NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #30/NN_1992_30.iso/spool/comp/ai/4659

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-20 | 18.9 KB

Xref: sparky comp.ai:4659 comp.ai.shells:540
Newsgroups: comp.ai,comp.ai.shells
Path: sparky!uunet!psinntp!newstand.syr.edu!rodan.acs.syr.edu!gabetzos
From: [e-mail] (Betzos)
Subject: Info needed : expert system shells, companies (summary - long)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Summary: expert system shells, companies
Keywords: expert system shells, companies, industrial applications
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 15:57:14 EST
Lines: 509




Dear netnews readers,

In response to my plea on behalf of a friend of mine, posted in both
newsgroups on Nov. 18, I received quite a few replies. Both of us would
like to thank all of you for your help.

I was asked to provide a summary, so with minimal editing I am sending you
the answers I received. Please note that I am not familiar with this subject
and I don't read these groups.

Again, thank you very much.

George Betzos

[e-mail]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

> From: [e-mail]

> I suggest that You buy PC AI magazine July/August 1992. There You will find
> there annual product guide for expert systems (and tools) among others.


> From: [e-mail]

> Here is the address of VW-GEDAS who made and distribute babylon:
>
> VW-GEDAS GmbH
> Pascalstrasse 11
> W-1000 Berlin 10
> Phone: [phone]  - 0
> Fax:   [phone]  - 999


> From: Stephan Weber <[e-mail]>

> SMECI is an Expert System Shell based on Lisp. It's from ILOG
> a French company.
>
> We are very pleased with it.
>
> The contact address is:
>
> ILOG
> 2, av. Gallieni
> BP 85
> 94253 Gentilly Cedex
> France
>
> Tel. [phone]
> Fax. [phone]
>
> The eMail-address of a technical engineer is:
>
> Daniel Goddard
>
> Internet    [e-mail]
> uucp        ..!mcvax!inria!ilog!godard


> From: talarian![e-mail] (Tom Laffey)

>                 RTworks
>    A family of products for large scale, distributed real-time systems
>
>
> RTworks a family of independent software modules developed for intelligent
> real-time data acquisition, data analysis, message/data distribution, and
> message/data display. RTworks offers a number of sophisticated problem-
> solving strategies including knowledge-based systems, a point-and-click
> graphical user interface, temporal and statistical reasoning, and the ability
> to distribute and application over a network.
>
> RTworks is a true next generation product built specifically to take advantage
> of multiple workstations distributed across a heterogeneous network.
> Included with RTworks is a high-speed inference engine (RTie) which is used to
> analyze the data using objects, classes, procedures, and rules. The IE can
> perform trending, prediction and temporal reasoning of the rapidly changing
> data. RTworks's Human-ComputerInterface (HCI) provides a powerful graphical
> user interface for an operator. The interface makes full use of current high-
> resolution color displays to provide a point-and-click mode for operator
> interaction. Displays can be built by non-programmers using a user-friendly
> DRAW program. More than 60 different formats are provided for displaying
> input data including strip charts, bar charts, control charts, dials, pie
> charts, high-low graphs, and many more. Graphical objects can be tied to
> variables which dynamically control the attributes including color, scale,
> rotation, motion, animation, and more.
>
> RTworks runs in a client-server architecture in which the RTserver process
> intelligently distributes the application's messages and data to only the
> client prcoesses which need them. User-defined client processes can connect to
> RTserver and easily send and receive messages with other processes in
> the application.
>
> RTworks is targeted at applications in which many variables must be
> monitored and displayed in real-time such as process control, network
> monitoring, financial trading, and command and control. It modular design,
> with separate processes for data acquisition, inferencing, data display, and
> inter-process communication make it an ideal environment for building real-
> time applications.
>
> RTworks is available on a variety  of Unix and VMS platforms under a
> floating license in which you pay for only the number of simultaneous users,
> and the software is not node-locked to a particular machine. Current RTworks
> customers include Lockheed, NASA, Dow Chemical, PG&E (Pacific, Gas, and
> Electric), SWIFT, Mazda, and NTT.
>
> Address:
> Talarian Corporation
> 444 Castro Street, Suite 140
> Mtn. View, CA 94041
> USA
>
> phone: [phone]
> FAX:   [phone]


