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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 145 records · Page 8

Integration of symbolic and algorithmic hardware and software for the automation of space station subsystems

Traditional expert systems, such as diagnostic and training systems, interact with users only through a keyboard and screen, and are usually symbolic in nature. Expert systems that require access to data bases, complex simulations and real-time instrumentation have both symbolic as well as algorithmic computing needs. These needs could both be met using a general purpose workstation running both symbolic and algorithmic code, or separate, specialized computers networked together. The latter approach was chosen to implement TEXSYS, the thermal expert system, developed by NASA Ames Research Center in conjunction with Johnson Space Center to demonstrate the ability of an expert system to autonomously monitor the thermal control system of the space station. TEXSYS has been implemented on a Symbolics workstation, and will be linked to a microVAX computer that will control a thermal test bed. This paper will explore the integration options, and present several possible solutions.

Gregg, Hugh↗

Comparison of symbolic and numerical integration methods for an assumed-stress hybrid shell element

Hybrid shell elements have long been regarded with reserve by the commercial finite element developers despite the high degree of reliability and accuracy associated with such formulations. The fundamental reason is the inherent higher computational cost of the hybrid approach as compared to the displacement-based formulations. However, a noteworthy factor in favor of hybrid elements is that numerical integration to generate element matrices can be entirely avoided by the use of symbolic integration. In this paper, the use of the symbolic computational approach is presented for an assumed-stress hybrid shell element with drilling degrees of freedom and the significant time savings achieved is demonstrated through an example.

Rengarajan, Govind↗

Symbolic modeling of flexible manipulators

An algorithm is presented to symbolically derive the full nonlinear dynamic equations of motion of multilink flexible manipulators. Lagrange's assumed modes method is the basis of new algorithm and adapted in a way suitable for symbolic manipulation by digital computers. It is applied to model a two-link flexible arm by means of a commercially available symbolic manipulation program. The advantages of the algorithm and simulation results are discussed.

Cetinkunt, Sabri↗

Advanced data management design for autonomous telerobotic systems in space using spaceborne symbolic processors

The use of computers in autonomous telerobots is reaching the point where advanced distributed processing concepts and techniques are needed to support the functioning of Space Station era telerobotic systems. Three major issues that have impact on the design of data management functions in a telerobot are covered. It also presents a design concept that incorporates an intelligent systems manager (ISM) running on a spaceborne symbolic processor (SSP), to address these issues. The first issue is the support of a system-wide control architecture or control philosophy. Salient features of two candidates are presented that impose constraints on data management design. The second issue is the role of data management in terms of system integration. This referes to providing shared or coordinated data processing and storage resources to a variety of telerobotic components such as vision, mechanical sensing, real-time coordinated multiple limb and end effector control, and planning and reasoning. The third issue is hardware that supports symbolic processing in conjunction with standard data I/O and numeric processing. A SSP that currently is seen to be technologically feasible and is being developed is described and used as a baseline in the design concept.

Goforth, Andre↗

Symbolic reduction of block diagrams using FORMAC

Two computer programs - one written in FORMAC to generate the desired symbolic expressions, the other in FORTRAN 4 to numerically evaluate the expressions are announced. The FORTRAN program accepts the symbolic punched output from the FORMAC program in either unexpanded or expanded form. It numerically evaluates the expressions.

Lorenzo, C. F.↗

Using trees to compute approximate solutions to ordinary differential equations exactly

Some recent work is reviewed which relates families of trees to symbolic algorithms for the exact computation of series which approximate solutions of ordinary differential equations. It turns out that the vector space whose basis is the set of finite, rooted trees carries a natural multiplication related to the composition of differential operators, making the space of trees an algebra. This algebraic structure can be exploited to yield a variety of algorithms for manipulating vector fields and the series and algebras they generate.

