011-09-01

We report the development and application of a knowledge-based coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy system for label-free imaging, pattern recognition, and classification of cells and tissue structures for differentiating lung cancer from non-neoplastic lung tissues and identifying lung cancer subtypes. A total of 1014 CARS images were acquired from 92 fresh frozen lung tissue samples. The established pathological workup and diagnostic cellular were used as prior knowledge for establishment of a knowledge-based CARS system using a machine learning approach. This system functions to separate normal, non-neoplastic, and subtypes of lung cancer tissues based on extracted quantitative features describing fibrils and cell morphology. The knowledge-based CARS system showed the ability to distinguish lung cancer from normal and non-neoplastic lung tissue with 91% sensitivity and 92% specificity. Small cell carcinomas were distinguished from nonsmall cell carcinomas with 100% sensitivity and specificity. As an adjunct to submitting tissue samples to routine pathology, our novel system recognizes the patterns of fibril and cell morphology, enabling medical practitioners to perform differential diagnosis of lung lesions in mere minutes. The demonstration of the strategy is also a necessary step toward in vivo point-of-care diagnosis of precancerous and cancerous lung lesions with a fiber-based CARS microendoscope.

Scheduling and rescheduling with iterative repair

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zweben, Monte; Davis, Eugene; Daun, Brian; Deale, Michael

1992-01-01

This paper describes the GERRY scheduling and rescheduling system being applied to coordinate Space Shuttle Ground Processing. The system uses constraint-based iterative repair, a technique that starts with a complete but possibly flawed schedule and iteratively improves it by using constraint knowledge within repair heuristics. In this paper we explore the tradeoff between the informedness and the computational cost of several repair heuristics. We show empirically that some knowledge can greatly improve the convergence speed of a repair-based system, but that too much knowledge, such as the knowledge embodied within the MIN-CONFLICTS lookahead heuristic, can overwhelm a system and result in degraded performance.

An integrated knowledge system for the Space Shuttle hazardous gas detection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lo, Ching F.; Shi, George Z.; Bangasser, Carl; Fensky, Connie; Cegielski, Eric; Overbey, Glenn

1993-01-01

A computer-based integrated Knowledge-Based System, the Intelligent Hypertext Manual (IHM), was developed for the Space Shuttle Hazardous Gas Detection System (HGDS) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The IHM stores HGDS related knowledge and presents it in an interactive and intuitive manner. This manual is a combination of hypertext and an expert system which store experts' knowledge and experience in hazardous gas detection and analysis. The IHM's purpose is to provide HGDS personnel with the capabilities of: locating applicable documentation related to procedures, constraints, and previous fault histories; assisting in the training of personnel; enhancing the interpretation of real time data; and recognizing and identifying possible faults in the Space Shuttle sub-systems related to hazardous gas detection.

Electrocardiographic anxiety profiles improve speech anxiety.

PubMed

Kim, Pyoung Won; Kim, Seung Ae; Jung, Keun-Hwa

2012-12-01

The present study was to set out in efforts to determine the effect of electrocardiographic (ECG) feedback on the performance in speech anxiety. Forty-six high school students participated in a speech performance educational program. They were randomly divided into two groups, an experimental group with ECG feedback (N = 21) and a control group (N = 25). Feedback was given with video recording in the control, whereas in the experimental group, an additional ECG feedback was provided. Speech performance was evaluated by the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) speech ability test, which determines the 10 different speaking categories. ECG was recorded during rest and speech, together with a video recording of the speech performance. Changes in R-R intervals were used to reflect anxiety profiles. Three trials were performed for 3-week program. Results showed that the subjects with ECG feedback revealed a significant improvement in speech performance and anxiety states, which compared to those in the control group. These findings suggest that visualization of the anxiety profile feedback with ECG can be a better cognitive therapeutic strategy in speech anxiety.

An Ultra-Low Power Charge Redistribution Successive Approximation Register A/D Converter for Biomedical Applications.

PubMed

Koppa, Santosh; Mohandesi, Manouchehr; John, Eugene

2016-12-01

Power consumption is one of the key design constraints in biomedical devices such as pacemakers that are powered by small non rechargeable batteries over their entire life time. In these systems, Analog to Digital Convertors (ADCs) are used as interface between analog world and digital domain and play a key role. In this paper we present the design of an 8-bit Charge Redistribution Successive Approximation Register (CR-SAR) analog to digital converter in standard TSMC 0.18μm CMOS technology for low power and low data rate devices such as pacemakers. The 8-bit optimized CR-SAR ADC achieves low power of less than 250nW with conversion rate of 1KB/s. This ADC achieves integral nonlinearity (INL) and differential nonlinearity (DNL) less than 0.22 least significant bit (LSB) and less than 0.04 LSB respectively as compared to the standard requirement for the INL and DNL errors to be less than 0.5 LSB. The designed ADC operates at 1V supply voltage converting input ranging from 0V to 250mV.

COM3/369: Knowledge-based Information Systems: A new approach for the representation and retrieval of medical information

PubMed Central

Mann, G; Birkmann, C; Schmidt, T; Schaeffler, V

1999-01-01

Introduction Present solutions for the representation and retrieval of medical information from online sources are not very satisfying. Either the retrieval process lacks of precision and completeness the representation does not support the update and maintenance of the represented information. Most efforts are currently put into improving the combination of search engines and HTML based documents. However, due to the current shortcomings of methods for natural language understanding there are clear limitations to this approach. Furthermore, this approach does not solve the maintenance problem. At least medical information exceeding a certain complexity seems to afford approaches that rely on structured knowledge representation and corresponding retrieval mechanisms. Methods Knowledge-based information systems are based on the following fundamental ideas. The representation of information is based on ontologies that define the structure of the domain's concepts and their relations. Views on domain models are defined and represented as retrieval schemata. Retrieval schemata can be interpreted as canonical query types focussing on specific aspects of the provided information (e.g. diagnosis or therapy centred views). Based on these retrieval schemata it can be decided which parts of the information in the domain model must be represented explicitly and formalised to support the retrieval process. As representation language propositional logic is used. All other information can be represented in a structured but informal way using text, images etc. Layout schemata are used to assign layout information to retrieved domain concepts. Depending on the target environment HTML or XML can be used. Results Based on this approach two knowledge-based information systems have been developed. The 'Ophthalmologic Knowledge-based Information System for Diabetic Retinopathy' (OKIS-DR) provides information on diagnoses, findings, examinations, guidelines, and reference images related to diabetic retinopathy. OKIS-DR uses combinations of findings to specify the information that must be retrieved. The second system focuses on nutrition related allergies and intolerances. Information on allergies and intolerances of a patient are used to retrieve general information on the specified combination of allergies and intolerances. As a special feature the system generates tables showing food types and products that are tolerated or not tolerated by patients. Evaluation by external experts and user groups showed that the described approach of knowledge-based information systems increases the precision and completeness of knowledge retrieval. Due to the structured and non-redundant representation of information the maintenance and update of the information can be simplified. Both systems are available as WWW based online knowledge bases and CD-ROMs (cf. http://mta.gsf.de topic: products).

An application of object-oriented knowledge representation to engineering expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logie, D. S.; Kamil, H.; Umaretiya, J. R.

1990-01-01

The paper describes an object-oriented knowledge representation and its application to engineering expert systems. The object-oriented approach promotes efficient handling of the problem data by allowing knowledge to be encapsulated in objects and organized by defining relationships between the objects. An Object Representation Language (ORL) was implemented as a tool for building and manipulating the object base. Rule-based knowledge representation is then used to simulate engineering design reasoning. Using a common object base, very large expert systems can be developed, comprised of small, individually processed, rule sets. The integration of these two schemes makes it easier to develop practical engineering expert systems. The general approach to applying this technology to the domain of the finite element analysis, design, and optimization of aerospace structures is discussed.

Knowledge representation by connection matrices: A method for the on-board implementation of large expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellner, A.

1987-01-01

Extremely large knowledge sources and efficient knowledge access characterizing future real-life artificial intelligence applications represent crucial requirements for on-board artificial intelligence systems due to obvious computer time and storage constraints on spacecraft. A type of knowledge representation and corresponding reasoning mechanism is proposed which is particularly suited for the efficient processing of such large knowledge bases in expert systems.

Case-based reasoning for space applications: Utilization of prior experience in knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, James A.

1987-01-01

The goal is to explain Case-Based Reasoning as a vehicle to establish knowledge-based systems based on experimental reasoning for possible space applications. This goal will be accomplished through an examination of reasoning based on prior experience in a sample domain, and also through a presentation of proposed space applications which could utilize Case-Based Reasoning techniques.

Using Ada to implement the operations management system in a community of experts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, M. S.

1986-01-01

An architecture is described for the Space Station Operations Management System (OMS), consisting of a distributed expert system framework implemented in Ada. The motivation for such a scheme is based on the desire to integrate the very diverse elements of the OMS while taking maximum advantage of knowledge based systems technology. Part of the foundation of an Ada based distributed expert system was accomplished in the form of a proof of concept prototype for the KNOMES project (Knowledge-based Maintenance Expert System). This prototype successfully used concurrently active experts to accomplish monitoring and diagnosis for the Remote Manipulator System. The basic concept of this software architecture is named ACTORS for Ada Cognitive Task ORganization Scheme. It is when one considers the overall problem of integrating all of the OMS elements into a cooperative system that the AI solution stands out. By utilizing a distributed knowledge based system as the framework for OMS, it is possible to integrate those components which need to share information in an intelligent manner.

An Interactive Medical Knowledge Assistant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czejdo, Bogdan D.; Baszun, Mikolaj

This paper describes an interactive medical knowledge assistant that can help a doctor or a patient in making important health related decisions. The system is Web based and consists of several modules, including a medical knowledge base, a doctor interface module, patient interface module and a the main module of the medical knowledge assistant. The medical assistant is designed to help interpret the fuzzy data using rough sets approach. The patient interface includes sub-system for real time monitoring of patients' health parameters and sending them to the main module of the medical knowledge assistant.

Integrating HL7 RIM and ontology for unified knowledge and data representation in clinical decision support systems.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi-Fan; Tian, Yu; Zhou, Tian-Shu; Araki, Kenji; Li, Jing-Song

2016-01-01

The broad adoption of clinical decision support systems within clinical practice has been hampered mainly by the difficulty in expressing domain knowledge and patient data in a unified formalism. This paper presents a semantic-based approach to the unified representation of healthcare domain knowledge and patient data for practical clinical decision making applications. A four-phase knowledge engineering cycle is implemented to develop a semantic healthcare knowledge base based on an HL7 reference information model, including an ontology to model domain knowledge and patient data and an expression repository to encode clinical decision making rules and queries. A semantic clinical decision support system is designed to provide patient-specific healthcare recommendations based on the knowledge base and patient data. The proposed solution is evaluated in the case study of type 2 diabetes mellitus inpatient management. The knowledge base is successfully instantiated with relevant domain knowledge and testing patient data. Ontology-level evaluation confirms model validity. Application-level evaluation of diagnostic accuracy reaches a sensitivity of 97.5%, a specificity of 100%, and a precision of 98%; an acceptance rate of 97.3% is given by domain experts for the recommended care plan orders. The proposed solution has been successfully validated in the case study as providing clinical decision support at a high accuracy and acceptance rate. The evaluation results demonstrate the technical feasibility and application prospect of our approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Artificial intelligence in process control: Knowledge base for the shuttle ECS model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stiffler, A. Kent

1989-01-01

The general operation of KATE, an artificial intelligence controller, is outlined. A shuttle environmental control system (ECS) demonstration system for KATE is explained. The knowledge base model for this system is derived. An experimental test procedure is given to verify parameters in the model.

Evaluation in the Design of Complex Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Li-An; Schwen, Thomas M.

2006-01-01

We identify literature that argues the process of creating knowledge-based system is often imbalanced. In most knowledge-based systems, development is often technology-driven instead of requirement-driven. Therefore, we argue designers must recognize that evaluation is a critical link in the application of requirement-driven development models…

AI in medicine on its way from knowledge-intensive to data-intensive systems.

PubMed

Horn, W

2001-08-01

The last 20 years of research and development in the field of artificial intelligence in medicine (AIM) show a path from knowledge-intensive systems, which try to capture the essential knowledge of experts in a knowledge-based system, to data-intensive systems available today. Nowadays enormous amounts of information is accessible electronically. Large datasets are collected continuously monitoring physiological parameters of patients. Knowledge-based systems are needed to make use of all these data available and to help us to cope with the information explosion. In addition, temporal data analysis and intelligent information visualization can help us to get a summarized view of the change over time of clinical parameters. Integrating AIM modules into the daily-routine software environment of our care providers gives us a great chance for maintaining and improving quality of care.

Applications of artificial intelligence V; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, May 18-20, 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilmore, John F. (Editor)

1987-01-01

The papers contained in this volume focus on current trends in applications of artificial intelligence. Topics discussed include expert systems, image understanding, artificial intelligence tools, knowledge-based systems, heuristic systems, manufacturing applications, and image analysis. Papers are presented on expert system issues in automated, autonomous space vehicle rendezvous; traditional versus rule-based programming techniques; applications to the control of optional flight information; methodology for evaluating knowledge-based systems; and real-time advisory system for airborne early warning.

SHRIF, a General-Purpose System for Heuristic Retrieval of Information and Facts, Applied to Medical Knowledge Processing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Findler, Nicholas V.; And Others

1992-01-01

Describes SHRIF, a System for Heuristic Retrieval of Information and Facts, and the medical knowledge base that was used in its development. Highlights include design decisions; the user-machine interface, including the language processor; and the organization of the knowledge base in an artificial intelligence (AI) project like this one. (57…

Expert System for Automated Design Synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L., Jr.; Barthelemy, Jean-Francois M.

1987-01-01

Expert-system computer program EXADS developed to aid users of Automated Design Synthesis (ADS) general-purpose optimization program. EXADS aids engineer in determining best combination based on knowledge of specific problem and expert knowledge stored in knowledge base. Available in two interactive machine versions. IBM PC version (LAR-13687) written in IQ-LISP. DEC VAX version (LAR-13688) written in Franz-LISP.

SBexpert users guide (version 2.0): a knowledge-based decision-support system for spruce beetle management.

Treesearch

Keith M. Reynolds; Edward H. Holsten

1997-01-01

SBexpert version 2.0 is a knowledge-based decision-support system for spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kby.)) management developed for use in Microsoft (MS) Windows with the KnowledgePro Windows development language. Version 2.0 is a significant enhancement of version 1.0. The SBexpert users guide provides detailed instructions on the use of...

Knowledge representation to support reasoning based on multiple models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillam, April; Seidel, Jorge P.; Parker, Alice C.

1990-01-01

Model Based Reasoning is a powerful tool used to design and analyze systems, which are often composed of numerous interactive, interrelated subsystems. Models of the subsystems are written independently and may be used together while they are still under development. Thus the models are not static. They evolve as information becomes obsolete, as improved artifact descriptions are developed, and as system capabilities change. Researchers are using three methods to support knowledge/data base growth, to track the model evolution, and to handle knowledge from diverse domains. First, the representation methodology is based on having pools, or types, of knowledge from which each model is constructed. In addition information is explicit. This includes the interactions between components, the description of the artifact structure, and the constraints and limitations of the models. The third principle we have followed is the separation of the data and knowledge from the inferencing and equation solving mechanisms. This methodology is used in two distinct knowledge-based systems: one for the design of space systems and another for the synthesis of VLSI circuits. It has facilitated the growth and evolution of our models, made accountability of results explicit, and provided credibility for the user community. These capabilities have been implemented and are being used in actual design projects.

Knowledge/geometry-based Mobile Autonomous Robot Simulator (KMARS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Linfu; Mckendrick, John D.; Liu, Jeffrey

1990-01-01

Ongoing applied research is focused on developing guidance system for robot vehicles. Problems facing the basic research needed to support this development (e.g., scene understanding, real-time vision processing, etc.) are major impediments to progress. Due to the complexity and the unpredictable nature of a vehicle's area of operation, more advanced vehicle control systems must be able to learn about obstacles within the range of its sensor(s). A better understanding of the basic exploration process is needed to provide critical support to developers of both sensor systems and intelligent control systems which can be used in a wide spectrum of autonomous vehicles. Elcee Computek, Inc. has been working under contract to the Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright Research and Development Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio to develop a Knowledge/Geometry-based Mobile Autonomous Robot Simulator (KMARS). KMARS has two parts: a geometry base and a knowledge base. The knowledge base part of the system employs the expert-system shell CLIPS ('C' Language Integrated Production System) and necessary rules that control both the vehicle's use of an obstacle detecting sensor and the overall exploration process. The initial phase project has focused on the simulation of a point robot vehicle operating in a 2D environment.

Experiments in Knowledge Refinement for a Large Rule-Based System

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-01

empirical analysis to refine expert system knowledge bases. Aritificial Intelligence , 22:23-48, 1984. *! ...The Addison- Weslev series in artificial intelligence . Addison-Weslev. Reading, Massachusetts. 1981. Cooke, 1991: ttoger M. Cooke. Experts in...ment for classification systems. Artificial Intelligence , 35:197-226, 1988. 14 Overall, we believe that it will be possible to build a heuristic system

Background Knowledge in Learning-Based Relation Extraction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Do, Quang Xuan

2012-01-01

In this thesis, we study the importance of background knowledge in relation extraction systems. We not only demonstrate the benefits of leveraging background knowledge to improve the systems' performance but also propose a principled framework that allows one to effectively incorporate knowledge into statistical machine learning models for…

Enhancing Knowledge Sharing Management Using BIM Technology in Construction

PubMed Central

Ho, Shih-Ping; Tserng, Hui-Ping

2013-01-01

Construction knowledge can be communicated and reused among project managers and jobsite engineers to alleviate problems on a construction jobsite and reduce the time and cost of solving problems related to constructability. This paper proposes a new methodology for the sharing of construction knowledge by using Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology. The main characteristics of BIM include illustrating 3D CAD-based presentations and keeping information in a digital format and facilitation of easy updating and transfer of information in the BIM environment. Using the BIM technology, project managers and engineers can gain knowledge related to BIM and obtain feedback provided by jobsite engineers for future reference. This study addresses the application of knowledge sharing management using BIM technology and proposes a BIM-based Knowledge Sharing Management (BIMKSM) system for project managers and engineers. The BIMKSM system is then applied in a selected case study of a construction project in Taiwan to demonstrate the effectiveness of sharing knowledge in the BIM environment. The results demonstrate that the BIMKSM system can be used as a visual BIM-based knowledge sharing management platform by utilizing the BIM technology. PMID:24723790

Enhancing knowledge sharing management using BIM technology in construction.