> From: [e-mail]

> Several years ago my company was shopping for a knowledge-based systems
> development tool -- here are some addresses I gathered then of the major
> players in the field.  I don't know if all of the addresses are current,
> or even if all of the companies are still in business, but I hope this is
> of some help to your friend.
>
> ========================================================================
>
> ART-IM                Inference Corporation
>                       550 North Continental Blvd.
>                       El Segundo, CA 90245
>                       [phone]
>                       [phone] FAX
>
>
> GEST  (Generic         Georgia Tech Research Institute
> Expert System Tool)    Computer Science Lab
>                        Atlanta, GA 30332
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX
>                        [phone] FAX
>
>
> GOLDWORKS II           Gold Hill Computers, Inc.
>                        26 Landsdowne Street
>                        Cambridge, MA 02139
>                        1 [phone]
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX
>
>
> GURU                   mdbs, Inc.
>                        Two Executive Drive
>                        P.O. Box 248
>                        Lafayette, IN 47902-0248
>                        1 [phone]
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX
>
>
> Intelligence Compiler  Intelligence Ware
>                        9800 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
>                        Los Angeles, CA 90045-5228
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX
>
>
> KES                    Software Architecture and Engineering, Inc.
>                        1600 Wilson Blvd.
>                        Suite 500
>                        Arlington, VA 22209
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX
>
>
> Knowledge Craft        Carnegie Group, Inc.
>                        5 PPG Place
>                        Pittsburgh, PA  15222
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX
>
>
> Laser                  Bell Atlantic Knowledge Systems, Inc.
>                        P.O. Box 3528
>                        Princeton, NJ 08543-3528
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone]
>
>
> Mercury KBE            Artificial Intelligence Technologies, Inc.
>                        40 Saw Mill River Road
>                        Hawthorne, NY 10532
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX
>
>
> Nexpert Object         Neuron Data
>                        156 University Ave.
>                        Palo Alto, CA 94301
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX
>
>
> Personal Consultant    Texas Instruments
> Plus                   P.O. Box 2909, MS/2240
>                        Austin, TX 78769
>                        [phone]
>
>
> ProKappa               Intellicorp
>                        1975 El Camino Real West
>                        Mountain View, CA 94040-2216
>                        [phone]
>                        [phone] FAX


> From: Hal Waters <[e-mail]>

> I suggest that you get him a copy of AI Expert Magazine, December 1992
> pages 42-49.  It is called the "Expert System Resource Guide".  It may
> not be exhaustive, but considering how the market has somewhat shrunk,
> it may be close enough.


> From: Philip Vanneste <[e-mail]>

> Aion Development System (AionDS)
> is distributed by Aion Corporation
>                   101 University Avenue
>                   Palo Alto, CA 94301
>                   tel. [phone]
>
>    For Europe, contact Software Generation
>                        Kontichsesteenweg 40,
>                        B 2630 Aartselaar
>                        Belgium
>                        tel. [phone]
>                        fax. [phone]
>
> AionDS runs on different platforms including
>  - DOS
>  - OS/2
>  - SUN/OS (Xwindows, OpenWindows, Motif)
>  - Microsoft Windows
>  - VMS
>  - ...
>
> It is suited for developping big applications, and has a very
> developper-friendly interface.
> Some of the features:
> - Object Oriented Knowledge Representation
> - Rules (forward, backward, bidirectional, pattern matching)
> - graphics
> - calls to other languages (C, Pascal, ...)
> - calls from other languages possible
> - GUI also available (Choreographer)
>
> I work with it, and I prefer it above other environments I have used
> such as - Leonardo
>         - K.B.M.S.


> From: [e-mail] (DANIEL CORKILL)

> Blackboard Technology Group, Inc.
> 401 Main Street
> Amherst, MA  01002
> 413/256-8990
> 413/256-3179 (fax)
>
> BBTech markets the GBB generic blackboard framework (runs on
> most everything from PCs and Macs, Unix workstations, and
> Symbolics and TI Explorer Lisp machines.  They also market
> NetGBB for building distributed AI applications using
> blackboard technology.