Grossman, Robert↗

A pattern jitter free AFC scheme for mobile satellite systems

This paper describes a scheme for pattern jitter free automatic frequency control (AFC) with a wide frequency acquisition range. In this scheme, equalizing signals fed to the frequency discriminator allow pattern jitter free performance to be achieved for all roll-off factors. In order to define the acquisition range, frequency discrimination characateristics are analyzed on a newly derived frequency domain model. As a result, it is shown that a sufficiently wide acquisition range over a given system symbol rate can be achieved independent of symbol timing errors. Additionally, computer simulation demonstrates that frequency jitter performance improves in proportion to E(sub b)/N(sub 0) because pattern-dependent jitter is suppressed in the discriminator output. These results show significant promise for applciation to mobile satellite systems, which feature relatively low symbol rate transmission with an approximately 0.4-0.7 roll-off factor.

Yoshida, Shousei↗

AutoBayes Program Synthesis System System Internals

This lecture combines the theoretical background of schema based program synthesis with the hands-on study of a powerful, open-source program synthesis system (Auto-Bayes). Schema-based program synthesis is a popular approach toward program synthesis. The lecture will provide an introduction into this topic and discuss how this technology can be used to generate customized algorithms. The synthesis of advanced numerical algorithms requires the availability of a powerful symbolic (algebra) system. Its task is to symbolically solve equations, simplify expressions, or to symbolically calculate derivatives (among others) such that the synthesized algorithms become as efficient as possible. We will discuss the use and importance of the symbolic system for synthesis. Any synthesis system is a large and complex piece of code. In this lecture, we will study Autobayes in detail. AutoBayes has been developed at NASA Ames and has been made open source. It takes a compact statistical specification and generates a customized data analysis algorithm (in C/C++) from it. AutoBayes is written in SWI Prolog and many concepts from rewriting, logic, functional, and symbolic programming. We will discuss the system architecture, the schema libary and the extensive support infra-structure. Practical hands-on experiments and exercises will enable the student to get insight into a realistic program synthesis system and provides knowledge to use, modify, and extend Autobayes.

Statistical Algorithms↗

Engineering and Scientific Applications: Using MatLab(Registered Trademark) for Data Processing and Visualization

MatLab(TradeMark)(MATrix LABoratory) is a numerical computation and simulation tool that is used by thousands Scientists and Engineers in many countries. MatLab does purely numerical calculations, which can be used as a glorified calculator or interpreter programming language; its real strength is in matrix manipulations. Computer algebra functionalities are achieved within the MatLab environment using "symbolic" toolbox. This feature is similar to computer algebra programs, provided by Maple or Mathematica to calculate with mathematical equations using symbolic operations. MatLab in its interpreter programming language form (command interface) is similar with well known programming languages such as C/C++, support data structures and cell arrays to define classes in object oriented programming. As such, MatLab is equipped with most of the essential constructs of a higher programming language. MatLab is packaged with an editor and debugging functionality useful to perform analysis of large MatLab programs and find errors. We believe there are many ways to approach real-world problems; prescribed methods to ensure foregoing solutions are incorporated in design and analysis of data processing and visualization can benefit engineers and scientist in gaining wider insight in actual implementation of their perspective experiments. This presentation will focus on data processing and visualizations aspects of engineering and scientific applications. Specifically, it will discuss methods and techniques to perform intermediate-level data processing covering engineering and scientific problems. MatLab programming techniques including reading various data files formats to produce customized publication-quality graphics, importing engineering and/or scientific data, organizing data in tabular format, exporting data to be used by other software programs such as Microsoft Excel, data presentation and visualization will be discussed.

Sen, Syamal K.↗

Automating FEA programming

In this paper we briefly describe a combined symbolic and numeric approach for solving mathematical models on parallel computers. An experimental software system, PIER, is being developed in Common Lisp to synthesize computationally intensive and domain formulation dependent phases of finite element analysis (FEA) solution methods. Quantities for domain formulation like shape functions, element stiffness matrices, etc., are automatically derived using symbolic mathematical computations. The problem specific information and derived formulae are then used to generate (parallel) numerical code for FEA solution steps. A constructive approach to specify a numerical program design is taken. The code generator compiles application oriented input specifications into (parallel) FORTRAN77 routines with the help of built-in knowledge of the particular problem, numerical solution methods and the target computer.