PubMed

Ho, Shih-Ping; Tserng, Hui-Ping; Jan, Shu-Hui

2013-01-01

Construction knowledge can be communicated and reused among project managers and jobsite engineers to alleviate problems on a construction jobsite and reduce the time and cost of solving problems related to constructability. This paper proposes a new methodology for the sharing of construction knowledge by using Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology. The main characteristics of BIM include illustrating 3D CAD-based presentations and keeping information in a digital format and facilitation of easy updating and transfer of information in the BIM environment. Using the BIM technology, project managers and engineers can gain knowledge related to BIM and obtain feedback provided by jobsite engineers for future reference. This study addresses the application of knowledge sharing management using BIM technology and proposes a BIM-based Knowledge Sharing Management (BIMKSM) system for project managers and engineers. The BIMKSM system is then applied in a selected case study of a construction project in Taiwan to demonstrate the effectiveness of sharing knowledge in the BIM environment. The results demonstrate that the BIMKSM system can be used as a visual BIM-based knowledge sharing management platform by utilizing the BIM technology.

Strategies for adding adaptive learning mechanisms to rule-based diagnostic expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stclair, D. C.; Sabharwal, C. L.; Bond, W. E.; Hacke, Keith

1988-01-01

Rule-based diagnostic expert systems can be used to perform many of the diagnostic chores necessary in today's complex space systems. These expert systems typically take a set of symptoms as input and produce diagnostic advice as output. The primary objective of such expert systems is to provide accurate and comprehensive advice which can be used to help return the space system in question to nominal operation. The development and maintenance of diagnostic expert systems is time and labor intensive since the services of both knowledge engineer(s) and domain expert(s) are required. The use of adaptive learning mechanisms to increment evaluate and refine rules promises to reduce both time and labor costs associated with such systems. This paper describes the basic adaptive learning mechanisms of strengthening, weakening, generalization, discrimination, and discovery. Next basic strategies are discussed for adding these learning mechanisms to rule-based diagnostic expert systems. These strategies support the incremental evaluation and refinement of rules in the knowledge base by comparing the set of advice given by the expert system (A) with the correct diagnosis (C). Techniques are described for selecting those rules in the in the knowledge base which should participate in adaptive learning. The strategies presented may be used with a wide variety of learning algorithms. Further, these strategies are applicable to a large number of rule-based diagnostic expert systems. They may be used to provide either immediate or deferred updating of the knowledge base.

Algorithm Optimally Orders Forward-Chaining Inference Rules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, Mark

2008-01-01

People typically develop knowledge bases in a somewhat ad hoc manner by incrementally adding rules with no specific organization. This often results in a very inefficient execution of those rules since they are so often order sensitive. This is relevant to tasks like Deep Space Network in that it allows the knowledge base to be incrementally developed and have it automatically ordered for efficiency. Although data flow analysis was first developed for use in compilers for producing optimal code sequences, its usefulness is now recognized in many software systems including knowledge-based systems. However, this approach for exhaustively computing data-flow information cannot directly be applied to inference systems because of the ubiquitous execution of the rules. An algorithm is presented that efficiently performs a complete producer/consumer analysis for each antecedent and consequence clause in a knowledge base to optimally order the rules to minimize inference cycles. An algorithm was developed that optimally orders a knowledge base composed of forwarding chaining inference rules such that independent inference cycle executions are minimized, thus, resulting in significantly faster execution. This algorithm was integrated into the JPL tool Spacecraft Health Inference Engine (SHINE) for verification and it resulted in a significant reduction in inference cycles for what was previously considered an ordered knowledge base. For a knowledge base that is completely unordered, then the improvement is much greater.

Knowledge Acquisition, Validation, and Maintenance in a Planning System for Automated Image Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, Steve A.

1996-01-01

A key obstacle hampering fielding of AI planning applications is the considerable expense of developing, verifying, updating, and maintainting the planning knowledge base (KB). Planning systems must be able to compare favorably in terms of software lifecycle costs to other means of automation such as scripts or rule-based expert systems. This paper describes a planning application of automated imaging processing and our overall approach to knowledge acquisition for this application.

Method and system for knowledge discovery using non-linear statistical analysis and a 1st and 2nd tier computer program

DOEpatents

Hively, Lee M [Philadelphia, TN

2011-07-12

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for simultaneously processing different sources of test data into informational data and then processing different categories of informational data into knowledge-based data. The knowledge-based data can then be communicated between nodes in a system of multiple computers according to rules for a type of complex, hierarchical computer system modeled on a human brain.

Integrated Knowledge Based Expert System for Disease Diagnosis System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arbaiy, Nureize; Sulaiman, Shafiza Eliza; Hassan, Norlida; Afizah Afip, Zehan

2017-08-01

The role and importance of healthcare systems to improve quality of life and social welfare in a society have been well recognized. Attention should be given to raise awareness and implementing appropriate measures to improve health care. Therefore, a computer based system is developed to serve as an alternative for people to self-diagnose their health status based on given symptoms. This strategy should be emphasized so that people can utilize the information correctly as a reference to enjoy healthier life. Hence, a Web-based Community Center for Healthcare Diagnosis system is developed based on expert system technique. Expert system reasoning technique is employed in the system to enable information about treatment and prevention of the diseases based on given symptoms. At present, three diseases are included which are arthritis, thalassemia and pneumococcal. Sets of rule and fact are managed in the knowledge based system. Web based technology is used as a platform to disseminate the information to users in order for them to optimize the information appropriately. This system will benefit people who wish to increase health awareness and seek expert knowledge on the diseases by performing self-diagnosis for early disease detection.

A prototype knowledge-based simulation support system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hill, T.R.; Roberts, S.D.

1987-04-01

As a preliminary step toward the goal of an intelligent automated system for simulation modeling support, we explore the feasibility of the overall concept by generating and testing a prototypical framework. A prototype knowledge-based computer system was developed to support a senior level course in industrial engineering so that the overall feasibility of an expert simulation support system could be studied in a controlled and observable setting. The system behavior mimics the diagnostic (intelligent) process performed by the course instructor and teaching assistants, finding logical errors in INSIGHT simulation models and recommending appropriate corrective measures. The system was programmed inmore » a non-procedural language (PROLOG) and designed to run interactively with students working on course homework and projects. The knowledge-based structure supports intelligent behavior, providing its users with access to an evolving accumulation of expert diagnostic knowledge. The non-procedural approach facilitates the maintenance of the system and helps merge the roles of expert and knowledge engineer by allowing new knowledge to be easily incorporated without regard to the existing flow of control. The background, features and design of the system are describe and preliminary results are reported. Initial success is judged to demonstrate the utility of the reported approach and support the ultimate goal of an intelligent modeling system which can support simulation modelers outside the classroom environment. Finally, future extensions are suggested.« less

Reflexive reasoning for distributed real-time systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, David

1994-01-01

This paper discusses the implementation and use of reflexive reasoning in real-time, distributed knowledge-based applications. Recently there has been a great deal of interest in agent-oriented systems. Implementing such systems implies a mechanism for sharing knowledge, goals and other state information among the agents. Our techniques facilitate an agent examining both state information about other agents and the parameters of the knowledge-based system shell implementing its reasoning algorithms. The shell implementing the reasoning is the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Toolkit, which is a derivative of CLIPS.

Investigating Information System Development, Behavior and Business Knowledge Impact on Project Success: Quantitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Ann

2018-01-01

Resource-based theory provided the theoretical foundation to investigate the extent that developer knowledge correlated to success of information technology (IT) development projects. Literature indicated there was a knowledge gap in understanding whether developer information system development, behavior and business knowledge contributed to IT…

Development of a knowledge acquisition tool for an expert system flight status monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Disbrow, J. D.; Duke, E. L.; Regenie, V. A.

1986-01-01

Two of the main issues in artificial intelligence today are knowledge acquisition dion and knowledge representation. The Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA's Ames Research Center is presently involved in the design and implementation of an expert system flight status monitor that will provide expertise and knowledge to aid the flight systems engineer in monitoring today's advanced high-performance aircraft. The flight status monitor can be divided into two sections: the expert system itself and the knowledge acquisition tool. The knowledge acquisition tool, the means it uses to extract knowledge from the domain expert, and how that knowledge is represented for computer use is discussed. An actual aircraft system has been codified by this tool with great success. Future real-time use of the expert system has been facilitated by using the knowledge acquisition tool to easily generate a logically consistent and complete knowledge base.

Development of a knowledge acquisition tool for an expert system flight status monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Disbrow, J. D.; Duke, E. L.; Regenie, V. A.

1986-01-01

Two of the main issues in artificial intelligence today are knowledge acquisition and knowledge representation. The Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA's Ames Research Center is presently involved in the design and implementation of an expert system flight status monitor that will provide expertise and knowledge to aid the flight systems engineer in monitoring today's advanced high-performance aircraft. The flight status monitor can be divided into two sections: the expert system itself and the knowledge acquisition tool. This paper discusses the knowledge acquisition tool, the means it uses to extract knowledge from the domain expert, and how that knowledge is represented for computer use. An actual aircraft system has been codified by this tool with great success. Future real-time use of the expert system has been facilitated by using the knowledge acquisition tool to easily generate a logically consistent and complete knowledge base.

Knowledge management: implications for human service organizations.

PubMed

Austin, Michael J; Claassen, Jennette; Vu, Catherine M; Mizrahi, Paola

2008-01-01

Knowledge management has recently taken a more prominent role in the management of organizations as worker knowledge and intellectual capital are recognized as critical to organizational success. This analysis explores the literature of knowledge management including the individual level of tacit and explicit knowledge, the networks and social interactions utilized by workers to create and share new knowledge, and the multiple organizational and managerial factors associated with effective knowledge management systems. Based on the role of organizational culture, structure, leadership, and reward systems, six strategies are identified to assist human service organizations with implementing new knowledge management systems.

A knowledge based search tool for performance measures in health care systems.

PubMed

Beyan, Oya D; Baykal, Nazife

2012-02-01

Performance measurement is vital for improving the health care systems. However, we are still far from having accepted performance measurement models. Researchers and developers are seeking comparable performance indicators. We developed an intelligent search tool to identify appropriate measures for specific requirements by matching diverse care settings. We reviewed the literature and analyzed 229 performance measurement studies published after 2000. These studies are evaluated with an original theoretical framework and stored in the database. A semantic network is designed for representing domain knowledge and supporting reasoning. We have applied knowledge based decision support techniques to cope with uncertainty problems. As a result we designed a tool which simplifies the performance indicator search process and provides most relevant indicators by employing knowledge based systems.

Development Of Knowledge Systems For Trouble Shooting Complex Production Machinery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanford, Richard L.; Novak, Thomas; Meigs, James R.

1987-05-01

This paper discusses the use of knowledge base system software for microcomputers to aid repairmen in diagnosing electrical failures in complex mining machinery. The knowledge base is constructed to allow the user to input initial symptoms of the failed machine, and the most probable cause of failure is traced through the knowledge base, with the software requesting additional information such as voltage or resistance measurements as needed. Although the case study presented is for an underground mining machine, results have application to any industry using complex machinery. Two commercial expert-system development tools (M1 TM and Insight 2+TM) and an Al language (Turbo PrologTM) are discussed with emphasis on ease of application and suitability for this study.

C-Language Integrated Production System, Version 5.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Gary; Donnell, Brian; Ly, Huyen-Anh VU; Culbert, Chris; Savely, Robert T.; Mccoy, Daniel J.; Giarratano, Joseph

1992-01-01

CLIPS 5.1 provides cohesive software tool for handling wide variety of knowledge with support for three different programming paradigms: rule-based, object-oriented, and procedural. Rule-based programming provides representation of knowledge by use of heuristics. Object-oriented programming enables modeling of complex systems as modular components. Procedural programming enables CLIPS to represent knowledge in ways similar to those allowed in such languages as C, Pascal, Ada, and LISP. Working with CLIPS 5.1, one can develop expert-system software by use of rule-based programming only, object-oriented programming only, procedural programming only, or combinations of the three.

Knowledge Management System Model for Learning Organisations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amin, Yousif; Monamad, Roshayu

2017-01-01

Based on the literature of knowledge management (KM), this paper reports on the progress of developing a new knowledge management system (KMS) model with components architecture that are distributed over the widely-recognised socio-technical system (STS) aspects to guide developers for selecting the most applicable components to support their KM…

Generation of surgical pathology report using a 5,000-word speech recognizer.

PubMed

Tischler, A S; Martin, M R

1989-10-01

Pressures to decrease both turnaround time and operating costs simultaneously have placed conflicting demands on traditional forms of medical transcription. The new technology of voice recognition extends the promise of enabling the pathologist or other medical professional to dictate a correct report and have it printed and/or transmitted to a database immediately. The usefulness of voice recognition systems depends on several factors, including ease of use, reliability, speed, and accuracy. These in turn depend on the general underlying design of the systems and inclusion in the systems of a specific knowledge base appropriate for each application. Development of a good knowledge base requires close collaboration between a domain expert and a knowledge engineer with expertise in voice recognition. The authors have recently completed a knowledge base for surgical pathology using the Kurzweil VoiceReport 5,000-word system.

The knowledge-based framework for a nuclear power plant operator advisor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, D.W.; Hajek, B.K.

1989-01-01

An important facet in the design, development, and evaluation of aids for complex systems is the identification of the tasks performed by the operator. Operator aids utilizing artificial intelligence, or more specifically knowledge-based systems, require identification of these tasks in the context of a knowledge-based framework. In this context, the operator responses to the plant behavior are to monitor and comprehend the state of the plant, identify normal and abnormal plant conditions, diagnose abnormal plant conditions, predict plant response to specific control actions, and select the best available control action, implement a feasible control action, monitor system response to themore » control action, and correct for any inappropriate responses. These tasks have been identified to formulate a knowledge-based framework for an operator advisor under development at Ohio State University that utilizes the generic task methodology proposed by Chandrasekaran. The paper lays the foundation to identify the responses as a knowledge-based set of tasks in accordance with the expected human operator responses during an event. Initial evaluation of the expert system indicates the potential for an operator aid that will improve the operator's ability to respond to both anticipated and unanticipated events.« less

Design and Analysis Techniques for Concurrent Blackboard Systems. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmanus, John William

1992-01-01

Blackboard systems are a natural progression of knowledge-based systems into a more powerful problem solving technique. They provide a way for several highly specialized knowledge sources to cooperate to solve large, complex problems. Blackboard systems incorporate the concepts developed by rule-based and expert systems programmers and include the ability to add conventionally coded knowledge sources. The small and specialized knowledge sources are easier to develop and test, and can be hosted on hardware specifically suited to the task that they are solving. The Formal Model for Blackboard Systems was developed to provide a consistent method for describing a blackboard system. A set of blackboard system design tools has been developed and validated for implementing systems that are expressed using the Formal Model. The tools are used to test and refine a proposed blackboard system design before the design is implemented. My research has shown that the level of independence and specialization of the knowledge sources directly affects the performance of blackboard systems. Using the design, simulation, and analysis tools, I developed a concurrent object-oriented blackboard system that is faster, more efficient, and more powerful than existing systems. The use of the design and analysis tools provided the highly specialized and independent knowledge sources required for my concurrent blackboard system to achieve its design goals.

ITMS: Individualized Teaching Material System: Adaptive Integration of Web Pages Distributed in Some Servers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitsuhara, Hiroyuki; Kurose, Yoshinobu; Ochi, Youji; Yano, Yoneo

The authors developed a Web-based Adaptive Educational System (Web-based AES) named ITMS (Individualized Teaching Material System). ITMS adaptively integrates knowledge on the distributed Web pages and generates individualized teaching material that has various contents. ITMS also presumes the learners' knowledge levels from the states of their…

Implementing a Knowledge-Based Library Information System with Typed Horn Logic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ait-Kaci, Hassan; And Others

1990-01-01

Describes a prototype library expert system called BABEL which uses a new programing language, LOGIN, that combines the idea of attribute inheritance with logic programing. Use of hierarchical classification of library objects to build a knowledge base for a library information system is explained, and further research is suggested. (11…

EMDS users guide (version 2.0): knowledge-based decision support for ecological assessment.

Treesearch

Keith M. Reynolds

1999-01-01

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station in Corvallis, Oregon, has developed the ecosystem management decision support (EMDS) system. The system integrates the logical formalism of knowledge-based reasoning into a geographic information system (GIS) environment to provide decision support for ecological landscape assessment and evaluation. The...

Testing of a Natural Language Retrieval System for a Full Text Knowledge Base.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Lionel M.; Williamson, Robert E.