> From: [e-mail] (Bruce Chih-Lung Lin)

>     addr of Inference Copr. :
>        Inference Corporation ,
>        5300 W. Century Blvd. ,
>        Los Angeles, CA 90045
>
>     In IEEE Computer Feb. 1991, there is a article about Expert system tools.


And a message I received just today :

> From: Willem Van Dyk <[e-mail]>

> Dear Mr.Betzos,
>
> Further to your plea of 25 November 1992 concerning expert systems
> shells, I would like to point out Harlequin's product range. I think
> your friend will be particularly interested in our LispWorks and
> KnowledgeWorks products.
>
> LISPWORKS.
>
> An advanced Common Lisp programming environment for developing
> intelligent information systems on standard UNIX platforms
>
>     Full CLtL2 Common Lisp implementation
>     Comprehensive set of  programming and GUI tools
>     Support for Motif,  OpenLook and CLIM user interface standards
>     Interfaces to C, C++, Fortran and SQL
>     On-line documentation and hypermedia authoring facility
>     High-performance Lisp-based Prolog
>     Compacting delivery system
>
>
> LispWorks includes Harlequin's own implementation of the proposed ANSI
> Common Lisp (CL) standard, including the Common Lisp Object System
> (CLOS), the condition system and the loop facility.
>
> LispWorks contains an optimised version of CLX, the CL interface to
> the X Window system, and a version of CLUE (the standard CL User
> Interface Environment) that is fully integrated with the LispWorks
> multi-tasking system. LispWorks features a generation-based garbage
> collector to provide unobtrusive memory management.
>
>
> USER INTERFACE
>
> The LispWorks interface toolkit extends CLUE to provide a wide range
> of generic interface components. Both Motif and OpenLook "look and
> feel" are supported. Developers can build customised interfaces with
> source code or with the LispWorks Interface Builder. For users wishing
> to develop using CLIM, version 1.0 is available for LispWorks 3.0.
>
> Programming tools include an Emacs-style Lisp editor, a Lisp listener
> and a variety of inspectors, graphers and browsers that offer
> context-sensitive operations.  The debugger supports full source-level
> debugging and can move from an error directly to the offending source
> code.  The source code manager provides support to developers of large
> applications, allowing them to describe the dependencies between files
> explicitly, ensuring correct compilation and loading of multi- file
> systems.
>
> New tools for LispWorks 3.0 include: resource and option browsers, a
> UNIX shell tool, a mail reader and a parser generator.
>
> EXTERNAL INTERFACES
>
> LispWorks supports transparent access to external code and data.  It
> includes functional and CLOS SQL interfaces to access standard
> relational databases.  In addition to supporting C and Fortran,
> LispWorks 3.0 has a CLOS interface to C++. LispWorks also provides an
> interface to GNU Emacs.
>
>
> ON-LINE DOCUMENTATION
>
> LispWorks provides complete on-line documentation using Harlequin's
> Authoring Book, a hypermedia system based on a book metaphor.
>
> The Authoring Book  editing facility allows users to produce their
> own hypermedia on-line documentation. The system can also
> import files from FrameMaker.
>
>
> COMMON PROLOG
>
> LispWorks 3.0 includes a high-performance Prolog engine, tightly
> integrated with Lisp.  Common Prolog includes graphical debugging,
> support for Edinburgh syntax, a 4-port debugger and a Prolog compiler.
>
>
> DELIVERY
>
> The delivery system, with graphical interface, allows programmers to
> develop using the full functionality of LispWorks and deliver compact
> run-time products.  The profiler provides full statistics on program
> activity, allowing time-critical areas to be determined.
>
>
> INTELLIGENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
>
> LispWorks may be supplemented with DataWorks and KnowledgeWorks to
> build intelligent information systems.  DataWorks provides a graphical
> toolkit for constructing relational database interfaces.
> KnowledgeWorks furnishes a graphical toolkit for developing
> knowledge-based systems.
>
>
> REQUIREMENTS
>
> LispWorks is available on a wide range of UNIX platforms including
> Sun, DEC, Intergraph, HP, IBM AND MIPS workstations.  It uses the X
> Window System.
>
>
> KnowledgeWorks 2.0 - a graphical toolkit for developing knowledge-based systems
>
>     Reasoning via forward and backward chaining rules
>     CLOS knowledge representation
