Expert system application education project

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and in particular expert systems, has shown potential applicability in many areas of operation at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). In an era of limited resources, the early identification of good expert system applications, and their segregation from inappropriate ones can result in a more efficient use of available NASA resources. On the other hand, the education of students in a highly technical area such as AI requires an extensive hands-on effort. The nature of expert systems is such that proper sample applications for the educational process are difficult to find. A pilot project between NASA-KSC and the University of Central Florida which was designed to simultaneously address the needs of both institutions at a minimum cost. This project, referred to as Expert Systems Prototype Training Project (ESPTP), provided NASA with relatively inexpensive development of initial prototype versions of certain applications. University students likewise benefit by having expertise on a non-trivial problem accessible to them at no cost. Such expertise is indispensible in a hands-on training approach to developing expert systems

An Optimum Organizational Structure For A Large Earth-Orbiting Multidisciplinary Space Base

The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify an optimum hypothetical organizational structure for a large earth-orbiting multidisciplinary research and applications (R&A) Space Base manned by a mixed crew of technologists. Since such a facility does not presently exist, in. situ empirical testing was not possible. Study activity was, therefore, concerned with the identification of a desired organizational structural model rather than the empirical testing of it. The essential finding of this research was that a four-level project type total matrix model will optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of Space Base technologists

Expert System Prototype Developments For Nasa-KSC Business And Engineering Applications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, and in particular expert systems — a subset of AI which shows the strongest applicability to a wide variety of environments, has recently emerged from the realm of basic research into that of real-world applications. To further these advances, NASA-Kennedy Space Center (KSC) provided funding and other critical resources to the University of Central Florida (UCF) in support of instruction of expert systems technology. During the Fall 1987 semester, UCF\u27s Colleges of Business and Engineering concurrently offered courses in response to the increased interest in expert system applications and to satisfy the intent of this grant. This paper describes the prototype expert systems which evolved from this sponsorship and the development methods used

Developing Expert Systems for Small Business: An Application for Selecting a Legal Form of Organization

The success and value to clients of small business counseling programs such as those offered by Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs ) and Small Business Institutes (SBls) are directly related to the ai1ailability and quality of expert advice. This article provides an overview and it explores the possibilities for PC-based expert system development with particular attention to o s1nall business application. A proof-of-concept SBDC advisory system is described. It provides expert-based advice for selecting a legal form of business organization. Issues of client usability and liability are raised. Conclusions show that the use of expert systems for s1nall business consulting offers an expanded potential for relieving already overworked consulting staff members, for offering clients quality advice, and for providing a method of training less experienced  consultants

Paper Session I-C - The Role of the University in Commercial Launch Activities

Success of the U.S. in the international space arena depends largely on our ability to reduce the cost-to-orbit of payloads. To reduce costs, significant effort must be expended to upgrade commercial launch vehicles, processing facilities and operational procedures. The universities have much to contribute to such an effort. This paper discusses the positive role that universities can play in helping industry and government be more successful in commercial space. Activities include needs assessments* problem definition, research, test and evaluation, business assistance, and education. Emphasis is placed on establishing a permanent capability to continuously advance launch systems technology, and on developing education and research programs that are complementary to each other

NASA-KSC\u27S Earth Resources Benefits From Space Exploration

The purpose of this paper is to identify the nature and scope of earth resources activities at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Because of recent developments from space exploration, NASA and KSC have evolved an earth resources program which focuses on applied R&D activities of direct benefit to a variety of federal, state, and local users. The historical development of this program is traced, and several projects are identified with special emphasis on the use of sidelooking airborne radar in several Brevard County, Florida test areas

An intelligent interactive visual database management system for Space Shuttle closeout image management

Status is given of an applications investigation on the potential for using an expert system shell for classification and retrieval of high resolution, digital, color space shuttle closeout photography. This NASA funded activity has focused on the use of integrated information technologies to intelligently classify and retrieve still imagery from a large, electronically stored collection. A space shuttle processing problem is identified, a working prototype system is described, and commercial applications are identified. A conclusion reached is that the developed system has distinct advantages over the present manual system and cost efficiencies will result as the system is implemented. Further, commercial potential exists for this integrated technology

Measurement of the production of a W boson in association with a charm quark in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The production of a W boson in association with a single charm quark is studied using 4.6 fb−1 of pp collision data at s√ = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. In events in which a W boson decays to an electron or muon, the charm quark is tagged either by its semileptonic decay to a muon or by the presence of a charmed meson. The integrated and differential cross sections as a function of the pseudorapidity of the lepton from the W-boson decay are measured. Results are compared to the predictions of next-to-leading-order QCD calculations obtained from various parton distribution function parameterisations. The ratio of the strange-to-down sea-quark distributions is determined to be 0.96+0.26−0.30 at Q 2 = 1.9 GeV2, which supports the hypothesis of an SU(3)-symmetric composition of the light-quark sea. Additionally, the cross-section ratio σ(W + +c¯¯)/σ(W − + c) is compared to the predictions obtained using parton distribution function parameterisations with different assumptions about the s−s¯¯¯ quark asymmetry

Parrots Eat Nutritious Foods despite Toxins

Generalist herbivores are challenged not only by the low nitrogen and high indigestibility of their plant foods, but also by physical and chemical defenses of plants. This study investigated the foods of wild parrots in the Peruvian Amazon and asked whether these foods contain dietary components that are limiting for generalist herbivores (protein, lipids, minerals) and in what quantity; whether parrots chose foods based on nutrient content; and whether parrots avoid plants that are chemically defended.We made 224 field observations of free-ranging parrots of 17 species in 8 genera foraging on 102 species of trees in an undisturbed tropical rainforest, in two dry seasons (July-August 1992-1993) and one wet season (January-February1994). We performed laboratory analyses of parts of plants eaten and not eaten by parrots and brine shrimp assays of toxicity as a proxy for vertebrates. Parrots ate seeds, fruits, flowers, leaves, bark, and insect larvae, but up to 70% of their diet comprised seeds of many species of tropical trees, in various stages of ripeness. Plant parts eaten by parrots were rich in protein, lipid, and essential minerals, as well as potentially toxic chemicals. Seeds were higher than other plant materials in protein and lipid and lower in fiber. Large macaws of three species ate foods higher in protein and lipids and lower in fiber compared to plant parts available but not eaten. Macaws ate foods that were lower in phenolic compounds than foods they avoided. Nevertheless, foods eaten by macaws contained measurable levels of toxicity. Macaws did not appear to make dietary selections based on mineral content.Parrots represent a remarkable example of a generalist herbivore that consumes seeds destructively despite plant chemical defenses. With the ability to eat toxic foods, rainforest-dwelling parrots exploited a diversity of nutritious foods, even in the dry season when food was scarce for other frugivores and granivores