1984-01-01

The Hepatitis Knowledge Base (text of prototype information system) was used for modifying and testing "A Navigator of Natural Language Organized (Textual) Data" (ANNOD), a retrieval system which combines probabilistic, linguistic, and empirical means to rank individual paragraphs of full text for similarity to natural language queries…

Knowledge bases built on web languages from the point of view of predicate logics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vajgl, Marek; Lukasová, Alena; Žáček, Martin

2017-06-01

The article undergoes evaluation of formal systems created on the base of web (ontology/concept) languages by simplifying the usual approach of knowledge representation within the FOPL, but sharing its expressiveness, semantic correct-ness, completeness and decidability. Evaluation of two of them - that one based on description logic and that one built on RDF model principles - identifies some of the lacks of those formal systems and presents, if possible, corrections of them. Possibilities to build an inference system capable to obtain new further knowledge over given knowledge bases including those describing domains by giant linked domain databases has been taken into account. Moreover, the directions towards simplifying FOPL language discussed here has been evaluated from the point of view of a possibility to become a web language for fulfilling an idea of semantic web.

Motion Recognition and Modifying Motion Generation for Imitation Robot Based on Motion Knowledge Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuzawa, Yuki; Kato, Shohei; Kanoh, Masayoshi; Itoh, Hidenori

A knowledge-based approach to imitation learning of motion generation for humanoid robots and an imitative motion generation system based on motion knowledge learning and modification are described. The system has three parts: recognizing, learning, and modifying parts. The first part recognizes an instructed motion distinguishing it from the motion knowledge database by the continuous hidden markov model. When the motion is recognized as being unfamiliar, the second part learns it using locally weighted regression and acquires a knowledge of the motion. When a robot recognizes the instructed motion as familiar or judges that its acquired knowledge is applicable to the motion generation, the third part imitates the instructed motion by modifying a learned motion. This paper reports some performance results: the motion imitation of several radio gymnastics motions.

Tools for knowledge acquisition within the NeuroScholar system and their application to anatomical tract-tracing data

PubMed Central

Burns, Gully APC; Cheng, Wei-Cheng

2006-01-01

Background Knowledge bases that summarize the published literature provide useful online references for specific areas of systems-level biology that are not otherwise supported by large-scale databases. In the field of neuroanatomy, groups of small focused teams have constructed medium size knowledge bases to summarize the literature describing tract-tracing experiments in several species. Despite years of collation and curation, these databases only provide partial coverage of the available published literature. Given that the scientists reading these papers must all generate the interpretations that would normally be entered into such a system, we attempt here to provide general-purpose annotation tools to make it easy for members of the community to contribute to the task of data collation. Results In this paper, we describe an open-source, freely available knowledge management system called 'NeuroScholar' that allows straightforward structured markup of the PDF files according to a well-designed schema to capture the essential details of this class of experiment. Although, the example worked through in this paper is quite specific to neuroanatomical connectivity, the design is freely extensible and could conceivably be used to construct local knowledge bases for other experiment types. Knowledge representations of the experiment are also directly linked to the contributing textual fragments from the original research article. Through the use of this system, not only could members of the community contribute to the collation task, but input data can be gathered for automated approaches to permit knowledge acquisition through the use of Natural Language Processing (NLP). Conclusion We present a functional, working tool to permit users to populate knowledge bases for neuroanatomical connectivity data from the literature through the use of structured questionnaires. This system is open-source, fully functional and available for download from [1]. PMID:16895608

Knowledge-intensive software design systems: Can too much knowledge be a burden?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M.

1992-01-01

While acknowledging the considerable benefits of domain-specific, knowledge-intensive approaches to automated software engineering, it is prudent to carefully examine the costs of such approaches, as well. In adding domain knowledge to a system, a developer makes a commitment to understanding, representing, maintaining, and communicating that knowledge. This substantial overhead is not generally associated with domain-independent approaches. In this paper, I examine the downside of incorporating additional knowledge, and illustrate with examples based on our experience in building the SIGMA system. I also offer some guidelines for developers building domain-specific systems.

Knowledge-intensive software design systems: Can too much knowledge be a burden?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M.

1992-01-01

While acknowledging the considerable benefits of domain-specific, knowledge-intensive approaches to automated software engineering, it is prudent to carefully examine the costs of such approaches, as well. In adding domain knowledge to a system, a developer makes a commitment to understanding, representing, maintaining, and communicating that knowledge. This substantial overhead is not generally associated with domain-independent approaches. In this paper, I examine the downside of incorporating additional knowledge, and illustrate with examples based on our experiences building the SIGMA system. I also offer some guidelines for developers building domain-specific systems.

An architecture for automated fault diagnosis. [Space Station Module/Power Management And Distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashworth, Barry R.

1989-01-01

A description is given of the SSM/PMAD power system automation testbed, which was developed using a systems engineering approach. The architecture includes a knowledge-based system and has been successfully used in power system management and fault diagnosis. Architectural issues which effect overall system activities and performance are examined. The knowledge-based system is discussed along with its associated automation implications, and interfaces throughout the system are presented.

Techniques for capturing expert knowledge - An expert systems/hypertext approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lafferty, Larry; Taylor, Greg; Schumann, Robin; Evans, Randy; Koller, Albert M., Jr.

1990-01-01

The knowledge-acquisition strategy developed for the Explosive Hazards Classification (EHC) Expert System is described in which expert systems and hypertext are combined, and broad applications are proposed. The EHC expert system is based on rapid prototyping in which primary knowledge acquisition from experts is not emphasized; the explosive hazards technical bulletin, technical guidance, and minimal interviewing are used to develop the knowledge-based system. Hypertext is used to capture the technical information with respect to four issues including procedural, materials, test, and classification issues. The hypertext display allows the integration of multiple knowlege representations such as clarifications or opinions, and thereby allows the performance of a broad range of tasks on a single machine. Among other recommendations, it is suggested that the integration of hypertext and expert systems makes the resulting synergistic system highly efficient.

NASA's online machine aided indexing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silvester, June P.; Genuardi, Michael T.; Klingbiel, Paul H.

1993-01-01

This report describes the NASA Lexical Dictionary, a machine aided indexing system used online at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Center for Aerospace Information (CASI). This system is comprised of a text processor that is based on the computational, non-syntactic analysis of input text, and an extensive 'knowledge base' that serves to recognize and translate text-extracted concepts. The structure and function of the various NLD system components are described in detail. Methods used for the development of the knowledge base are discussed. Particular attention is given to a statistically-based text analysis program that provides the knowledge base developer with a list of concept-specific phrases extracted from large textual corpora. Production and quality benefits resulting from the integration of machine aided indexing at CASI are discussed along with a number of secondary applications of NLD-derived systems including on-line spell checking and machine aided lexicography.

Intelligent Tools for Planning Knowledge base Development and Verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, Steve A.

1996-01-01

A key obstacle hampering fielding of AI planning applications is the considerable expense of developing, verifying, updating, and maintaining the planning knowledge base (KB). Planning systems must be able to compare favorably in terms of software lifecycle costs to other means of automation such as scripts or rule-based expert systems.

Static and Completion Analysis for Planning Knowledge Base Development and Verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, Steve A.

1996-01-01

A key obstacle hampering fielding of AI planning applications is the considerable expense of developing, verifying, updating, and maintaining the planning knowledge base (KB). Planning systems must be able to compare favorably in terms of software lifecycle costs to other means of automation such as scripts or rule-based expert systems.

Evolution of a research prototype expert system for endemic populations of mountain pine beetle in lodgepole pine forests

Treesearch

Dale L. Bartos; Kent B. Downing

1989-01-01

A knowledge acquisition program was written to aid in obtaining knowledge from the experts concerning endemic populations of mountain pine beetle in lodgepole pine forest. An application expert system is then automatically generated by the knowledge acquisition program that contains the codified base of expert knowledge. Data can then be entered into the expert system...

Framing a Knowledge Base for a Legal Expert System Dealing with Indeterminate Concepts.

PubMed

Araszkiewicz, Michał; Łopatkiewicz, Agata; Zienkiewicz, Adam; Zurek, Tomasz

2015-01-01

Despite decades of development of formal tools for modelling legal knowledge and reasoning, the creation of a fully fledged legal decision support system remains challenging. Among those challenges, such system requires an enormous amount of commonsense knowledge to derive legal expertise. This paper describes the development of a negotiation decision support system (the Parenting Plan Support System or PPSS) to support parents in drafting an agreement (the parenting plan) for the exercise of parental custody of minor children after a divorce is granted. The main objective here is to discuss problems of framing an intuitively appealing and computationally efficient knowledge base that can adequately represent the indeterminate legal concept of the well-being of the child in the context of continental legal culture and of Polish law in particular. In addition to commonsense reasoning, interpretation of such a concept demands both legal expertise and significant professional knowledge from other domains.

Framing a Knowledge Base for a Legal Expert System Dealing with Indeterminate Concepts

PubMed Central

Araszkiewicz, Michał; Łopatkiewicz, Agata; Zienkiewicz, Adam

2015-01-01

Despite decades of development of formal tools for modelling legal knowledge and reasoning, the creation of a fully fledged legal decision support system remains challenging. Among those challenges, such system requires an enormous amount of commonsense knowledge to derive legal expertise. This paper describes the development of a negotiation decision support system (the Parenting Plan Support System or PPSS) to support parents in drafting an agreement (the parenting plan) for the exercise of parental custody of minor children after a divorce is granted. The main objective here is to discuss problems of framing an intuitively appealing and computationally efficient knowledge base that can adequately represent the indeterminate legal concept of the well-being of the child in the context of continental legal culture and of Polish law in particular. In addition to commonsense reasoning, interpretation of such a concept demands both legal expertise and significant professional knowledge from other domains. PMID:26495435

Knowledge Based Software Assistant Conference Proceedings (4th) Held in Syracuse, New York on 12-14 September 1989

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

Sanders Associates. Inc. A demonstration of knowledge-based support for the evolut ;cnry development of software system requirements uskig mitV/9 text...Conference Commiffee W Douga W~t Spin-Off Technologies 4 AN OVERVIEW OF RADC’S KNOWLEDGE BASED SOFTWARE ASSISTANT PROGRAM Donald M. Elefante Rome Air...Knowledge-Based Software Assistant is a formally based, computer-mediated paradigm for the specification, development, evolution , and Ir ig term

Knowledge management impact of information technology Web 2.0/3.0. The case study of agent software technology usability in knowledge management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sołtysik-Piorunkiewicz, Anna

2015-02-01

How we can measure the impact of internet technology Web 2.0/3.0 for knowledge management? How we can use the Web 2.0/3.0 technologies for generating, evaluating, sharing, organizing knowledge in knowledge-based organization? How we can evaluate it from user-centered perspective? Article aims to provide a method for evaluate the usability of web technologies to support knowledge management in knowledge-based organizations of the various stages of the cycle knowledge management, taking into account: generating knowledge, evaluating knowledge, sharing knowledge, etc. for the modern Internet technologies based on the example of agent technologies. The method focuses on five areas of evaluation: GUI, functional structure, the way of content publication, organizational aspect, technological aspect. The method is based on the proposed indicators relating respectively to assess specific areas of evaluation, taking into account the individual characteristics of the scoring. Each of the features identified in the evaluation is judged first point wise, then this score is subject to verification and clarification by means of appropriate indicators of a given feature. The article proposes appropriate indicators to measure the impact of Web 2.0/3.0 technologies for knowledge management and verification them in an example of agent technology usability in knowledge management system.

Knowledge management: An abstraction of knowledge base and database management systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riedesel, Joel D.

1990-01-01

Artificial intelligence application requirements demand powerful representation capabilities as well as efficiency for real-time domains. Many tools exist, the most prevalent being expert systems tools such as ART, KEE, OPS5, and CLIPS. Other tools just emerging from the research environment are truth maintenance systems for representing non-monotonic knowledge, constraint systems, object oriented programming, and qualitative reasoning. Unfortunately, as many knowledge engineers have experienced, simply applying a tool to an application requires a large amount of effort to bend the application to fit. Much work goes into supporting work to make the tool integrate effectively. A Knowledge Management Design System (KNOMAD), is described which is a collection of tools built in layers. The layered architecture provides two major benefits; the ability to flexibly apply only those tools that are necessary for an application, and the ability to keep overhead, and thus inefficiency, to a minimum. KNOMAD is designed to manage many knowledge bases in a distributed environment providing maximum flexibility and expressivity to the knowledge engineer while also providing support for efficiency.

A knowledge-based machine vision system for space station automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chipman, Laure J.; Ranganath, H. S.

1989-01-01

A simple knowledge-based approach to the recognition of objects in man-made scenes is being developed. Specifically, the system under development is a proposed enhancement to a robot arm for use in the space station laboratory module. The system will take a request from a user to find a specific object, and locate that object by using its camera input and information from a knowledge base describing the scene layout and attributes of the object types included in the scene. In order to use realistic test images in developing the system, researchers are using photographs of actual NASA simulator panels, which provide similar types of scenes to those expected in the space station environment. Figure 1 shows one of these photographs. In traditional approaches to image analysis, the image is transformed step by step into a symbolic representation of the scene. Often the first steps of the transformation are done without any reference to knowledge of the scene or objects. Segmentation of an image into regions generally produces a counterintuitive result in which regions do not correspond to objects in the image. After segmentation, a merging procedure attempts to group regions into meaningful units that will more nearly correspond to objects. Here, researchers avoid segmenting the image as a whole, and instead use a knowledge-directed approach to locate objects in the scene. The knowledge-based approach to scene analysis is described and the categories of knowledge used in the system are discussed.

Modelling Teaching Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Major, Nigel

1995-01-01

Describes a modelling language for representing teaching strategies, based in the context of the COCA intelligent tutoring system. Examines work on meta-reasoning in knowledge-based systems and describes COCA's architecture, giving details of the language used for representing teaching knowledge. Discusses implications for future work. (AEF)

Using fuzzy rule-based knowledge model for optimum plating conditions search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solovjev, D. S.; Solovjeva, I. A.; Litovka, Yu V.; Arzamastsev, A. A.; Glazkov, V. P.; L’vov, A. A.

2018-03-01

The paper discusses existing approaches to plating process modeling in order to decrease the distribution thickness of plating surface cover. However, these approaches do not take into account the experience, knowledge, and intuition of the decision-makers when searching the optimal conditions of electroplating technological process. The original approach to optimal conditions search for applying the electroplating coatings, which uses the rule-based model of knowledge and allows one to reduce the uneven product thickness distribution, is proposed. The block diagrams of a conventional control system of a galvanic process as well as the system based on the production model of knowledge are considered. It is shown that the fuzzy production model of knowledge in the control system makes it possible to obtain galvanic coatings of a given thickness unevenness with a high degree of adequacy to the experimental data. The described experimental results confirm the theoretical conclusions.

The KATE shell: An implementation of model-based control, monitor and diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornell, Matthew

1987-01-01

The conventional control and monitor software currently used by the Space Center for Space Shuttle processing has many limitations such as high maintenance costs, limited diagnostic capabilities and simulation support. These limitations have caused the development of a knowledge based (or model based) shell to generically control and monitor electro-mechanical systems. The knowledge base describes the system's structure and function and is used by a software shell to do real time constraints checking, low level control of components, diagnosis of detected faults, sensor validation, automatic generation of schematic diagrams and automatic recovery from failures. This approach is more versatile and more powerful than the conventional hard coded approach and offers many advantages over it, although, for systems which require high speed reaction times or aren't well understood, knowledge based control and monitor systems may not be appropriate.

A Mode of Combined ERP and KMS Knowledge Management System Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuena, Kang; Yangeng, Wen; Qun, Zhou

The core of ERP and knowledge management is quite similar; both will send appropriate knowledge (goods, funds) to the right people (position) at the right time. It is reasonable to believe that increase the knowledge management system in ERP will help companies achieve their goals better. This paper compares the concept of logical point of hall three-dimensional structure of the knowledge management system and the ERP in methodology level. And found they are very similar in the time dimension, logic dimension and knowledge dimension. This laid the basis of methodology in the simultaneous planning, implementation and applications. And then proposed a knowledge-based ERP Multi-Agent Management System Model. Finally, the paper described the process from planning to implementation of knowledge management ERP system with multi-Agent interaction and impact from three concepts, management thinking, software and system.

Approaching Etuaptmumk--introducing a consensus-based mixed method for health services research.

PubMed

Chatwood, Susan; Paulette, Francois; Baker, Ross; Eriksen, Astrid; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Eriksen, Heidi; Hiratsuka, Vanessa; Lavoie, Josée; Lou, Wendy; Mauro, Ian; Orbinski, James; Pabrum, Nathalie; Retallack, Hanna; Brown, Adalsteinn

2015-01-01

With the recognized need for health systems' improvements in the circumpolar and indigenous context, there has been a call to expand the research agenda across all sectors influencing wellness and to recognize academic and indigenous knowledge through the research process. Despite being recognized as a distinct body of knowledge in international forums and across indigenous groups, examples of methods and theories based on indigenous knowledge are not well documented in academic texts or peer-reviewed literature on health systems. This paper describes the use of a consensus-based, mixed method with indigenous knowledge by an experienced group of researchers and indigenous knowledge holders who collaborated on a study that explored indigenous values underlying health systems stewardship. The method is built on the principles of Etuaptmumk or two-eyed seeing, which aim to respond to and resolve the inherent conflicts between indigenous ways of knowing and the scientific inquiry that informs the evidence base in health care. Mixed methods' frameworks appear to provide a framing suitable for research questions that require data from indigenous knowledge sources and western knowledge. The nominal consensus method, as a western paradigm, was found to be responsive to embedding of indigenous knowledge and allowed space to express multiple perspectives and reach consensus on the question at hand. Further utilization and critical evaluation of this mixed methodology with indigenous knowledge are required.