>     SQL interface for relational databases
>     DataWorks and HyperWorks integration
>     Portable and easily embedded
>
> KnowledgeWorks KnowledgeWorks is a graphical toolkit for developing
> complex knowledge-based systems.  It provides a multi-paradigm
> programming environment, where developers may mix rule- based,
> object-oriented and procedural programming.
>
> KnowledgeWorks uses the  highly efficient CLOS implementation
> provided by LispWorks Harlequin's object-oriented Common
> Lisp programming environment.  All of the  LispWorks tools are
> also available within the KnowledgeWorks environment.
>
> RULES
> Rules in KnowledgeWorks can be either forward or backward
> chaining.  They perform complete pattern matching and may
> contain arbitrary Common Lisp expressions.
>
> FORWARD CHAINING RULES
> KnowledgeWorks forward chaining rules use an enhanced OPS5-
> like syntax.  They can access and modify CLOS objects, working
> memory elements,  database references, and can call Lisp
> functions and backward chaining rules.  A Rete network compiles
> forward chaining rules into machine executable code for speed
> and efficiency.  Rules can execute at over 2500 firings/sec on a
> Sun SPARCstation 2, depending on rule complexity.
>
> BACKWARD CHAINING RULES
> The KnowledgeWorks backward chaining system consists of an
> extended implementation of Prolog.  Goal patterns may  represent
> CLOS objects, working memory elements, database references, and
> calls to Lisp and the forward chainer.  Source-level Prolog
> debugging is provided to augment the traditional 4-port
> debugging model, and Edinburgh syntax is supported.   The
> backward chainer supports both mode declarations and user
> selectable clause indexing.  It runs at an average of 35 klips on a
> Sun SPARCstation 2.
>
> CLOS KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION
> CLOS provides  exceptionally powerful and efficient facilities for
> object-oriented programming.   These facilities can be used to
> implement knowledge representations with dynamic slots and
> multiple inheritance.  CLOS objects are transparently available for
> rule access or modification without  degrading the object system
> performance.
>
> PROCEDURAL CONTROL MECHANISMS
> KnowledgeWorks provides  simple but effective mechanisms for
> procedural control of forward chaining rule bases.  Rules are
> grouped into contexts with individual conflict resolution
> strategies.
>
> GRAPHICAL TOOLS
> KnowledgeWorks has a full set of graphical tools for quickly
> constructing knowledge bases. Facilities include a source control
> manager, Emacs-style editor with automatic macro completion,
> and browsers for rules, classes and facts. Rule behaviour can be
> closely monitored using a comprehensive set of graphical tracing
> facilities.
>
> SQL INTERFACE FOR RELATIONAL DATABASES
> Transparent access to relational databases from rules is provided
> through  functional and CLOS SQL interfaces.  KnowledgeWorks'
> inferencing mechanisms may be used to construct intelligent
> databases.
>
> DATAWORKS AND HYPERWORKS INTEGRATION
> KnowledgeWorks is designed to be integrated with Harlequin's
> DataWorks and HyperWorks toolkits to build intelligent
> information systems.  DataWorks provides a graphical toolkit for
> constructing relational databases.  HyperWorks furnishes a
> dynamic hypermedia system for online documentation.
>
> DELIVERY
> An Application Programmer Interface (API) and a compacting
> delivery system make it practical to deliver KnowledgeWorks
> applications standalone or embedded within other applications.
>
> REQUIREMENTS
> KnowledgeWorks and LispWorks are available on a wide
> range of UNIX platforms including Sun, DEC, Intergraph, HP, MIPS and
> IBM workstations.  They use the X Window System.
>
> ===============================================================================
>
> Should your friend want a company pack sent via regular mail, then
> please tell him to supply us with his postal address and we will
> be happy to oblige.
>
> Yours sincerely,
> W.F.van Dijk
>
>
>                          Sales and  Marketing
>
>                               HARLEQUIN
>
> Barrington Hall     Barrington     Cambridge      CB2 5RG      England
>
>                                   *
>       Tel: [phone]       ***       Fax: [phone]
>                                 *****
>                                  ***
>                                   *
>                     internet: [e-mail]
>                        uucp: [e-mail]