Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T20:35:18.518Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Constructing design methodologies using multiagent systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2005

CIRRUS SHAKERI
Affiliation:
Knowledge Technologies International, Charlotte, North Carolina 28262, USA
DAVID C. BROWN
Affiliation:
Computer Science Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts 01609, USA

Abstract

An innovative approach has been developed for discovering better design methodologies that is based on simulating the design process using a multiagent system that mimics the behavior of a design team. The system implements a knowledge-based model of design in which highly specialized knowledge from expert sources is applied to synthesize a design. The agents activate the pieces of design knowledge when they become applicable. The use of knowledge by agents is recorded by tracing the steps that the agents have taken during a design project. Many traces are generated by solving a large number of design projects that differ in their requirements. A set of design methodologies is constructed by using inductive learning techniques to generalize the traces generated. These methodologies then can be used to guide human design teams through future design projects.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Badhrinath, K. & Jagannatha Rao, J.R. (1996). Modeling for concurrent design using game theory formulations. Concurrent Engineering: Research and Applications 4(4), 389399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, D.C. & Douglas, R. (1993). Concurrent accumulation of knowledge: A view of CE. In The Handbook of Concurrent Design and Manufacturing (Parsaei, H.R. & Sullivan, W.G., Eds.), pp. 402412. London: Chapman & Hall.
Dasgupta, S. (1989). The structure of design processes. In Advances in Computers (Yovits, M.D., Ed.), Vol. 28, pp. 167. New York: Academic.CrossRef
Huang, G.Q. & Brandon, J.A. (1993). Cooperating Expert Systems in Mechanical Systems. New York: Wiley.
Jackson, P. (1990). Introduction to Expert Systems. Reading, MA: Addison–Wesley.
Kannapan, S.M. & Marshek, K.M. (1992). Engineering design methodologies: A new perspective. In Intelligent Design and Manufacturing (Kusiak, A., Ed.), pp. 338. New York: Wiley.
Klein, M. (1991). Supporting conflict resolution in cooperative design systems. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics 21(6), 13791389.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lander, S.E. (1997). Issues in multi-agent design systems. IEEE Expert: Intelligent Systems and their Applications 12(2), 1826.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langley, P. (1996). Elements of Machine Learning. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann.
NSF. (1996). Research Opportunities in Engineering Design (Shah, J., Ed.). NSF Strategic Planning Workshop Final Report.
Reich, Y. & Fenves, S.J. (1991). The formation and use of abstract concepts in design. In Concept Formation: Knowledge and Experience in Unsupervised Learning (Fisher, D.H., Pazzani, M.J. & Langley, P., Eds.), pp. 323353. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann.CrossRef
Shakeri, C. (1998). Discovery of design methodologies for the integration of multi-disciplinary design problems. PhD Thesis. Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Sobolewski, M. (1996). Multiagent knowledge-based environment for concurrent engineering applications. Concurrent Engineering: Research and Applications 4(1), 8997.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wooldridge, M. (1997). Agent-based software engineering. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 144(1), 2637.CrossRefGoogle Scholar