A Process-Based Knowledge Management System for Schools: A Case Study in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chi-Lung; Lu, Hsi-Peng; Yang, Chyan; Hou, Huei-Tse

2010-01-01

Knowledge management systems, or KMSs, have been widely adopted in business organizations, yet little research exists on the actual integration of the knowledge management model and the application of KMSs in secondary schools. In the present study, the common difficulties and limitations regarding the implementation of knowledge management into…

Development of an Inquiry-Based Learning Support System Based on an Intelligent Knowledge Exploration Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Ji-Wei; Tseng, Judy C. R.; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

2015-01-01

Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) is an effective approach for promoting active learning. When inquiry-based learning is incorporated into instruction, teachers provide guiding questions for students to actively explore the required knowledge in order to solve the problems. Although the World Wide Web (WWW) is a rich knowledge resource for students to…

A knowledge-based decision support system for payload scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Floyd, Stephen; Ford, Donnie

1988-01-01

The role that artificial intelligence/expert systems technologies play in the development and implementation of effective decision support systems is illustrated. A recently developed prototype system for supporting the scheduling of subsystems and payloads/experiments for NASA's Space Station program is presented and serves to highlight various concepts. The potential integration of knowledge based systems and decision support systems which has been proposed in several recent articles and presentations is illustrated.

Bi-Fi: an embedded sensor/system architecture for REMOTE biological monitoring.

PubMed

Farshchi, Shahin; Pesterev, Aleksey; Nuyujukian, Paul H; Mody, Istvan; Judy, Jack W

2007-11-01

Wireless-enabled processor modules intended for communicating low-frequency phenomena (i.e., temperature, humidity, and ambient light) have been enabled to acquire and transmit multiple biological signals in real time, which has been achieved by using computationally efficient data acquisition, filtering, and compression algorithms, and interfacing the modules with biological interface hardware. The sensor modules can acquire and transmit raw biological signals at a rate of 32 kb/s, which is near the hardware limit of the modules. Furthermore, onboard signal processing enables one channel, sampled at a rate of 4000 samples/s at 12-bit resolution, to be compressed via adaptive differential-pulse-code modulation (ADPCM) and transmitted in real time. In addition, the sensors can be configured to filter and transmit individual time-referenced "spike" waveforms, or to transmit the spike height and width for alleviating network traffic and increasing battery life. The system is capable of acquiring eight channels of analog signals as well as data via an asynchronous serial connection. A back-end server archives the biological data received via networked gateway sensors, and hosts them to a client application that enables users to browse recorded data. The system also acquires, filters, and transmits oxygen saturation and pulse rate via a commercial-off-the-shelf interface board. The system architecture can be configured for performing real-time nonobtrusive biological monitoring of humans or rodents. This paper demonstrates that low-power, computational, and bandwidth-constrained wireless-enabled platforms can indeed be leveraged for wireless biosignal monitoring.

Computational neuroanatomy: ontology-based representation of neural components and connectivity.

PubMed

Rubin, Daniel L; Talos, Ion-Florin; Halle, Michael; Musen, Mark A; Kikinis, Ron

2009-02-05

A critical challenge in neuroscience is organizing, managing, and accessing the explosion in neuroscientific knowledge, particularly anatomic knowledge. We believe that explicit knowledge-based approaches to make neuroscientific knowledge computationally accessible will be helpful in tackling this challenge and will enable a variety of applications exploiting this knowledge, such as surgical planning. We developed ontology-based models of neuroanatomy to enable symbolic lookup, logical inference and mathematical modeling of neural systems. We built a prototype model of the motor system that integrates descriptive anatomic and qualitative functional neuroanatomical knowledge. In addition to modeling normal neuroanatomy, our approach provides an explicit representation of abnormal neural connectivity in disease states, such as common movement disorders. The ontology-based representation encodes both structural and functional aspects of neuroanatomy. The ontology-based models can be evaluated computationally, enabling development of automated computer reasoning applications. Neuroanatomical knowledge can be represented in machine-accessible format using ontologies. Computational neuroanatomical approaches such as described in this work could become a key tool in translational informatics, leading to decision support applications that inform and guide surgical planning and personalized care for neurological disease in the future.

A Formal Language for Cryptographic Protocol Requirements

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-01-01

L;KAB; AgKBS ; fA; TAgKAB (4) B sends to A: fTA + 1gKAB Here A and B are two principals. By sending the rst message, A requests of the...A: CertB; fAKBgKA ; algchoiceB; fmd (fAKBgKA ; algchoiceB ; NA; alglistA)gK1 B (3) A sends to B: fAKAgKB ; fmd (fAKAgKB ; fAKBgKA)gK1 A CertX is a...alglistA 3. B sends to C: CertB ; fAKBgKC ; algchoiceB; fmd (fAKBgKC ; algchoiceB ; NA; alglistA)gK1 B (intercepted by I) 4. IB sends to A : CertB

A novel scheme to aid coherent detection of GMSK signals in fast Rayleigh fading channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leung, Patrick S. K.; Feher, Kamilo

1990-01-01

A novel scheme to insert carrier pilot to Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) signal using Binary Block Code (BBC) and a highpass filter in baseband is proposed. This allows the signal to be coherently demodulated even in a fast Rayleigh fading environment. As an illustrative example, the scheme is applied to a 16 kb/s GMSK signal, and its performance over a fast Rayleigh fading channel is investigated using computer simulation. This modem's 'irreducible error rate' is found to be Pe = 5.5 x 10(exp -5) which is more than that of differential detection. The modem's performance in Rician fading channel is currently under investigation.

Perceptual telerobotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ligomenides, Panos A.

1989-01-01

A sensory world modeling system, congruent with a human expert's perception, is proposed. The Experiential Knowledge Base (EKB) system can provide a highly intelligible communication interface for telemonitoring and telecontrol of a real time robotic system operating in space. Paradigmatic acquisition of empirical perceptual knowledge, and real time experiential pattern recognition and knowledge integration are reviewed. The cellular architecture and operation of the EKB system are also examined.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE CHEMICAL EFFECTS IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (CEBS) TOXICOGENOMICS KNOWLEDGE BASE

EPA Science Inventory

Conceptual Framework for the Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS) T oxicogenomics Knowledge Base

Abstract
Toxicogenomics studies how the genome is involved in responses to environmental stressors or toxicants. It combines genetics, genome-scale mRNA expressio...

Dutch Research on Knowledge-Based Instructional Systems: Introduction to the Special Issue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

1994-01-01

Provides an overview of this issue that reviews Dutch research concerning knowledge-based instructional systems. Topics discussed include experimental research, conceptual models, design considerations, and guidelines; the design of student diagnostic modules, instructional modules, and interface modules; second-language teaching; intelligent…

A knowledge-based design for assemble system for vehicle seat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahidin, L. S.; Tan, CheeFai; Khalil, S. N.; Juffrizal, K.; Nidzamuddin, M. Y.

2015-05-01

Companies worldwide are striving to reduce the costs of their products to impact their bottom line profitability. When it comes to improving profits, there are in two choices: sell more or cut the cost of what is currently being sold. Given the depressed economy of the last several years, the "sell more" option, in many cases, has been taken off the table. As a result, cost cutting is often the most effective path. One of the industrial challenges is to search for the shorten product development and lower manufacturing cost especially in the early stage of designing the product. Knowledge-based system is used to assist the industry when the expert is not available and to keep the expertise within the company. The application of knowledge-based system will enable the standardization and accuracy of the assembly process. For this purpose, a knowledge-based design for assemble system is developed to assist the industry to plan the assembly process of the vehicle seat.

Desiderata for product labeling of medical expert systems.

PubMed

Geissbühler, A; Miller, R A

1997-12-01

The proliferation and increasing complexity of medical expert systems raise ethical and legal concerns about the ability of practitioners to protect their patients from defective or misused software. Appropriate product labeling of expert systems can help clinical users to understand software indications and limitations. Mechanisms of action and knowledge representation schema should be explained in layperson's terminology. User qualifications and resources available for acquiring the skills necessary to understand and critique the system output should be listed. The processes used for building and maintaining the system's knowledge base are key determinants of the product's quality, and should be carefully documented. To meet these desiderata, a printed label is insufficient. The authors suggest a new, more active, model of product labeling for medical expert systems that involves embedding 'knowledge of the knowledge base', creating user-specific data, and sharing global information using the Internet.

A Knowledge-Based Information Management System for Watershed Analysis in the Pacific Northwest U.S.

Treesearch

Keith Reynolds; Patrick Cunningham; Larry Bednar; Michael Saunders; Michael Foster; Richard Olson; Daniel Schmoldt; Donald Latham; Bruce Miller; John Steffenson

1996-01-01

The Pacific Northwest Research Station (USDA Forest Service) is developing a knowledge-based information management system to provide decision support for watershed analysis. The system includes: (1) a GIS interface that allows users to navigate graphically to specific provinces and watersheds and display a variety of themes (vegetation, streams, roads, topography, etc...

Integrating knowledge based functionality in commercial hospital information systems.

PubMed

Müller, M L; Ganslandt, T; Eich, H P; Lang, K; Ohmann, C; Prokosch, H U

2000-01-01

Successful integration of knowledge-based functions in the electronic patient record depends on direct and context-sensitive accessibility and availability to clinicians and must suit their workflow. In this paper we describe an exemplary integration of an existing standalone scoring system for acute abdominal pain into two different commercial hospital information systems using Java/Corba technolgy.

Speech recognition: Acoustic-phonetic knowledge acquisition and representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zue, Victor W.

1988-09-01

The long-term research goal is to develop and implement speaker-independent continuous speech recognition systems. It is believed that the proper utilization of speech-specific knowledge is essential for such advanced systems. This research is thus directed toward the acquisition, quantification, and representation, of acoustic-phonetic and lexical knowledge, and the application of this knowledge to speech recognition algorithms. In addition, we are exploring new speech recognition alternatives based on artificial intelligence and connectionist techniques. We developed a statistical model for predicting the acoustic realization of stop consonants in various positions in the syllable template. A unification-based grammatical formalism was developed for incorporating this model into the lexical access algorithm. We provided an information-theoretic justification for the hierarchical structure of the syllable template. We analyzed segmented duration for vowels and fricatives in continuous speech. Based on contextual information, we developed durational models for vowels and fricatives that account for over 70 percent of the variance, using data from multiple, unknown speakers. We rigorously evaluated the ability of human spectrogram readers to identify stop consonants spoken by many talkers and in a variety of phonetic contexts. Incorporating the declarative knowledge used by the readers, we developed a knowledge-based system for stop identification. We achieved comparable system performance to that to the readers.

Development of a Knowledge Base for Enduser Consultation of AAL-Systems.

PubMed

Röll, Natalie; Stork, Wilhelm; Rosales, Bruno; Stephan, René; Knaup, Petra

2016-01-01

Manufacturer information, user experiences and product availability of assistive living technologies are usually not known to citizens or consultation centers. The different knowledge levels concerning the availability of technology shows the need for building up a knowledge base. The aim of this contribution is the definition of requirements in the development of knowledge bases for AAL consultations. The major requirements, such as a maintainable and easy to use structure were implemented into a web based knowledge base, which went productive in ~3700 consulting interviews of municipal technology information centers. Within this field phase the implementation of the requirements for a knowledge base in the field of AAL consulting was evaluated and further developed.

Intelligent systems for human resources.

PubMed

Kline, K B

1988-11-01

An intelligent system contains knowledge about some domain; it has sophisticated decision-making processes and the ability to explain its actions. The most important aspect of an intelligent system is its ability to effectively interact with humans to teach or assist complex information processing. Two intelligent systems are Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITs) and Expert Systems. The ITSs provide instruction to a student similar to a human tutor. The ITSs capture individual performance and tutor deficiencies. These systems consist of an expert module, which contains the knowledge or material to be taught; the student module, which contains a representation of the knowledge the student knows and does not know about the domain; and the instructional or teaching module, which selects specific knowledge to teach, the instructional strategy, and provides assistance to the student to tutor deficiencies. Expert systems contain an expert's knowledge about some domain and perform specialized tasks or aid a novice in the performance of certain tasks. The most important part of an expert system is the knowledge base. This knowledge base contains all the specialized and technical knowledge an expert possesses. For an expert system to interact effectively with humans, it must have the ability to explain its actions. Use of intelligent systems can have a profound effect on human resources. The ITSs can provide better training by tutoring on an individual basis, and the expert systems can make better use of human resources through job aiding and performing complex tasks. With increasing training requirements and "doing more with less," intelligent systems can have a positive effect on human resources.

Utilizing Expert Knowledge in Estimating Future STS Costs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortner, David B.; Ruiz-Torres, Alex J.

2004-01-01

A method of estimating the costs of future space transportation systems (STSs) involves classical activity-based cost (ABC) modeling combined with systematic utilization of the knowledge and opinions of experts to extend the process-flow knowledge of existing systems to systems that involve new materials and/or new architectures. The expert knowledge is particularly helpful in filling gaps that arise in computational models of processes because of inconsistencies in historical cost data. Heretofore, the costs of planned STSs have been estimated following a "top-down" approach that tends to force the architectures of new systems to incorporate process flows like those of the space shuttles. In this ABC-based method, one makes assumptions about the processes, but otherwise follows a "bottoms up" approach that does not force the new system architecture to incorporate a space-shuttle-like process flow. Prototype software has been developed to implement this method. Through further development of software, it should be possible to extend the method beyond the space program to almost any setting in which there is a need to estimate the costs of a new system and to extend the applicable knowledge base in order to make the estimate.

Development of knowledge base of intellectual system for support of formal and informal training of IT staff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurvaeva, L. V.; Gavrilova, I. V.; Mahmutova, M. V.; Chichilanova, S. A.; Povituhin, S. A.

2018-05-01

The choice of educational digital content, according to education goals (descriptors which are formed by competences, labor functions, etc.), becomes an important practical task because of the variety of existing educational online systems that is available to persons within formal, informal IT education formats. Ontologies can form a basis for working out knowledge bases, which are center of intellectual system support in IT specialist training. The paper describes a technology of ontological model creation; analyzes the structure and the content of basic data. The structure of knowledge interrelation of the considered subject and IT education is considered. This knowledge base is applied for solving tasks of educational and methodical supplementation of educational programs of the higher and additional professional education, corporate training; for creating systems of certification and testing for students and practicing experts; for forming individual trajectories of training and career development.

Artificial intelligence within the chemical laboratory.

PubMed

Winkel, P

1994-01-01

Various techniques within the area of artificial intelligence such as expert systems and neural networks may play a role during the problem-solving processes within the clinical biochemical laboratory. Neural network analysis provides a non-algorithmic approach to information processing, which results in the ability of the computer to form associations and to recognize patterns or classes among data. It belongs to the machine learning techniques which also include probabilistic techniques such as discriminant function analysis and logistic regression and information theoretical techniques. These techniques may be used to extract knowledge from example patients to optimize decision limits and identify clinically important laboratory quantities. An expert system may be defined as a computer program that can give advice in a well-defined area of expertise and is able to explain its reasoning. Declarative knowledge consists of statements about logical or empirical relationships between things. Expert systems typically separate declarative knowledge residing in a knowledge base from the inference engine: an algorithm that dynamically directs and controls the system when it searches its knowledge base. A tool is an expert system without a knowledge base. The developer of an expert system uses a tool by entering knowledge into the system. Many, if not the majority of problems encountered at the laboratory level are procedural. A problem is procedural if it is possible to write up a step-by-step description of the expert's work or if it can be represented by a decision tree. To solve problems of this type only small expert system tools and/or conventional programming are required.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of a Peer Assessment System Based on a Grid-Based Knowledge Classification Approach on Computer Skills Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Ting-Chia

2016-01-01

In this study, a peer assessment system using the grid-based knowledge classification approach was developed to improve students' performance during computer skills training. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an experiment was conducted in a computer skills certification course. The participants were divided into three…

PCLIPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krolak, Patrick D.

1990-01-01

CLIPS is an expert system, created specifically to allow rapid implementation of an expert system. CLIPS is written in C, and thus needs a very small amount of memory to run. Parallel CLIPS (PCLIPS) is an extension to CLIPS which is intended to be used in situations where a group of expert systems are expected to run simultaneously and occasionally communicate with each other on an integrated network. PCLIPS is a coarse-grained data distribution system. Its main goal is to take information in one knowledge base and distribute it to other knowledge bases so that all the executing expert systems are able to use that knowledge to solve their disparate problems.

Knowledge-based vision and simple visual machines.

PubMed Central

Cliff, D; Noble, J

1997-01-01

The vast majority of work in machine vision emphasizes the representation of perceived objects and events: it is these internal representations that incorporate the 'knowledge' in knowledge-based vision or form the 'models' in model-based vision. In this paper, we discuss simple machine vision systems developed by artificial evolution rather than traditional engineering design techniques, and note that the task of identifying internal representations within such systems is made difficult by the lack of an operational definition of representation at the causal mechanistic level. Consequently, we question the nature and indeed the existence of representations posited to be used within natural vision systems (i.e. animals). We conclude that representations argued for on a priori grounds by external observers of a particular vision system may well be illusory, and are at best place-holders for yet-to-be-identified causal mechanistic interactions. That is, applying the knowledge-based vision approach in the understanding of evolved systems (machines or animals) may well lead to theories and models that are internally consistent, computationally plausible, and entirely wrong. PMID:9304684

Common IED exploitation target set ontology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russomanno, David J.; Qualls, Joseph; Wowczuk, Zenovy; Franken, Paul; Robinson, William

2010-04-01

The Common IED Exploitation Target Set (CIEDETS) ontology provides a comprehensive semantic data model for capturing knowledge about sensors, platforms, missions, environments, and other aspects of systems under test. The ontology also includes representative IEDs; modeled as explosives, camouflage, concealment objects, and other background objects, which comprise an overall threat scene. The ontology is represented using the Web Ontology Language and the SPARQL Protocol and RDF Query Language, which ensures portability of the acquired knowledge base across applications. The resulting knowledge base is a component of the CIEDETS application, which is intended to support the end user sensor test and evaluation community. CIEDETS associates a system under test to a subset of cataloged threats based on the probability that the system will detect the threat. The associations between systems under test, threats, and the detection probabilities are established based on a hybrid reasoning strategy, which applies a combination of heuristics and simplified modeling techniques. Besides supporting the CIEDETS application, which is focused on efficient and consistent system testing, the ontology can be leveraged in a myriad of other applications, including serving as a knowledge source for mission planning tools.

