Toward Improved Models of Mechanical Design Methology

这项研究的目的是提高我们对 机械设计过程。 这种理解将改善未来 计算机辅助设计工具。 获得这种理解的方法 将进行一个实验，在这个实验中， 构建问题，并研究其协议，以创建一个设计 从规范到实施。 使用来自 在人工智能领域，协议将被正式化。 一 本研究项目的主要工作将针对 开发一种用于说明规范的形式语言， 描述工件（对象、过程或系统）的语言， 用于定性模拟和约束传播的系统，以及 智能数据库系统支持设计。 在任何领域的突破 将是设计理论的一个重大进步。

The goal of this research is to improve our understanding of the process of mechanical design. This understanding will improve future computer-aided design tools. The method for gaining this understanding will be to perform an experiment in which designers are given carefully constructed problems and to study their protocols for creating a design from specifications to implementation. Using existing models from the field of artificial intelligence, the protocols will be formalized. A major effort of this research project will be directed toward developing a formal language for stating specifications, a formal language for describing artifacts (objects, processes, or systems), a system for qualitative simulation and constraint propagation, and an intelligent database system to support design. A breakthrough in any of these areas would be a major advance for design theory.