Using graphical style and visibility constraints for a meaningful layout in visual programming interfaces

In the expanding field of visual applications, layout design and graphical editing tasks are crucial points. In this paper, we address the incorporation of AI aspects in the visual software design process and the automatic layout and beautification of informational graphics such as visual programs and chart diagrams. Since layout in dynamic settings frequently requires a direct manipulation responsiveness, an incremental redesign of the generated visual material is necessary. Following our previous work on constraint-based multimodal design, we show how powerful constraint processing techniques, such as constraint hierarchies and dynamic constraint satisfaction, can be applied to visual programming environments in order to maintain graphical style and consistency for a meaningful layout. We describe InLay, a system for constraint-based presenting and editing visual programs. Finally, we will have a short look at some extensions with regard to advanced interaction and visualization techniques

Object-Oriented Software for Fitness-For-Service Assessment of Cracked Cylinder Based on API RP 579

Fitness-for-service assessment of a cracked component intends to evaluate its remaining strength and remaining life to support the implementation of a maintenance plan. This research aims to develop a fitness-for-service assessment software to facilitate the task. The software development process included identifying the software specifications, designing the software structure, manipulating the information from the standard for programming, the graphical user interface design, and finally verification of the software. The assessment procedure employed in this study was the third edition of the standard API RP 579. The software structure was designed using an object-oriented concept. The software can perform integrity assessment levels 1, 2, and 3 option B, leak-before-break assessment, and remaining life assessment for a cracked cylinder that has a through-thickness crack or semi-elliptical surface crack oriented in an axial or circumferential direction. The applied loads could be a nominal axial force, bending moment, and internal pressure, as well as stress profiles perpendicular to the crack plane due to mechanical, thermal, and residual stresses. Accuracy of the software was demonstrated by applying it to example problems. Some aspects of the software extensibility were conceptually discussed

TARGET: Rapid Capture of Process Knowledge

TARGET (Task Analysis/Rule Generation Tool) represents a new breed of tool that blends graphical process flow modeling capabilities with the function of a top-down reporting facility. Since NASA personnel frequently perform tasks that are primarily procedural in nature, TARGET models mission or task procedures and generates hierarchical reports as part of the process capture and analysis effort. Historically, capturing knowledge has proven to be one of the greatest barriers to the development of intelligent systems. Current practice generally requires lengthy interactions between the expert whose knowledge is to be captured and the knowledge engineer whose responsibility is to acquire and represent the expert's knowledge in a useful form. Although much research has been devoted to the development of methodologies and computer software to aid in the capture and representation of some types of knowledge, procedural knowledge has received relatively little attention. In essence, TARGET is one of the first tools of its kind, commercial or institutional, that is designed to support this type of knowledge capture undertaking. This paper will describe the design and development of TARGET for the acquisition and representation of procedural knowledge. The strategies employed by TARGET to support use by knowledge engineers, subject matter experts, programmers and managers will be discussed. This discussion includes the method by which the tool employs its graphical user interface to generate a task hierarchy report. Next, the approach to generate production rules for incorporation in and development of a CLIPS based expert system will be elaborated. TARGET also permits experts to visually describe procedural tasks as a common medium for knowledge refinement by the expert community and knowledge engineer making knowledge consensus possible. The paper briefly touches on the verification and validation issues facing the CLIPS rule generation aspects of TARGET. A description of efforts to support TARGET's interoperability issues on PCs, Macintoshes and UNIX workstations concludes the paper

Interactive analysis of high-dimensional association structures with graphical models

Graphical chain models are a capable tool for analyzing multivariate data. However, their practical use may still be cumbersome in some respect since fitting the model requires the application of an intensive selection strategy based on the calculation of an enormous number of different regressions. In this paper, we present a computer system especially designed for the calculation of graphical chain models which is not only planned to automatically carry out the model search but also to visualize the corresponding graph at each stage of the model fit on request by the user. It additionally allows to modify the graph and the model fit interactively