Intelligent Physiologic Modeling: An Application of Knowledge Based Systems Technology to Medical Education

PubMed Central

Kunstaetter, Robert

1986-01-01

This presentation describes the design and implementation of a knowledge based physiologic modeling system (KBPMS) and a preliminary evaluation of its use as a learning resource within the context of an experimental medical curriculum -- the Harvard New Pathway. KBPMS possesses combined numeric and qualitative simulation capabilities and can provide explanations of its knowledge and behaviour. It has been implemented on a microcomputer with a user interface incorporating interactive graphics. The preliminary evaluation of KBPMS is based on anecdotal data which suggests that the system might have pedagogic potential. Much work remains to be done in enhancing and further evaluating KBPMS.

A fuzzy-ontology-oriented case-based reasoning framework for semantic diabetes diagnosis.

PubMed

El-Sappagh, Shaker; Elmogy, Mohammed; Riad, A M

2015-11-01

Case-based reasoning (CBR) is a problem-solving paradigm that uses past knowledge to interpret or solve new problems. It is suitable for experience-based and theory-less problems. Building a semantically intelligent CBR that mimic the expert thinking can solve many problems especially medical ones. Knowledge-intensive CBR using formal ontologies is an evolvement of this paradigm. Ontologies can be used for case representation and storage, and it can be used as a background knowledge. Using standard medical ontologies, such as SNOMED CT, enhances the interoperability and integration with the health care systems. Moreover, utilizing vague or imprecise knowledge further improves the CBR semantic effectiveness. This paper proposes a fuzzy ontology-based CBR framework. It proposes a fuzzy case-base OWL2 ontology, and a fuzzy semantic retrieval algorithm that handles many feature types. This framework is implemented and tested on the diabetes diagnosis problem. The fuzzy ontology is populated with 60 real diabetic cases. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated with a set of experiments and case studies. The resulting system can answer complex medical queries related to semantic understanding of medical concepts and handling of vague terms. The resulting fuzzy case-base ontology has 63 concepts, 54 (fuzzy) object properties, 138 (fuzzy) datatype properties, 105 fuzzy datatypes, and 2640 instances. The system achieves an accuracy of 97.67%. We compare our framework with existing CBR systems and a set of five machine-learning classifiers; our system outperforms all of these systems. Building an integrated CBR system can improve its performance. Representing CBR knowledge using the fuzzy ontology and building a case retrieval algorithm that treats different features differently improves the accuracy of the resulting systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beyond rules: The next generation of expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Jay C.; Wagner, Robert E.

1987-01-01

The PARAGON Representation, Management, and Manipulation system is introduced. The concepts of knowledge representation, knowledge management, and knowledge manipulation are combined in a comprehensive system for solving real world problems requiring high levels of expertise in a real time environment. In most applications the complexity of the problem and the representation used to describe the domain knowledge tend to obscure the information from which solutions are derived. This inhibits the acquisition of domain knowledge verification/validation, places severe constraints on the ability to extend and maintain a knowledge base while making generic problem solving strategies difficult to develop. A unique hybrid system was developed to overcome these traditional limitations.

[Web-based support system for medical device maintenance].

PubMed

Zhao, Jinhai; Hou, Wensheng; Chen, Haiyan; Tang, Wei; Wang, Yihui

2015-01-01

A Web-based technology system was put forward aiming at the actual problems of the long maintenance cycle and the difficulties of the maintenance and repairing of medical equipments. Based on analysis of platform system structure and function, using the key technologies such as search engine, BBS, knowledge base and etc, a platform for medical equipment service technician to use by online or offline was designed. The platform provides users with knowledge services and interactive services, enabling users to get a more ideal solution.

Viewing Knowledge Bases as Qualitative Models.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clancey, William J.

The concept of a qualitative model provides a unifying perspective for understanding how expert systems differ from conventional programs. Knowledge bases contain qualitative models of systems in the world, that is, primarily non-numeric descriptions that provide a basis for explaining and predicting behavior and formulating action plans. The…

Using an online quiz-based reinforcement system to teach healthcare quality and patient safety and care transitions at the University of California.

PubMed

Shaikh, Ulfat; Afsar-Manesh, Nasim; Amin, Alpesh N; Clay, Brian; Ranji, Sumant R

2017-10-01

Implementing quality improvement (QI) education during clinical training is challenging due to time constraints and inadequate faculty development in these areas. Quiz-based reinforcement systems show promise in fostering active engagement, collaboration, healthy competition and real-time formative feedback, although further research on their effectiveness is required. An online quiz-based reinforcement system to increase resident and faculty knowledge in QI, patient safety and care transitions. Experts in QI and educational assessment at the 5 University of California medical campuses developed a course comprised of 3 quizzes on Introduction to QI, Patient Safety and Care Transitions. Each quiz contained 20 questions and utilized an online educational quiz-based reinforcement system that leveraged spaced learning. Approximately 500 learners completed the course (completion rate 66-86%). Knowledge acquisition scores for all quizzes increased after completion: Introduction to QI (35-73%), Patient Safety (58-95%), and Care Transitions (66-90%). Learners reported that the quiz-based system was an effective teaching modality and preferred this type of education to classroom-based lectures. Suggestions for improvement included reducing frequency of presentation of questions and utilizing more questions that test learners on application of knowledge instead of knowledge acquisition. A multi-campus online quiz-based reinforcement system to train residents in QI, patient safety and care transitions was feasible, acceptable, and increased knowledge. The course may be best utilized to supplement classroom-based and experiential curricula, along with increased attention to optimizing frequency of presentation of questions and enhancing application skills. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

In-context query reformulation for failing SPARQL queries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, Amar; Michaelis, James R.; Cassidy, Taylor; de Mel, Geeth; Hendler, James

2017-05-01

Knowledge bases for decision support systems are growing increasingly complex, through continued advances in data ingest and management approaches. However, humans do not possess the cognitive capabilities to retain a bird's-eyeview of such knowledge bases, and may end up issuing unsatisfiable queries to such systems. This work focuses on the implementation of a query reformulation approach for graph-based knowledge bases, specifically designed to support the Resource Description Framework (RDF). The reformulation approach presented is instance-and schema-aware. Thus, in contrast to relaxation techniques found in the state-of-the-art, the presented approach produces in-context query reformulation.

A knowledge-based system for patient image pre-fetching in heterogeneous database environments--modeling, design, and evaluation.

PubMed

Wei, C P; Hu, P J; Sheng, O R

2001-03-01

When performing primary reading on a newly taken radiological examination, a radiologist often needs to reference relevant prior images of the same patient for confirmation or comparison purposes. Support of such image references is of clinical importance and may have significant effects on radiologists' examination reading efficiency, service quality, and work satisfaction. To effectively support such image reference needs, we proposed and developed a knowledge-based patient image pre-fetching system, addressing several challenging requirements of the application that include representation and learning of image reference heuristics and management of data-intensive knowledge inferencing. Moreover, the system demands an extensible and maintainable architecture design capable of effectively adapting to a dynamic environment characterized by heterogeneous and autonomous data source systems. In this paper, we developed a synthesized object-oriented entity- relationship model, a conceptual model appropriate for representing radiologists' prior image reference heuristics that are heuristic oriented and data intensive. We detailed the system architecture and design of the knowledge-based patient image pre-fetching system. Our architecture design is based on a client-mediator-server framework, capable of coping with a dynamic environment characterized by distributed, heterogeneous, and highly autonomous data source systems. To adapt to changes in radiologists' patient prior image reference heuristics, ID3-based multidecision-tree induction and CN2-based multidecision induction learning techniques were developed and evaluated. Experimentally, we examined effects of the pre-fetching system we created on radiologists' examination readings. Preliminary results show that the knowledge-based patient image pre-fetching system more accurately supports radiologists' patient prior image reference needs than the current practice adopted at the study site and that radiologists may become more efficient, consultatively effective, and better satisfied when supported by the pre-fetching system than when relying on the study site's pre-fetching practice.

Linking local knowledge with global action: examining the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria through a knowledge system lens.

PubMed Central

van Kerkhoff, Lorrae; Szlezák, Nicole

2006-01-01

New global public health institutions are increasingly emphasizing transparency in decision-making, developing-country ownership of projects and programmes, and merit- and performance-based funding. Such principles imply an institutional response to the challenge of bridging the "know-do gap", by basing decisions explicitly on results, evidence and best practice. Using a knowledge systems framework, we examine how the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has affected the ways in which knowledge is used in efforts to combat these three diseases. We outline the formal knowledge system embedded in current rules and practices associated with the Global Fund's application process, and give three examples that illustrate the complexity of the knowledge system in action: human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) policy in China; successful applications from Haiti; and responses to changing research on malaria. These examples show that the Global Fund has created strong incentives for knowledge to flow to local implementers, but with little encouragement and few structures for the potentially valuable lessons from implementation to flow back to global best practice or research-based knowledge. The Global Fund could play an influential role in fostering much-needed learning from implementation. We suggest that three initial steps are required to start this process: acknowledging shared responsibility for learning across the knowledge system; analysing the Global Fund's existing data (and refining data collection over time); and supporting recipients and technical partners to invest resources in linking implementation with best practice and research. PMID:16917650

Information Communication using Knowledge Engine on Flood Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.; Krajewski, W. F.

2012-04-01

The Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to and visualization of flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts both short-term and seasonal, and other flood-related data for communities in Iowa. The system is designed for use by general public, often people with no domain knowledge and poor general science background. To improve effective communication with such audience, we have introduced a new way in IFIS to get information on flood related issues - instead of by navigating within hundreds of features and interfaces of the information system and web-based sources-- by providing dynamic computations based on a collection of built-in data, analysis, and methods. The IFIS Knowledge Engine connects to distributed sources of real-time stream gauges, and in-house data sources, analysis and visualization tools to answer questions grouped into several categories. Users will be able to provide input based on the query within the categories of rainfall, flood conditions, forecast, inundation maps, flood risk and data sensors. Our goal is the systematization of knowledge on flood related issues, and to provide a single source for definitive answers to factual queries. Long-term goal of this knowledge engine is to make all flood related knowledge easily accessible to everyone, and provide educational geoinformatics tool. The future implementation of the system will be able to accept free-form input and voice recognition capabilities within browser and mobile applications. We intend to deliver increasing capabilities for the system over the coming releases of IFIS. This presentation provides an overview of our Knowledge Engine, its unique information interface and functionality as an educational tool, and discusses the future plans for providing knowledge on flood related issues and resources.

Translational systems biology using an agent-based approach for dynamic knowledge representation: An evolutionary paradigm for biomedical research.

PubMed

An, Gary C

2010-01-01

The greatest challenge facing the biomedical research community is the effective translation of basic mechanistic knowledge into clinically effective therapeutics. This challenge is most evident in attempts to understand and modulate "systems" processes/disorders, such as sepsis, cancer, and wound healing. Formulating an investigatory strategy for these issues requires the recognition that these are dynamic processes. Representation of the dynamic behavior of biological systems can aid in the investigation of complex pathophysiological processes by augmenting existing discovery procedures by integrating disparate information sources and knowledge. This approach is termed Translational Systems Biology. Focusing on the development of computational models capturing the behavior of mechanistic hypotheses provides a tool that bridges gaps in the understanding of a disease process by visualizing "thought experiments" to fill those gaps. Agent-based modeling is a computational method particularly well suited to the translation of mechanistic knowledge into a computational framework. Utilizing agent-based models as a means of dynamic hypothesis representation will be a vital means of describing, communicating, and integrating community-wide knowledge. The transparent representation of hypotheses in this dynamic fashion can form the basis of "knowledge ecologies," where selection between competing hypotheses will apply an evolutionary paradigm to the development of community knowledge.

Identified research directions for using manufacturing knowledge earlier in the product lifecycle

PubMed Central

Hedberg, Thomas D.; Hartman, Nathan W.; Rosche, Phil; Fischer, Kevin

2016-01-01

Design for Manufacturing (DFM), especially the use of manufacturing knowledge to support design decisions, has received attention in the academic domain. However, industry practice has not been studied enough to provide solutions that are mature for industry. The current state of the art for DFM is often rule-based functionality within Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems that enforce specific design requirements. That rule-based functionality may or may not dynamically affect geometry definition. And, if rule-based functionality exists in the CAD system, it is typically a customization on a case-by-case basis. Manufacturing knowledge is a phrase with vast meanings, which may include knowledge on the effects of material properties decisions, machine and process capabilities, or understanding the unintended consequences of design decisions on manufacturing. One of the DFM questions to answer is how can manufacturing knowledge, depending on its definition, be used earlier in the product lifecycle to enable a more collaborative development environment? This paper will discuss the results of a workshop on manufacturing knowledge that highlights several research questions needing more study. This paper proposes recommendations for investigating the relationship of manufacturing knowledge with shape, behavior, and context characteristics of product to produce a better understanding of what knowledge is most important. In addition, the proposal includes recommendations for investigating the system-level barriers to reusing manufacturing knowledge and how model-based manufacturing may ease the burden of knowledge sharing. Lastly, the proposal addresses the direction of future research for holistic solutions of using manufacturing knowledge earlier in the product lifecycle. PMID:27990027

Identified research directions for using manufacturing knowledge earlier in the product lifecycle.

PubMed

Hedberg, Thomas D; Hartman, Nathan W; Rosche, Phil; Fischer, Kevin

2017-01-01

Design for Manufacturing (DFM), especially the use of manufacturing knowledge to support design decisions, has received attention in the academic domain. However, industry practice has not been studied enough to provide solutions that are mature for industry. The current state of the art for DFM is often rule-based functionality within Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems that enforce specific design requirements. That rule-based functionality may or may not dynamically affect geometry definition. And, if rule-based functionality exists in the CAD system, it is typically a customization on a case-by-case basis. Manufacturing knowledge is a phrase with vast meanings, which may include knowledge on the effects of material properties decisions, machine and process capabilities, or understanding the unintended consequences of design decisions on manufacturing. One of the DFM questions to answer is how can manufacturing knowledge, depending on its definition, be used earlier in the product lifecycle to enable a more collaborative development environment? This paper will discuss the results of a workshop on manufacturing knowledge that highlights several research questions needing more study. This paper proposes recommendations for investigating the relationship of manufacturing knowledge with shape, behavior, and context characteristics of product to produce a better understanding of what knowledge is most important. In addition, the proposal includes recommendations for investigating the system-level barriers to reusing manufacturing knowledge and how model-based manufacturing may ease the burden of knowledge sharing. Lastly, the proposal addresses the direction of future research for holistic solutions of using manufacturing knowledge earlier in the product lifecycle.

STRUTEX: A prototype knowledge-based system for initially configuring a structure to support point loads in two dimensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robers, James L.; Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw

1989-01-01

Only recently have engineers begun making use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the area of conceptual design. To continue filling this void in the design process, a prototype knowledge-based system, called STRUTEX has been developed to initially configure a structure to support point loads in two dimensions. This prototype was developed for testing the application of AI tools to conceptual design as opposed to being a testbed for new methods for improving structural analysis and optimization. This system combines numerical and symbolic processing by the computer with interactive problem solving aided by the vision of the user. How the system is constructed to interact with the user is described. Of special interest is the information flow between the knowledge base and the data base under control of the algorithmic main program. Examples of computed and refined structures are presented during the explanation of the system.

Some requirements and suggestions for a methodology to develop knowledge based systems.

PubMed

Green, D W; Colbert, M; Long, J

1989-11-01

This paper describes an approach to the creation of a methodology for the development of knowledge based systems. It specifies some requirements and suggests how these requirements might be met. General requirements can be satisfied using a systems approach. More specific ones can be met by viewing an organization as a network of consultations for coordinating expertise. The nature of consultations is described and the form of a possible cognitive model using a blackboard architecture is outlined. The value of the approach is illustrated in terms of certain knowledge elicitation methods.

ISYMOD: a knowledge warehouse for the identification, assembly and analysis of bacterial integrated systems.

PubMed

Chabalier, Julie; Capponi, Cécile; Quentin, Yves; Fichant, Gwennaele

2005-04-01

Complex biological functions emerge from interactions between proteins in stable supra-molecular assemblies and/or through transitory contacts. Most of the time protein partners of the assemblies are composed of one or several domains which exhibit different biochemical functions. Thus the study of cellular process requires the identification of different functional units and their integration in an interaction network; such complexes are referred to as integrated systems. In order to exploit with optimum efficiency the increased release of data, automated bioinformatics strategies are needed to identify, reconstruct and model such systems. For that purpose, we have developed a knowledge warehouse dedicated to the representation and acquisition of bacterial integrated systems involved in the exchange of the bacterial cell with its environment. ISYMOD is a knowledge warehouse that consistently integrates in the same environment the data and the methods used for their acquisition. This is achieved through the construction of (1) a domain knowledge base (DKB) devoted to the storage of the knowledge about the systems, their functional specificities, their partners and how they are related and (2) a methodological knowledge base (MKB) which depicts the task layout used to identify and reconstruct functional integrated systems. Instantiation of the DKB is obtained by solving the tasks of the MKB, whereas some tasks need instances of the DKB to be solved. AROM, an object-based knowledge representation system, has been used to design the DKB, and its task manager, AROMTasks, for developing the MKB. In this study two integrated systems, ABC transporters and two component systems, both involved in adaptation processes of a bacterial cell to its biotope, have been used to evaluate the feasibility of the approach.

