Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2005. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 58)

Thesis (M.S. in Meteorology)--Naval Postgraduate School, March 2006. / Thesis Advisor(s): Patrick A. Harr. "March 2006." Includes bibliographical references (p. 89). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1987. / Vita. Bibliography: leaves [106]-108.

A multi-level modular control scheme to realize integrated process monitoring, diagnosis and control for intelligent machining is proposed and implemented. PC-based hardware architecture to manipulate machining process cutting parameters, using a PMAC interface card as well as sensing processes performance parameters through sampling, and processing by means of DSP interface cards is presented. Controller hardware, to interface the PC-based PMAC interface card to a machining process for the direct control of speed, feed and depth of cut, is described. Sensors to directly measure on-line process performance parameters, including cutting forces, cutting sound, tool-workpiece vibration, cutting temperature and spindle current are described. The indirect measurement of performance parameter surface roughness and tool wear monitoring, through the use of NF sensor fusion modeling, is described and verified. An object based software architecture, with corresponding user interfaces (using Microsoft Visual C++ Foundation Classes and implemented C++ classes for sending motion control commands to the PMAC and receiving processed on-line sensor data from the DSP) is explained. The software structure indicates all the components necessary for integrating the monitoring, diagnosis and control scheme. C-based software code executed on the DSP for real-time sampling, filtering and FFT processing of sensor signals, is explained. Making use of experimental data and regression analysis, analytical relationships between cutting parameters (independent) and each of the performance parameters (dependent) are obtained and used to simulate the machining process. A fuzzy relation that contains values determined from statistical data (indicating the strength of connection between the independent and dependent variables) is proposed. The fuzzy relation forms the basis of a diagnostic scheme that is able to intelligently determine which independent variable to change when a machining performance parameter exceeds control limits. The intelligent diagnosis scheme is extensively tested using the machining process simulation.

A sample of Vancouver's zoning has been expressed as an expert system, microcomputer program, - Euclid - in order to demonstrate the feasibility of applying this tool in municipal planning, and to explore the desirability of such computer applications. Review of the literature on Expert Systems from a planning practice perspective showed that this is considered one of the more exciting and potentially useful developments emerging from Computer Science. Expert Systems are thought to be applicable to some planning tasks which are difficult to handle using the computer tools currently available yet suited to automation, however, there is in the literature very little empirical work on developing systems and testing the potential utility of expert systems in land use planning. Euclid is programmed in Turbo Prolog 2.0, a language accessible without extensive or specialized computer training. The first conclusions of the thesis are that simple but useful expert systems can be built rather quickly by planners, and that development control is a good application domain. The thesis also uncovered several weaknesses and inconsistencies which appear related to the way Zoning By-laws have been written, and suggests that the discipline of programming in logic may avoid or resolve such problems. Finally the process of developing a system is shown to be just important as the system itself: Expert systems are a way of thinking about a problem just as they are a way of solving it. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This thesis addresses the problem of providing explanations for expert systems implemented in a shell that supports a hybrid knowledge representation architecture. Hybrid representations combine rules and frames and are the predominant architecture in intermediate and high-end commercial expert system shells. The main point of the thesis is that frames can be endowed with explanation capabilities on a par with rules. The point is illustrated by a partial specification for an expert system shell and sample explanations which could be generated by an expert system coded to that specification. As background information, the thesis introduces expert systems and the standard knowledge representation schemes that support them: rule-only schemes, and hybrid schemes that combine rules with frames. Explanations for expert systems are introduced in the context of rules, since rules are the only representation for which explanations are supported, either in commercial tools or in the preponderance of research. The problem addressed by the thesis, how to produce explanations for hybrid architectures, is analyzed in two dimensions. Research was surveyed in three areas for guiding principles toward solving the problem: frame logic, metalevel architectures, and reflective architectures. With the few principles that were discovered in hand, the problem is then analyzed into a small number of subproblems, mainly concerning high-level architectural decisions. The solution proposed to the problem is described in two ways. First a partial specification for expert system shell functionality is offered, which describes, first, object structures and, then, behaviors at three points in time—object compilation time, execution time, and explanation generation time. The second component of the description is a set of extended examples which illustrate explanation generation in a hypothetical expert system. The solution adopts principles of reflective architectures, storing metainformation for explanations in metaobjects which are distinct from the object-level objects they explain. The most novel contribution of the solution is a scheme for relating all the ways that objects' slot values may be computed to the goal tree construct introduced by the seminal Mycin expert system. The final chapter explores potential problems with the solution and the possibility of producing better explanations for hybrid expert system shell architectures. / Science, Faculty of / Computer Science, Department of / Graduate

