U.S.-Italy Cooperative Research in Visual Languages

该奖项将支持美国匹兹堡大学张世国教授与意大利萨莱诺大学G. Tortora教授的一项研究合作。本研究的主要目的是探讨视觉语言的基本方法和理论。特别是，他们建议研究一种称为SIL-ICON编译器的可视化语言编译器的设计方法。SIL-ICON编译器是一个用于说明、解释、原型和生成面向图标系统的软件系统。SIL-ICON编译器的设计基于广义图标理论。广义图标是具有逻辑部分（意义）和物理部分（图像）双重表示的对象。通过汇集经验丰富的研究团队，结合资源和人才，这个国际项目不仅有可能提供对视觉语言和视觉概念的理论理解，而且还可以为数据库应用程序的新颖用户界面设计提供实际应用。

This award will support Prof. Shi-Kuo Chang of the University of Pittsburgh in a research collaboration with Prof. G. Tortora of the Universita di Salerno, Italy. The principal objective of the proposed research is to investigate the fundamental methodologies and theories of visual languages. In particular, they propose to investigate the methodology for the design of a visual language compiler, called the SIL-ICON Compiler. The SIL-ICON Compiler is a software system for the specification, interpretation, proto- typing, and generation of icon-oriented systems. The design of the SIL-ICON compiler is based upon the theory of generalized icons. A generalized icon is an object with the dual representation of a logical part (the meaning) and a physical part (the image). By bringing together experienced teams of inves- tigators to combine resources and talent, this international project has the potential not only to provide insights into both the theoretical understanding of visual languages and visual concepts, but also to furnish practical applications in novel user interface design for database applications.