Hybrid knowledge systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Subrahmanian, V. S.

1994-01-01

An architecture called hybrid knowledge system (HKS) is described that can be used to interoperate between a specification of the control laws describing a physical system, a collection of databases, knowledge bases and/or other data structures reflecting information about the world in which the physical system controlled resides, observations (e.g. sensor information) from the external world, and actions that must be taken in response to external observations.

A Knowledge-based System for Intelligent Support in Pharmacogenomics Evidence Assessment: Ontology-driven Evidence Representation and Retrieval.

PubMed

Lee, Chia-Ju; Devine, Beth; Tarczy-Hornoch, Peter

2017-01-01

Pharmacogenomics holds promise as a critical component of precision medicine. Yet, the use of pharmacogenomics in routine clinical care is minimal, partly due to the lack of efficient and effective use of existing evidence. This paper describes the design, development, implementation and evaluation of a knowledge-based system that fulfills three critical features: a) providing clinically relevant evidence, b) applying an evidence-based approach, and c) using semantically computable formalism, to facilitate efficient evidence assessment to support timely decisions on adoption of pharmacogenomics in clinical care. To illustrate functionality, the system was piloted in the context of clopidogrel and warfarin pharmacogenomics. In contrast to existing pharmacogenomics knowledge bases, the developed system is the first to exploit the expressivity and reasoning power of logic-based representation formalism to enable unambiguous expression and automatic retrieval of pharmacogenomics evidence to support systematic review with meta-analysis.

Knowledge From Pictures (KFP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walt; Paterra, Frank; Bailin, Sidney

1993-01-01

The old maxim goes: 'A picture is worth a thousand words'. The objective of the research reported in this paper is to demonstrate this idea as it relates to the knowledge acquisition process and the automated development of an expert system's rule base. A prototype tool, the Knowledge From Pictures (KFP) tool, has been developed which configures an expert system's rule base by an automated analysis of and reasoning about a 'picture', i.e., a graphical representation of some target system to be supported by the diagnostic capabilities of the expert system under development. This rule base, when refined, could then be used by the expert system for target system monitoring and fault analysis in an operational setting. Most people, when faced with the problem of understanding the behavior of a complicated system, resort to the use of some picture or graphical representation of the system as an aid in thinking about it. This depiction provides a means of helping the individual to visualize the bahavior and dynamics of the system under study. An analysis of the picture augmented with the individual's background information, allows the problem solver to codify knowledge about the system. This knowledge can, in turn, be used to develop computer programs to automatically monitor the system's performance. The approach taken is this research was to mimic this knowledge acquisition paradigm. A prototype tool was developed which provides the user: (1) a mechanism for graphically representing sample system-configurations appropriate for the domain, and (2) a linguistic device for annotating the graphical representation with the behaviors and mutual influences of the components depicted in the graphic. The KFP tool, reasoning from the graphical depiction along with user-supplied annotations of component behaviors and inter-component influences, generates a rule base that could be used in automating the fault detection, isolation, and repair of the system.

Flood AI: An Intelligent Systems for Discovery and Communication of Disaster Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.; Sermet, M. Y.

2017-12-01

Communities are not immune from extreme events or natural disasters that can lead to large-scale consequences for the nation and public. Improving resilience to better prepare, plan, recover, and adapt to disasters is critical to reduce the impacts of extreme events. The National Research Council (NRC) report discusses the topic of how to increase resilience to extreme events through a vision of resilient nation in the year 2030. The report highlights the importance of data, information, gaps and knowledge challenges that needs to be addressed, and suggests every individual to access the risk and vulnerability information to make their communities more resilient. This project presents an intelligent system, Flood AI, for flooding to improve societal preparedness by providing a knowledge engine using voice recognition, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing based on a generalized ontology for disasters with a primary focus on flooding. The knowledge engine utilizes the flood ontology and concepts to connect user input to relevant knowledge discovery channels on flooding by developing a data acquisition and processing framework utilizing environmental observations, forecast models, and knowledge bases. Communication channels of the framework includes web-based systems, agent-based chat bots, smartphone applications, automated web workflows, and smart home devices, opening the knowledge discovery for flooding to many unique use cases.

Knowledge-based personalized search engine for the Web-based Human Musculoskeletal System Resources (HMSR) in biomechanics.

PubMed

Dao, Tien Tuan; Hoang, Tuan Nha; Ta, Xuan Hien; Tho, Marie Christine Ho Ba

2013-02-01

Human musculoskeletal system resources of the human body are valuable for the learning and medical purposes. Internet-based information from conventional search engines such as Google or Yahoo cannot response to the need of useful, accurate, reliable and good-quality human musculoskeletal resources related to medical processes, pathological knowledge and practical expertise. In this present work, an advanced knowledge-based personalized search engine was developed. Our search engine was based on a client-server multi-layer multi-agent architecture and the principle of semantic web services to acquire dynamically accurate and reliable HMSR information by a semantic processing and visualization approach. A security-enhanced mechanism was applied to protect the medical information. A multi-agent crawler was implemented to develop a content-based database of HMSR information. A new semantic-based PageRank score with related mathematical formulas were also defined and implemented. As the results, semantic web service descriptions were presented in OWL, WSDL and OWL-S formats. Operational scenarios with related web-based interfaces for personal computers and mobile devices were presented and analyzed. Functional comparison between our knowledge-based search engine, a conventional search engine and a semantic search engine showed the originality and the robustness of our knowledge-based personalized search engine. In fact, our knowledge-based personalized search engine allows different users such as orthopedic patient and experts or healthcare system managers or medical students to access remotely into useful, accurate, reliable and good-quality HMSR information for their learning and medical purposes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discovering Knowledge from Noisy Databases Using Genetic Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Man Leung; Leung, Kwong Sak; Cheng, Jack C. Y.

2000-01-01

Presents a framework that combines Genetic Programming and Inductive Logic Programming, two approaches in data mining, to induce knowledge from noisy databases. The framework is based on a formalism of logic grammars and is implemented as a data mining system called LOGENPRO (Logic Grammar-based Genetic Programming System). (Contains 34…

Management of Knowledge Representation Standards Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patil, Ramesh S.

1993-01-01

Ever since the mid-seventies, researchers have recognized that capturing knowledge is the key to building large and powerful AI systems. In the years since, we have also found that representing knowledge is difficult and time consuming. In spite of the tools developed to help with knowledge acquisition, knowledge base construction remains one of the major costs in building an Al system: For almost every system we build, a new knowledge base must be constructed from scratch. As a result, most systems remain small to medium in size. Even if we build several systems within a general area, such as medicine or electronics diagnosis, significant portions of the domain must be represented for every system we create. The cost of this duplication of effort has been high and will become prohibitive as we attempt to build larger and larger systems. To overcome this barrier we must find ways of preserving existing knowledge bases and of sharing, re-using, and building on them. This report describes the efforts undertaken over the last two years to identify the issues underlying the current difficulties in sharing and reuse, and a community wide initiative to overcome them. First, we discuss four bottlenecks to sharing and reuse, present a vision of a future in which these bottlenecks have been ameliorated, and describe the efforts of the initiative's four working groups to address these bottlenecks. We then address the supporting technology and infrastructure that is critical to enabling the vision of the future. Finally, we consider topics of longer-range interest by reviewing some of the research issues raised by our vision.

Development of a general-purpose, integrated knowledge capture and delivery system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, A.G.; Freer, E.B.

1991-01-01

KATIE (Knowledge-Based Assistant for Troubleshooting Industrial Equipment) was first conceived as a solution for maintenance problems. In the area of process control, maintenance technicians have become responsible for increasingly complicated equipment and an overwhelming amount of associated information. The sophisticated distributed control systems have proven to be such a drastic change for technicians that they are forced to rely on the engineer for troubleshooting guidance. Because it is difficult for a knowledgeable engineer to be readily available for troubleshooting,maintenance personnel wish to capture the information provided by the engineer. The solution provided has two stages. First, a specific complicated systemmore » was chosen as a test case. An effort was made to gather all available system information in some form. Second, a method of capturing and delivering this collection of information was developed. Several features were desired for this knowledge capture/delivery system (KATIE). Creation of the knowledge base needed to be independent of the delivery system. The delivery path need to be as simple as possible for the technician, and the capture, or authoring, system could provide very sophisticated features. It was decided that KATIE should be as general as possible, not internalizing specifics about the first implementation. The knowledge bases created needed to be completely separate from KATIE needed to have a modular structure so that each type of information (rules, procedures, manuals, symptoms) could be encapsulated individually.« less

A knowledge-based decision support system in bioinformatics: an application to protein complex extraction

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background We introduce a Knowledge-based Decision Support System (KDSS) in order to face the Protein Complex Extraction issue. Using a Knowledge Base (KB) coding the expertise about the proposed scenario, our KDSS is able to suggest both strategies and tools, according to the features of input dataset. Our system provides a navigable workflow for the current experiment and furthermore it offers support in the configuration and running of every processing component of that workflow. This last feature makes our system a crossover between classical DSS and Workflow Management Systems. Results We briefly present the KDSS' architecture and basic concepts used in the design of the knowledge base and the reasoning component. The system is then tested using a subset of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Protein-Protein interaction dataset. We used this subset because it has been well studied in literature by several research groups in the field of complex extraction: in this way we could easily compare the results obtained through our KDSS with theirs. Our system suggests both a preprocessing and a clustering strategy, and for each of them it proposes and eventually runs suited algorithms. Our system's final results are then composed of a workflow of tasks, that can be reused for other experiments, and the specific numerical results for that particular trial. Conclusions The proposed approach, using the KDSS' knowledge base, provides a novel workflow that gives the best results with regard to the other workflows produced by the system. This workflow and its numeric results have been compared with other approaches about PPI network analysis found in literature, offering similar results. PMID:23368995

Knowledge-based imaging-sensor fusion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Westrom, George

1989-01-01

An imaging system which applies knowledge-based technology to supervise and control both sensor hardware and computation in the imaging system is described. It includes the development of an imaging system breadboard which brings together into one system work that we and others have pursued for LaRC for several years. The goal is to combine Digital Signal Processing (DSP) with Knowledge-Based Processing and also include Neural Net processing. The system is considered a smart camera. Imagine that there is a microgravity experiment on-board Space Station Freedom with a high frame rate, high resolution camera. All the data cannot possibly be acquired from a laboratory on Earth. In fact, only a small fraction of the data will be received. Again, imagine being responsible for some experiments on Mars with the Mars Rover: the data rate is a few kilobits per second for data from several sensors and instruments. Would it not be preferable to have a smart system which would have some human knowledge and yet follow some instructions and attempt to make the best use of the limited bandwidth for transmission. The system concept, current status of the breadboard system and some recent experiments at the Mars-like Amboy Lava Fields in California are discussed.

SIRE: A Simple Interactive Rule Editor for NICBES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bykat, Alex

1988-01-01

To support evolution of domain expertise, and its representation in an expert system knowledge base, a user-friendly rule base editor is mandatory. The Nickel Cadmium Battery Expert System (NICBES), a prototype of an expert system for the Hubble Space Telescope power storage management system, does not provide such an editor. In the following, a description of a Simple Interactive Rule Base Editor (SIRE) for NICBES is described. The SIRE provides a consistent internal representation of the NICBES knowledge base. It supports knowledge presentation and provides a user-friendly and code language independent medium for rule addition and modification. The SIRE is integrated with NICBES via an interface module. This module provides translation of the internal representation to Prolog-type rules (Horn clauses), latter rule assertion, and a simple mechanism for rule selection for its Prolog inference engine.

Information-theoretic CAD system in mammography: Entropy-based indexing for computational efficiency and robust performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tourassi, Georgia D.; Harrawood, Brian; Singh, Swatee

2007-08-15

We have previously presented a knowledge-based computer-assisted detection (KB-CADe) system for the detection of mammographic masses. The system is designed to compare a query mammographic region with mammographic templates of known ground truth. The templates are stored in an adaptive knowledge database. Image similarity is assessed with information theoretic measures (e.g., mutual information) derived directly from the image histograms. A previous study suggested that the diagnostic performance of the system steadily improves as the knowledge database is initially enriched with more templates. However, as the database increases in size, an exhaustive comparison of the query case with each stored templatemore » becomes computationally burdensome. Furthermore, blind storing of new templates may result in redundancies that do not necessarily improve diagnostic performance. To address these concerns we investigated an entropy-based indexing scheme for improving the speed of analysis and for satisfying database storage restrictions without compromising the overall diagnostic performance of our KB-CADe system. The indexing scheme was evaluated on two different datasets as (i) a search mechanism to sort through the knowledge database, and (ii) a selection mechanism to build a smaller, concise knowledge database that is easier to maintain but still effective. There were two important findings in the study. First, entropy-based indexing is an effective strategy to identify fast a subset of templates that are most relevant to a given query. Only this subset could be analyzed in more detail using mutual information for optimized decision making regarding the query. Second, a selective entropy-based deposit strategy may be preferable where only high entropy cases are maintained in the knowledge database. Overall, the proposed entropy-based indexing scheme was shown to reduce the computational cost of our KB-CADe system by 55% to 80% while maintaining the system's diagnostic performance.« less

Knowledge Discovery from Posts in Online Health Communities Using Unified Medical Language System.

PubMed

Chen, Donghua; Zhang, Runtong; Liu, Kecheng; Hou, Lei

2018-06-19

Patient-reported posts in Online Health Communities (OHCs) contain various valuable information that can help establish knowledge-based online support for online patients. However, utilizing these reports to improve online patient services in the absence of appropriate medical and healthcare expert knowledge is difficult. Thus, we propose a comprehensive knowledge discovery method that is based on the Unified Medical Language System for the analysis of narrative posts in OHCs. First, we propose a domain-knowledge support framework for OHCs to provide a basis for post analysis. Second, we develop a Knowledge-Involved Topic Modeling (KI-TM) method to extract and expand explicit knowledge within the text. We propose four metrics, namely, explicit knowledge rate, latent knowledge rate, knowledge correlation rate, and perplexity, for the evaluation of the KI-TM method. Our experimental results indicate that our proposed method outperforms existing methods in terms of providing knowledge support. Our method enhances knowledge support for online patients and can help develop intelligent OHCs in the future.

A Knowledge-Based Approach to Information Fusion for the Support of Military Intelligence

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-01

and most reliable an appropriate picture of the battlespace. The presented approach of knowledge based information fusion is focussing on the...incomplete and imperfect information of military reports and background knowledge can be supported substantially in an automated system. Keywords

Knowledge Repository for Fmea Related Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cândea, Gabriela Simona; Kifor, Claudiu Vasile; Cândea, Ciprian

2014-11-01

This paper presents innovative usage of knowledge system into Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) process using the ontology to represent the knowledge. Knowledge system is built to serve multi-projects work that nowadays are in place in any manufacturing or services provider, and knowledge must be retained and reused at the company level and not only at project level. The system is following the FMEA methodology and the validation of the concept is compliant with the automotive industry standards published by Automotive Industry Action Group, and not only. Collaboration is assured trough web-based GUI that supports multiple users access at any time

Dynamic reasoning in a knowledge-based system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, Anand S.; Foo, Norman Y.

1988-01-01

Any space based system, whether it is a robot arm assembling parts in space or an onboard system monitoring the space station, has to react to changes which cannot be foreseen. As a result, apart from having domain-specific knowledge as in current expert systems, a space based AI system should also have general principles of change. This paper presents a modal logic which can not only represent change but also reason with it. Three primitive operations, expansion, contraction and revision are introduced and axioms which specify how the knowledge base should change when the external world changes are also specified. Accordingly the notion of dynamic reasoning is introduced, which unlike the existing forms of reasoning, provide general principles of change. Dynamic reasoning is based on two main principles, namely minimize change and maximize coherence. A possible-world semantics which incorporates the above two principles is also discussed. The paper concludes by discussing how the dynamic reasoning system can be used to specify actions and hence form an integral part of an autonomous reasoning and planning system.

Representing Human Expertise by the OWL Web Ontology Language to Support Knowledge Engineering in Decision Support Systems.

PubMed

Ramzan, Asia; Wang, Hai; Buckingham, Christopher

2014-01-01

Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) often base their knowledge and advice on human expertise. Knowledge representation needs to be in a format that can be easily understood by human users as well as supporting ongoing knowledge engineering, including evolution and consistency of knowledge. This paper reports on the development of an ontology specification for managing knowledge engineering in a CDSS for assessing and managing risks associated with mental-health problems. The Galatean Risk and Safety Tool, GRiST, represents mental-health expertise in the form of a psychological model of classification. The hierarchical structure was directly represented in the machine using an XML document. Functionality of the model and knowledge management were controlled using attributes in the XML nodes, with an accompanying paper manual for specifying how end-user tools should behave when interfacing with the XML. This paper explains the advantages of using the web-ontology language, OWL, as the specification, details some of the issues and problems encountered in translating the psychological model to OWL, and shows how OWL benefits knowledge engineering. The conclusions are that OWL can have an important role in managing complex knowledge domains for systems based on human expertise without impeding the end-users' understanding of the knowledge base. The generic classification model underpinning GRiST makes it applicable to many decision domains and the accompanying OWL specification facilitates its implementation.

An expert system for choosing the best combination of options in a general purpose program for automated design synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, J. L.; Barthelemy, J.-F. M.

1986-01-01

An expert system called EXADS has been developed to aid users of the Automated Design Synthesis (ADS) general purpose optimization program. ADS has approximately 100 combinations of strategy, optimizer, and one-dimensional search options from which to choose. It is difficult for a nonexpert to make this choice. This expert system aids the user in choosing the best combination of options based on the users knowledge of the problem and the expert knowledge stored in the knowledge base. The knowledge base is divided into three categories; constrained problems, unconstrained problems, and constrained problems being treated as unconstrained problems. The inference engine and rules are written in LISP, contains about 200 rules, and executes on DEC-VAX (with Franz-LISP) and IBM PC (with IQ-LISP) computers.