Sharma, Naveen↗

Shared direct memory access on the Explorer 2-LX

Advances in Expert System technology and Artificial Intelligence have provided a framework for applying automated Intelligence to the solution of problems which were generally perceived as intractable using more classical approaches. As a result, hybrid architectures and parallel processing capability have become more common in computing environments. The Texas Instruments Explorer II-LX is an example of a machine which combines a symbolic processing environment, and a computationally oriented environment in a single chassis for integrated problem solutions. This user's manual is an attempt to make these capabilities more accessible to a wider range of engineers and programmers with problems well suited to solution in such an environment.

Musgrave, Jeffrey L.↗

A flexible high-speed sequential decoder for deep space channels.

This paper describes a sequential decoding machine built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which uses a 3-bit quantization of the code symbols and achieves a computation rate of MHz. This machine is flexible and can be programmed to decode any complementary convolutional code with rates down to 1/4 and constraint lengths up to 32. In addition, metric programmability is provided for optimization of decoder performance with respect to channel parameter variations.

Layland, J. W.↗

Automated documentation of an assembly program

A program is discussed that can be used as input to another program which will automatically document it. This program was implemented using assembly language program, META-SYMBOL, on XDS 930 computer. The characteristics and identification of the documentation program, DOCMNT, are described.

Thomas, V. L.↗

STRUTEX: A prototype knowledge-based system for initially configuring a structure to support point loads in two dimensions

The purpose of this research effort is to investigate the benefits that might be derived from applying artificial intelligence tools in the area of conceptual design. Therefore, the emphasis is on the artificial intelligence aspects of conceptual design rather than structural and optimization aspects. A prototype knowledge-based system, called STRUTEX, was developed to initially configure a structure to support point loads in two dimensions. This system combines numerical and symbolic processing by the computer with interactive problem solving aided by the vision of the user by integrating a knowledge base interface and inference engine, a data base interface, and graphics while keeping the knowledge base and data base files separate. The system writes a file which can be input into a structural synthesis system, which combines structural analysis and optimization.

Rogers, James L.↗

STRUTEX: A prototype knowledge-based system for initially configuring a structure to support point loads in two dimensions

Only recently have engineers begun making use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the area of conceptual design. To continue filling this void in the design process, a prototype knowledge-based system, called STRUTEX has been developed to initially configure a structure to support point loads in two dimensions. This prototype was developed for testing the application of AI tools to conceptual design as opposed to being a testbed for new methods for improving structural analysis and optimization. This system combines numerical and symbolic processing by the computer with interactive problem solving aided by the vision of the user. How the system is constructed to interact with the user is described. Of special interest is the information flow between the knowledge base and the data base under control of the algorithmic main program. Examples of computed and refined structures are presented during the explanation of the system.

Robers, James L.↗

Status of The SPARC-GRIPS Initiative

The GCM-Reality Intercomparison Project for the Symbolic Processing Algorithmic Research Computer (SPARC) is an initiative designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of our ability to model the present-day climate and the impacts of different physical perturbations. This poster will show the different scientific experiments being conducted in the general purpose rocket instrumentation and payload system (GRIPS) and include some summaries of the results. The three concurrent aspects of GRIPS are: (1) studies of the climate and transient features simulated by the models; (2) examinations of different parametrizations and their impacts on the model climate; (3) studies of the impact of physical perturbations, such as solar forcing, volcanic aerosols and ozone change. Sample results from a number of these areas will be presented, with discussion of their implications for our ability to model the climate of the present and future atmosphere.

Pawson, Steven↗