An analysis of the organizational field of B.C. agriculture was conducted to explore the politics of the innovation process. Agricultural innovations in organic farming, synthetic agrichemicals and biogenetic engineering were studied at the individual, organizational and interorganizational levels. Research questions regarding the innovation decision—making process, innovation championship, organizational politics, organization theory and interorganizational networks were explored. A total of 137 persons (organic and conventional farmers, BCMAFF employees, farm organization employees) were interviewed in this research study. Data was collected via semi—structured interviews, questionnaires, and analysis of publications to investigate a total of 28 research questions. Similarities and differences between organic and conventional farmers in respect to their socioeconomic characteristics, motivations, actions and environmentalist beliefs were identified. Organic farmers basis for their innovation adoption decisions was found to be largely informed by their environmentalist philosophy whereas the primary motivating factor for conventional farmers was economic rather than ideological. Case studies of 33 farm organizations (20 conventional and 13 organic) were conducted. Organizational fields were found to be defined not only in terms of products, services and geographic location but also in terms of ideology. Within the conventional agriculture organizational field there was a high degree of homogeneity in organizational structures and decision making processes as well as close collaboration with government policy makers. Within the organic agriculture organizational field there was homogeneity in production practices, but heterogeneity in organizational structures, goals and decision making processes based on the radicalness of the environmentalist philosophy of an organization’s membership. The formation and operation of interorganizational networks in each organizational field confirmed previous findings of the critical problems in overorganized and underorganized networks. A longitudinal analysis of organizational politics in the organic agriculture organizational field revealed that institutionalization processes engender political contests among competing interests. The successful championship of an innovative government regulatory system was attributed to the early use of a wide variety of collaborative and competitive political games. Opponents’ efforts to neutralize champions’ escalation of commitment during the later stages of the innovation development process proved to be ineffective. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

<p>Use of teleconferencing systems can have a major impact on mobility-impaired office workers. This technology helps in bringing jobs to the workers' geographic 10catioIl, thereby integrating mobility-impaired workers into the work force. However, configuration of teleconferencing systems is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. The aim of the work reported here was to find an affordaLle and efficient way of configuring teleconferencing systems. In the past, expert systems have been successful in solving similar configuration problems. In this report, an expert system is proposed to aid in the configuration of teleconferencing systems. The report also includes detailed problem specifications, justification for choosing an expert system as a solution, and high-level functional specifications for the development of an expert system.</p> / Master of Science

A project report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. / This dissertation has as it's objective to develop an expert system for the purpose of investigating the suitability of using expert systems in developing areas. It is the first time to our knowledge that an expert system has been tested for usage in such a context. The housing and more specifically roofing domain is investigated for an application topic resulting in "the selection of suitable roofing types" being chosen. Potential end-users are identified, an appropriate context of such a system is outlined and an expert system tool is selected, The knowledge engineering and building of the knowledge base are described. Feedback from the parties involved in testing and validating BUILDROOF is documented. In addition the suitability of using expert systems in the developing areas context in which BUILDROOF was developed, is discussed. Finally, recommendations regarding potentially suitable areas of application for expert systems in developing areas are outlined. / Andrew Chakane 2019

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