Assessing Metacognitive Knowledge in Web-Based Call: A Neural Network Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Siou-Wen; Lo, Jia-Jiunn

2005-01-01

The assessment of learners' metacognitive knowledge level is crucial when developing computer-assisted language learning systems. Currently, many systems assess learners' metacognitive knowledge level with pre-instructional questionnaires or metacognitive interviews. However, learners with limited language proficiency may be at a disadvantage in…

Licensure tests for special education teachers: how well they assess knowledge of reading instruction and mathematics.

PubMed

Stotsky, Sandra

2009-01-01

To determine the extent to which knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction and mathematics is assessed on licensure tests for prospective special education teachers, this study drew on information provided by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, and National Evaluation Systems (now Evaluation Systems group of Pearson). It estimated the percentage of test items on phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary knowledge and on mathematics content. It also analyzed descriptions of ETS's tests of "principles of teaching and learning." Findings imply that prospective special education teachers should be required to take both a dedicated test of evidence-based reading instructional knowledge, as in California, Massachusetts, and Virginia, and a test of mathematical knowledge, as in Massachusetts. States must design their own tests of teaching principles to assess knowledge of evidence-based educational theories.

Knowledge-based and integrated monitoring and diagnosis in autonomous power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Momoh, J. A.; Zhang, Z. Z.

1990-01-01

A new technique of knowledge-based and integrated monitoring and diagnosis (KBIMD) to deal with abnormalities and incipient or potential failures in autonomous power systems is presented. The KBIMD conception is discussed as a new function of autonomous power system automation. Available diagnostic modelling, system structure, principles and strategies are suggested. In order to verify the feasibility of the KBIMD, a preliminary prototype expert system is designed to simulate the KBIMD function in a main electric network of the autonomous power system.

Proceedings of the 1986 IEEE international conference on systems, man and cybernetics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1986-01-01

This book presents the papers given at a conference on man-machine systems. Topics considered at the conference included neural model-based cognitive theory and engineering, user interfaces, adaptive and learning systems, human interaction with robotics, decision making, the testing and evaluation of expert systems, software development, international conflict resolution, intelligent interfaces, automation in man-machine system design aiding, knowledge acquisition in expert systems, advanced architectures for artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, knowledge bases, and machine vision.

An easy-to-use diagnostic system development shell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsai, L. C.; Ross, J. B.; Han, C. Y.; Wee, W. G.

1987-01-01

The Diagnostic System Development Shell (DSDS), an expert system development shell for diagnostic systems, is described. The major objective of building the DSDS is to create a very easy to use and friendly environment for knowledge engineers and end-users. The DSDS is written in OPS5 and CommonLisp. It runs on a VAX/VMS system. A set of domain independent, generalized rules is built in the DSDS, so the users need not be concerned about building the rules. The facts are explicitly represented in a unified format. A powerful check facility which helps the user to check the errors in the created knowledge bases is provided. A judgement facility and other useful facilities are also available. A diagnostic system based on the DSDS system is question driven and can call or be called by other knowledge based systems written in OPS5 and CommonLisp. A prototype diagnostic system for diagnosing a Philips constant potential X-ray system has been built using the DSDS.

Transformation based endorsement systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sudkamp, Thomas

1988-01-01

Evidential reasoning techniques classically represent support for a hypothesis by a numeric value or an evidential interval. The combination of support is performed by an arithmetic rule which often requires restrictions to be placed on the set of possibilities. These assumptions usually require the hypotheses to be exhausitive and mutually exclusive. Endorsement based classification systems represent support for the alternatives symbolically rather than numerically. A framework for constructing endorsement systems is presented in which transformations are defined to generate and update the knowledge base. The interaction of the knowledge base and transformations produces a non-monotonic reasoning system. Two endorsement based reasoning systems are presented to demonstrate the flexibility of the transformational approach for reasoning with ambiguous and inconsistent information.

Knowledge acquisition from natural language for expert systems based on classification problem-solving methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gomez, Fernando

1989-01-01

It is shown how certain kinds of domain independent expert systems based on classification problem-solving methods can be constructed directly from natural language descriptions by a human expert. The expert knowledge is not translated into production rules. Rather, it is mapped into conceptual structures which are integrated into long-term memory (LTM). The resulting system is one in which problem-solving, retrieval and memory organization are integrated processes. In other words, the same algorithm and knowledge representation structures are shared by these processes. As a result of this, the system can answer questions, solve problems or reorganize LTM.

Computational neuroanatomy: ontology-based representation of neural components and connectivity

PubMed Central

Rubin, Daniel L; Talos, Ion-Florin; Halle, Michael; Musen, Mark A; Kikinis, Ron

2009-01-01

Background A critical challenge in neuroscience is organizing, managing, and accessing the explosion in neuroscientific knowledge, particularly anatomic knowledge. We believe that explicit knowledge-based approaches to make neuroscientific knowledge computationally accessible will be helpful in tackling this challenge and will enable a variety of applications exploiting this knowledge, such as surgical planning. Results We developed ontology-based models of neuroanatomy to enable symbolic lookup, logical inference and mathematical modeling of neural systems. We built a prototype model of the motor system that integrates descriptive anatomic and qualitative functional neuroanatomical knowledge. In addition to modeling normal neuroanatomy, our approach provides an explicit representation of abnormal neural connectivity in disease states, such as common movement disorders. The ontology-based representation encodes both structural and functional aspects of neuroanatomy. The ontology-based models can be evaluated computationally, enabling development of automated computer reasoning applications. Conclusion Neuroanatomical knowledge can be represented in machine-accessible format using ontologies. Computational neuroanatomical approaches such as described in this work could become a key tool in translational informatics, leading to decision support applications that inform and guide surgical planning and personalized care for neurological disease in the future. PMID:19208191

Design, Analysis and User Acceptance of Architectural Design Education in Learning System Based on Knowledge Management Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Yun-Wu; Lin, Yu-An; Wen, Ming-Hui; Perng, Yeng-Hong; Hsu, I-Ting

2016-01-01

The major purpose of this study is to develop an architectural design knowledge management learning system with corresponding learning activities to help the students have meaningful learning and improve their design capability in their learning process. Firstly, the system can help the students to obtain and share useful knowledge. Secondly,…

DataHub knowledge based assistance for science visualization and analysis using large distributed databases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handley, Thomas H., Jr.; Collins, Donald J.; Doyle, Richard J.; Jacobson, Allan S.

1991-01-01

Viewgraphs on DataHub knowledge based assistance for science visualization and analysis using large distributed databases. Topics covered include: DataHub functional architecture; data representation; logical access methods; preliminary software architecture; LinkWinds; data knowledge issues; expert systems; and data management.

Knowledge-Based Vision Techniques for the Autonomous Land Vehicle Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

Knowledge System The CKS is an object-oriented knowledge database that was originally designed to serve as the central information manager for a...34 Representation Space: An Approach to the Integra- tion of Visual Information ," Proc. of DARPA Image Understanding Workshop, Palo Alto, CA, pp. 263-272, May 1989...Strat, " Information Management in a Sensor-Based Au- tonomous System," Proc. DARPA Image Understanding Workshop, University of Southern CA, Vol.1, pp

Enormous knowledge base of disease diagnosis criteria.

PubMed

Xiao, Z H; Xiao, Y H; Pei, J H

1995-01-01

One of the problems in the development of the medical knowledge systems is the limitations of the system's knowledge. It is a common expectation to increase the number of diseases contained in a system. Using a high density knowledge representation method designed by us, we have developed the Enormous Knowledge Base of Disease Diagnosis Criteria (EKBDDC). It contains diagnostic criteria of 1,001 diagnostic entities and describes nearly 4,000 items of diagnostic indicators. It is the core of a huge medical project--the Electronic-Brain Medical Erudite (EBME). This enormous knowledge base was implemented initially on a low-cost popular microcomputer, which can aid in the prompting of typical disease and in teaching of diagnosis. The knowledge base is easy to expand. One of the main goals of EKBDDC is to increase the number of diseases included in it as far as possible using a low-cost computer with a comparatively small storage capacity. For this, we have designed a high density knowledge representation method. Criteria of various diagnostic entities are respectively stored in different records of the knowledge base. Each diagnostic entity corresponds to a diagnostic criterion data set; each data set consists of some diagnostic criterion data values (Table 1); each data is composed of two parts: integer and decimal; the integral part is the coding number of the given diagnostic information, and the decimal part is the diagnostic value of this information to the disease indicated by corresponding record number. For example, 75.02: the integer 75 is the coding number of "hemorrhagic skin rash"; the decimal 0.02 is the diagnostic value of this manifestation for diagnosing allergic purpura. TABULAR DATA, SEE PUBLISHED ABSTRACT. The algebraic sum method, a special form of the weighted summation, is adopted as mathematical model. In EKBDDC, the diagnostic values, which represent the significance of the disease manifestations for diagnosing corresponding diseases, were determined empirically. It is of a great economical, practical, and technical significance to realize enormous knowledge bases of disease diagnosis criteria on a low-cost popular microcomputer. This is beneficial for the developing countries to popularize medical informatics. To create the enormous international computer-aided diagnosis system, one may jointly develop the unified modules of disease diagnosis criteria used to "inlay" relevant computer-aided diagnosis systems. It is just like assembling a house using prefabricated panels.

A knowledge-based, concept-oriented view generation system for clinical data.

PubMed

Zeng, Q; Cimino, J J

2001-04-01

Information overload is a well-known problem for clinicians who must review large amounts of data in patient records. Concept-oriented views, which organize patient data around clinical concepts such as diagnostic strategies and therapeutic goals, may offer a solution to the problem of information overload. However, although concept-oriented views are desirable, they are difficult to create and maintain. We have developed a general-purpose, knowledge-based approach to the generation of concept-oriented views and have developed a system to test our approach. The system creates concept-oriented views through automated identification of relevant patient data. The knowledge in the system is represented by both a semantic network and rules. The key relevant data identification function is accomplished by a rule-based traversal of the semantic network. This paper focuses on the design and implementation of the system; an evaluation of the system is reported separately.

Exploratory Investigations of Pay-for-Knowledge Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, Nina; And Others

A study was conducted to provide a scientific database about the prevalence, dynamics, and effectiveness of pay-for-knowledge plans. (Pay-for-knowledge is an innovative compensation system that bases salaries, not on particular job classifications, but rather on the repertoire of skills that an employee possesses.) A four-pronged research design…

Public health situation awareness: toward a semantic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirhaji, Parsa; Richesson, Rachel L.; Turley, James P.; Zhang, Jiajie; Smith, Jack W.

2004-04-01

We propose a knowledge-based public health situation awareness system. The basis for this system is an explicit representation of public health situation awareness concepts and their interrelationships. This representation is based upon the users" (public health decision makers) cognitive model of the world, and optimized towards the efficacy of performance and relevance to the public health situation awareness processes and tasks. In our approach, explicit domain knowledge is the foundation for interpretation of public health data, as apposed to conventional systems where the statistical methods are the essence of the processes. Objectives: To develop a prototype knowledge-based system for public health situation awareness and to demonstrate the utility of knowledge intensive approaches in integration of heterogeneous information, eliminating the effects of incomplete and poor quality surveillance data, uncertainty in syndrome and aberration detection and visualization of complex information structures in public health surveillance settings, particularly in the context of bioterrorism (BT) preparedness. The system employs the Resource Definition Framework (RDF) and additional layers of more expressive languages to explicate the knowledge of domain experts into machine interpretable and computable problem-solving modules that can then guide users and computer systems in sifting through the most "relevant" data for syndrome and outbreak detection and investigation of root cause of the event. The Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Informatics Research is developing a prototype knowledge-based system around influenza, which has complex natural disease patterns, many public health implications, and is a potential agent for bioterrorism. The preliminary data from this effort may demonstrate superior performance in information integration, syndrome and aberration detection, information access through information visualization, and cross-domain investigation of the root causes of public health events.

Knowledge-Based Systems Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-24

P. S., Laird, J. E., Newell, A. and McCarl, R. 1991. A Preliminary Analysis of the SOAR Architecture as a Basis for General Intelligence . Artifcial ...on reverse of neceSSjr’y gnd identify by block nhmber) FIELD I GRO’= SUB-C.OROUC Artificial Intelligence , Blackboard Systems, U°nstraint Satisfaction...knowledge acquisition; symbolic simulation; logic-based systems with self-awareness; SOAR, an architecture for general intelligence and learning

Experts' views regarding Australian school-leavers' knowledge of nutrition and food systems.

PubMed

Sadegholvad, Sanaz; Yeatman, Heather; Parrish, Anne-Maree; Worsley, Anthony

2017-10-01

To explore Australian experts' views regarding strengths and gaps in school-leavers' knowledge of nutrition and food systems ( N&FS) and factors that influence that knowledge. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 highly experienced food-related experts in Australia. Qualitative data were analysed thematically using Attride-Stirling's thematic network framework. Two global themes and several organising themes were identified. The first global theme, 'structural curriculum-based problems', emerged from three organising themes of: inconsistencies in provided food education programs at schools in Australia; insufficient coverage of food-related skills and food systems topics in school curricula; and the lack of trained school teachers. The second global theme, 'insufficient levels of school-leavers knowledge of N&FS ', was generated from four organising themes, which together described Australian school-leavers' poor knowledge of N&FS more broadly and knowledge translation problem for everyday practices. Study findings identified key problems relating to current school-based N&FS education programs in Australia and reported knowledge gaps in relation to N&FS among Australian school-leavers. These findings provide important guidance for N&FS curriculum development, to clearly articulate broadly-based N&FS knowledge acquisition in curriculum policy and education documents for Australian schools. © 2017 The Authors.

An advanced artificial intelligence tool for menu design.

PubMed

Khan, Abdus Salam; Hoffmann, Achim

2003-01-01

The computer-assisted menu design still remains a difficult task. Usually knowledge that aids in menu design by a computer is hard-coded and because of that a computerised menu planner cannot handle the menu design problem for an unanticipated client. To address this problem we developed a menu design tool, MIKAS (menu construction using incremental knowledge acquisition system), an artificial intelligence system that allows the incremental development of a knowledge-base for menu design. We allow an incremental knowledge acquisition process in which the expert is only required to provide hints to the system in the context of actual problem instances during menu design using menus stored in a so-called Case Base. Our system incorporates Case-Based Reasoning (CBR), an Artificial Intelligence (AI) technique developed to mimic human problem solving behaviour. Ripple Down Rules (RDR) are a proven technique for the acquisition of classification knowledge from expert directly while they are using the system, which complement CBR in a very fruitful way. This combination allows the incremental improvement of the menu design system while it is already in routine use. We believe MIKAS allows better dietary practice by leveraging a dietitian's skills and expertise. As such MIKAS has the potential to be helpful for any institution where dietary advice is practised.

Using Best Practices to Extract, Organize, and Reuse Embedded Decision Support Content Knowledge Rules from Mature Clinical Systems.

PubMed

DesAutels, Spencer J; Fox, Zachary E; Giuse, Dario A; Williams, Annette M; Kou, Qing-Hua; Weitkamp, Asli; Neal R, Patel; Bettinsoli Giuse, Nunzia

2016-01-01

Clinical decision support (CDS) knowledge, embedded over time in mature medical systems, presents an interesting and complex opportunity for information organization, maintenance, and reuse. To have a holistic view of all decision support requires an in-depth understanding of each clinical system as well as expert knowledge of the latest evidence. This approach to clinical decision support presents an opportunity to unify and externalize the knowledge within rules-based decision support. Driven by an institutional need to prioritize decision support content for migration to new clinical systems, the Center for Knowledge Management and Health Information Technology teams applied their unique expertise to extract content from individual systems, organize it through a single extensible schema, and present it for discovery and reuse through a newly created Clinical Support Knowledge Acquisition and Archival Tool (CS-KAAT). CS-KAAT can build and maintain the underlying knowledge infrastructure needed by clinical systems.

An Operational Approach for Building Learning Environments Supporting Cognitive Flexibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chieu, Vu Minh

2007-01-01

Constructivism is a learning theory that states that people learn by actively constructing their own knowledge, based on prior knowledge. A significant number of ICT-based constructivist learning systems have been proposed in recent years. According to our analysis, those systems exhibit only a few constructivist principles, and a critical problem…

Knowledge Engineering Aspects of Affective Bi-Modal Educational Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alepis, Efthymios; Virvou, Maria; Kabassi, Katerina

This paper analyses the knowledge and software engineering aspects of educational applications that provide affective bi-modal human-computer interaction. For this purpose, a system that provides affective interaction based on evidence from two different modes has been developed. More specifically, the system's inferences about students' emotions are based on user input evidence from the keyboard and the microphone. Evidence from these two modes is combined by a user modelling component that incorporates user stereotypes as well as a multi criteria decision making theory. The mechanism that integrates the inferences from the two modes has been based on the results of two empirical studies that were conducted in the context of knowledge engineering of the system. The evaluation of the developed system showed significant improvements in the recognition of the emotional states of users.

Probabilistic load simulation: Code development status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newell, J. F.; Ho, H.

1991-05-01

The objective of the Composite Load Spectra (CLS) project is to develop generic load models to simulate the composite load spectra that are included in space propulsion system components. The probabilistic loads thus generated are part of the probabilistic design analysis (PDA) of a space propulsion system that also includes probabilistic structural analyses, reliability, and risk evaluations. Probabilistic load simulation for space propulsion systems demands sophisticated probabilistic methodology and requires large amounts of load information and engineering data. The CLS approach is to implement a knowledge based system coupled with a probabilistic load simulation module. The knowledge base manages and furnishes load information and expertise and sets up the simulation runs. The load simulation module performs the numerical computation to generate the probabilistic loads with load information supplied from the CLS knowledge base.

Knowledge repositories for multiple uses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williamson, Keith; Riddle, Patricia

1991-01-01

In the life cycle of a complex physical device or part, for example, the docking bay door of the Space Station, there are many uses for knowledge about the device or part. The same piece of knowledge might serve several uses. Given the quantity and complexity of the knowledge that must be stored, it is critical to maintain the knowledge in one repository, in one form. At the same time, because of quantity and complexity of knowledge that must be used in life cycle applications such as cost estimation, re-design, and diagnosis, it is critical to automate such knowledge uses. For each specific use, a knowledge base must be available and must be in a from that promotes the efficient performance of that knowledge base. However, without a single source knowledge repository, the cost of maintaining consistent knowledge between multiple knowledge bases increases dramatically; as facts and descriptions change, they must be updated in each individual knowledge base. A use-neutral representation of a hydraulic system for the F-111 aircraft was developed. The ability to derive portions of four different knowledge bases is demonstrated from this use-neutral representation: one knowledge base is for re-design of the device using a model-based reasoning problem solver; two knowledge bases, at different levels of abstraction, are for diagnosis using a model-based reasoning solver; and one knowledge base is for diagnosis using an associational reasoning problem solver. It was shown how updates issued against the single source use-neutral knowledge repository can be propagated to the underlying knowledge bases.

A knowledge-based framework for image enhancement in aviation security.

PubMed

Singh, Maneesha; Singh, Sameer; Partridge, Derek

2004-12-01

The main aim of this paper is to present a knowledge-based framework for automatically selecting the best image enhancement algorithm from several available on a per image basis in the context of X-ray images of airport luggage. The approach detailed involves a system that learns to map image features that represent its viewability to one or more chosen enhancement algorithms. Viewability measures have been developed to provide an automatic check on the quality of the enhanced image, i.e., is it really enhanced? The choice is based on ground-truth information generated by human X-ray screening experts. Such a system, for a new image, predicts the best-suited enhancement algorithm. Our research details the various characteristics of the knowledge-based system and shows extensive results on real images.

Total Quality Management: Implications for Educational Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rankin, Stuart C.

1992-01-01

Deming's "System of Profound Knowledge" is even more fundamental than his 14-principle system transformation guide and is based on 4 elements: systems theory, statistical variation, a theory of knowledge, and psychology. Management should revamp total system processes so that quality of product is continually improved. Implications for…

Corporate knowledge repository: Adopting academic LMS into corporate environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakar, Muhamad Shahbani Abu; Jalil, Dzulkafli

2017-10-01

The growth of Knowledge Economy has transformed human capital to be the vital asset in business organization of the 21st century. Arguably, due to its white-collar nature, knowledge-based industry is more favorable than traditional manufacturing business. However, over dependency on human capital can also be a major challenge as any workers will inevitably leave the company or retire. This situation will possibly create knowledge gap that may impact business continuity of the enterprise. Knowledge retention in the corporate environment has been of many research interests. Learning Management System (LMS) refers to the system that provides the delivery, assessment and management tools for an organization to handle its knowledge repository. By using the aspirations of a proven LMS implemented in an academic environment, this paper proposes LMS model that can be used to enable peer-to-peer knowledge capture and sharing in the knowledge-based organization. Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), referred to an ERP solution in the internet cloud environment was chosen as the domain knowledge. The complexity of the Cloud ERP business and its knowledge make it very vulnerable to the knowledge retention problem. This paper discusses how the company's essential knowledge can be retained using the LMS system derived from academic environment into the corporate model.

Expert systems and simulation models; Proceedings of the Seminar, Tucson, AZ, November 18, 19, 1985

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

The seminar presents papers on modeling and simulation methodology, artificial intelligence and expert systems, environments for simulation/expert system development, and methodology for simulation/expert system development. Particular attention is given to simulation modeling concepts and their representation, modular hierarchical model specification, knowledge representation, and rule-based diagnostic expert system development. Other topics include the combination of symbolic and discrete event simulation, real time inferencing, and the management of large knowledge-based simulation projects.

Model-based diagnostics for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesq, Lorraine M.; Stephan, Amy; Martin, Eric R.; Lerutte, Marcel G.

1991-01-01

An innovative approach to fault management was recently demonstrated for the NASA LeRC Space Station Freedom (SSF) power system testbed. This project capitalized on research in model-based reasoning, which uses knowledge of a system's behavior to monitor its health. The fault management system (FMS) can isolate failures online, or in a post analysis mode, and requires no knowledge of failure symptoms to perform its diagnostics. An in-house tool called MARPLE was used to develop and run the FMS. MARPLE's capabilities are similar to those available from commercial expert system shells, although MARPLE is designed to build model-based as opposed to rule-based systems. These capabilities include functions for capturing behavioral knowledge, a reasoning engine that implements a model-based technique known as constraint suspension, and a tool for quickly generating new user interfaces. The prototype produced by applying MARPLE to SSF not only demonstrated that model-based reasoning is a valuable diagnostic approach, but it also suggested several new applications of MARPLE, including an integration and testing aid, and a complement to state estimation.

Practical and generalizable architecture for an intelligent tutoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, Randy M.; Trenholm, Harriet

1993-03-01

In this paper we describe an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) called HYDRIVE (hydraulics interactive video experience). This system is built using several novel approaches to intelligent tutoring. The underlying rationale for HYDRIVE is based on the results of a cognitive task analysis. The reasoning component of the system makes extensive use of a hierarchical knowledge representation. Reasoning within the system is accomplished using a logic-based approach and is linked to a highly interactive interface using multimedia. The knowledge representation contains information that drives the multimedia elements of the system, and the reasoning components select the appropriate information to assess student knowledge or guide the student at any particular moment. As this system will be deployed throughout the Air Force maintenance function, the implementation platform is the IBM PC.

Optimization of knowledge-based systems and expert system building tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yasuda, Phyllis; Mckellar, Donald

1993-01-01

The objectives of the NASA-AMES Cooperative Agreement were to investigate, develop, and evaluate, via test cases, the system parameters and processing algorithms that constrain the overall performance of the Information Sciences Division's Artificial Intelligence Research Facility. Written reports covering various aspects of the grant were submitted to the co-investigators for the grant. Research studies concentrated on the field of artificial intelligence knowledge-based systems technology. Activities included the following areas: (1) AI training classes; (2) merging optical and digital processing; (3) science experiment remote coaching; (4) SSF data management system tests; (5) computer integrated documentation project; (6) conservation of design knowledge project; (7) project management calendar and reporting system; (8) automation and robotics technology assessment; (9) advanced computer architectures and operating systems; and (10) honors program.

Results of research on development of an intellectual information system of bankruptcy risk assessment of the enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telipenko, E.; Chernysheva, T.; Zakharova, A.; Dumchev, A.

2015-10-01

The article represents research results about the knowledge base development for the intellectual information system for the bankruptcy risk assessment of the enterprise. It is described the process analysis of the knowledge base development; the main process stages, some problems and their solutions are given. The article introduces the connectionist model for the bankruptcy risk assessment based on the analysis of industrial enterprise financial accounting. The basis for this connectionist model is a three-layer perceptron with the back propagation of error algorithm. The knowledge base for the intellectual information system consists of processed information and the processing operation method represented as the connectionist model. The article represents the structure of the intellectual information system, the knowledge base, and the information processing algorithm for neural network training. The paper shows mean values of 10 indexes for industrial enterprises; with the help of them it is possible to carry out a financial analysis of industrial enterprises and identify correctly the current situation for well-timed managerial decisions. Results are given about neural network testing on the data of both bankrupt and financially strong enterprises, which were not included into training and test sets.

Health data and data governance.

PubMed

Hovenga, Evelyn J S; Grain, Heather

2013-01-01

Health is a knowledge industry, based on data collected to support care, service planning, financing and knowledge advancement. Increasingly there is a need to collect, retrieve and use health record information in an electronic format to provide greater flexibility, as this enables retrieval and display of data in multiple locations and formats irrespective of where the data were collected. Electronically maintained records require greater structure and consistency to achieve this. The use of data held in records generated in real time in clinical systems also has the potential to reduce the time it takes to gain knowledge, as there is less need to collect research specific information, this is only possible if data governance principles are applied. Connected devices and information systems are now generating huge amounts of data, as never before seen. An ability to analyse and mine very large amounts of data, "Big Data", provides policy and decision makers with new insights into varied aspects of work and information flow and operational business patterns and trends, and drives greater efficiencies, and safer and more effective health care. This enables decision makers to apply rules and guidance that have been developed based upon knowledge from many individual patient records through recognition of triggers based upon that knowledge. In clinical decision support systems information about the individual is compared to rules based upon knowledge gained from accumulated information of many to provide guidance at appropriate times in the clinical process. To achieve this the data in the individual system, and the knowledge rules must be represented in a compatible and consistent manner. This chapter describes data attributes; explains the difference between data and information; outlines the requirements for quality data; shows the relevance of health data standards; and describes how data governance impacts representation of content in systems and the use of that information.

D and D knowledge management information tool - a web based system developed to share D and D knowledge worldwide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lagos, L.; Upadhyay, H.; Shoffner, P.

2013-07-01

Deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) work is a high risk and technically challenging enterprise within the U.S. Department of Energy complex. During the past three decades, the DOE's Office of Environmental Management has been in charge of carrying out one of the largest environmental restoration efforts in the world: the cleanup of the Manhattan Project legacy. In today's corporate world, worker experiences and knowledge that have developed over time represent a valuable corporate asset. The ever-dynamic workplace, coupled with an aging workforce, presents corporations with the ongoing challenge of preserving work-related experiences and knowledge for cross-generational knowledge transfer tomore » the future workforce [5]. To prevent the D and D knowledge base and expertise from being lost over time, the DOE and the Applied Research Center at Florida International University (FIU) have developed the web-based Knowledge Management Information Tool (KM-IT) to capture and maintain this valuable information in a universally available and easily accessible and usable system. The D and D KM-IT was developed in collaboration with DOE Headquarters (HQ), the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG), and the ALARA [as low as reasonably achievable] Centers at Savannah River Sites to preserve the D and D information generated and collected by the D and D community. This is an open secured system that can be accessed from https://www.dndkm.org over the web and through mobile devices at https://m.dndkm.org. This knowledge system serves as a centralized repository and provides a common interface for D and D-related activities. It also improves efficiency by reducing the need to rediscover knowledge and promotes the reuse of existing knowledge. It is a community-driven system that facilitates the gathering, analyzing, storing, and sharing of knowledge and information within the D and D community. It assists the DOE D and D community in identifying potential solutions to their problem areas by using the vast resources and knowledge base available throughout the global D and D community. The D and D KM-IT offers a mechanism to the global D and D community for searching relevant D and D information and is focused on providing a single point of access into the collective knowledge base of the D and D community within and outside of the DOE. Collecting information from subject matter specialists, it builds a knowledge repository for future reference archiving Lessons Learned, Best Practices, ALARA reports, and other relevant documents and maintains a secured collaboration platform for the global D and D community to share knowledge. With the dynamic nature and evolution of the D and D knowledge base due to multiple factors such as changes in the workforce, new technologies and methodologies, economics, and regulations, the D and D KM-IT is being developed in a phased and modular fashion. (authors)« less

Chapter 1: Biomedical knowledge integration.

PubMed

Payne, Philip R O

2012-01-01

The modern biomedical research and healthcare delivery domains have seen an unparalleled increase in the rate of innovation and novel technologies over the past several decades. Catalyzed by paradigm-shifting public and private programs focusing upon the formation and delivery of genomic and personalized medicine, the need for high-throughput and integrative approaches to the collection, management, and analysis of heterogeneous data sets has become imperative. This need is particularly pressing in the translational bioinformatics domain, where many fundamental research questions require the integration of large scale, multi-dimensional clinical phenotype and bio-molecular data sets. Modern biomedical informatics theory and practice has demonstrated the distinct benefits associated with the use of knowledge-based systems in such contexts. A knowledge-based system can be defined as an intelligent agent that employs a computationally tractable knowledge base or repository in order to reason upon data in a targeted domain and reproduce expert performance relative to such reasoning operations. The ultimate goal of the design and use of such agents is to increase the reproducibility, scalability, and accessibility of complex reasoning tasks. Examples of the application of knowledge-based systems in biomedicine span a broad spectrum, from the execution of clinical decision support, to epidemiologic surveillance of public data sets for the purposes of detecting emerging infectious diseases, to the discovery of novel hypotheses in large-scale research data sets. In this chapter, we will review the basic theoretical frameworks that define core knowledge types and reasoning operations with particular emphasis on the applicability of such conceptual models within the biomedical domain, and then go on to introduce a number of prototypical data integration requirements and patterns relevant to the conduct of translational bioinformatics that can be addressed via the design and use of knowledge-based systems.

Chapter 1: Biomedical Knowledge Integration

PubMed Central

Payne, Philip R. O.

2012-01-01

The modern biomedical research and healthcare delivery domains have seen an unparalleled increase in the rate of innovation and novel technologies over the past several decades. Catalyzed by paradigm-shifting public and private programs focusing upon the formation and delivery of genomic and personalized medicine, the need for high-throughput and integrative approaches to the collection, management, and analysis of heterogeneous data sets has become imperative. This need is particularly pressing in the translational bioinformatics domain, where many fundamental research questions require the integration of large scale, multi-dimensional clinical phenotype and bio-molecular data sets. Modern biomedical informatics theory and practice has demonstrated the distinct benefits associated with the use of knowledge-based systems in such contexts. A knowledge-based system can be defined as an intelligent agent that employs a computationally tractable knowledge base or repository in order to reason upon data in a targeted domain and reproduce expert performance relative to such reasoning operations. The ultimate goal of the design and use of such agents is to increase the reproducibility, scalability, and accessibility of complex reasoning tasks. Examples of the application of knowledge-based systems in biomedicine span a broad spectrum, from the execution of clinical decision support, to epidemiologic surveillance of public data sets for the purposes of detecting emerging infectious diseases, to the discovery of novel hypotheses in large-scale research data sets. In this chapter, we will review the basic theoretical frameworks that define core knowledge types and reasoning operations with particular emphasis on the applicability of such conceptual models within the biomedical domain, and then go on to introduce a number of prototypical data integration requirements and patterns relevant to the conduct of translational bioinformatics that can be addressed via the design and use of knowledge-based systems. PMID:23300416

Ontology-based configuration of problem-solving methods and generation of knowledge-acquisition tools: application of PROTEGE-II to protocol-based decision support.

PubMed

Tu, S W; Eriksson, H; Gennari, J H; Shahar, Y; Musen, M A

1995-06-01

PROTEGE-II is a suite of tools and a methodology for building knowledge-based systems and domain-specific knowledge-acquisition tools. In this paper, we show how PROTEGE-II can be applied to the task of providing protocol-based decision support in the domain of treating HIV-infected patients. To apply PROTEGE-II, (1) we construct a decomposable problem-solving method called episodic skeletal-plan refinement, (2) we build an application ontology that consists of the terms and relations in the domain, and of method-specific distinctions not already captured in the domain terms, and (3) we specify mapping relations that link terms from the application ontology to the domain-independent terms used in the problem-solving method. From the application ontology, we automatically generate a domain-specific knowledge-acquisition tool that is custom-tailored for the application. The knowledge-acquisition tool is used for the creation and maintenance of domain knowledge used by the problem-solving method. The general goal of the PROTEGE-II approach is to produce systems and components that are reusable and easily maintained. This is the rationale for constructing ontologies and problem-solving methods that can be composed from a set of smaller-grained methods and mechanisms. This is also why we tightly couple the knowledge-acquisition tools to the application ontology that specifies the domain terms used in the problem-solving systems. Although our evaluation is still preliminary, for the application task of providing protocol-based decision support, we show that these goals of reusability and easy maintenance can be achieved. We discuss design decisions and the tradeoffs that have to be made in the development of the system.

An American knowledge base in England - Alternate implementations of an expert system flight status monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, G. F.; Graves, A. T.; Disbrow, J. D.; Duke, E. L.

1989-01-01

A joint activity between the Dryden Flight Research Facility of the NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) and the Royal Aerospace Establishment (RAE) on knowledge-based systems has been agreed. Under the agreement, a flight status monitor knowledge base developed at Ames-Dryden has been implemented using the real-time AI (artificial intelligence) toolkit MUSE, which was developed in the UK. Here, the background to the cooperation is described and the details of the flight status monitor and a prototype MUSE implementation are presented. It is noted that the capabilities of the expert-system flight status monitor to monitor data downlinked from the flight test aircraft and to generate information on the state and health of the system for the test engineers provides increased safety during flight testing of new systems. Furthermore, the expert-system flight status monitor provides the systems engineers with ready access to the large amount of information required to describe a complex aircraft system.

Automating the design of scientific computing software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kant, Elaine

1992-01-01

SINAPSE is a domain-specific software design system that generates code from specifications of equations and algorithm methods. This paper describes the system's design techniques (planning in a space of knowledge-based refinement and optimization rules), user interaction style (user has option to control decision making), and representation of knowledge (rules and objects). It also summarizes how the system knowledge has evolved over time and suggests some issues in building software design systems to facilitate reuse.

A flexible telerobotic system for space operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sliwa, N. O.; Will, R. W.

1987-01-01

The objective and design of a proposed goal-oriented knowledge-based telerobotic system for space operations is described. This design effort encompasses the elements of the system executive and user interface and the distribution and general structure of the knowledge base, the displays, and the task sequencing. The objective of the design effort is to provide an expandable structure for a telerobotic system that provides cooperative interaction between the human operator and computer control. The initial phase of the implementation provides a rule-based, goal-oriented script generator to interface to the existing control modes of a telerobotic research system, in the Intelligent Systems Research Lab at NASA Research Center.