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From: vincent@comp.lancs.ac.uk (Mr.V.K.S.Oh)
Subject: FINAL CFP AI System Support for Conceptual Design
Message-ID: <CynHEB.8ur@comp.lancs.ac.uk>
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Organization: Computing Department, Lancaster University.
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 1994 17:18:11 GMT
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                         FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS
                         ---------------------


                  1995 LANCASTER INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP
                                  ON
                 AI SYSTEM SUPPORT FOR CONCEPTUAL DESIGN


           Ambleside, Lake District, England, 27-29 March 1995


The conceptual phase of engineering design is necessarily the most crucial
component of the overall design process because it is at this stage that the
most crucial decisions are made. The decisions made at the conceptual phase 
have a disproportionately large share of impact than later phases. Moreover,
more than half of the total life-cycle costs is committed and product quality 
determined at this stage. A poor judgement or poorly conceived design made 
at the early stages of design cannot be easily compensated for at the later 
stages, the production stage or via marketing policies. Computer tools for 
supporting conceptual design have not in general kept pace with those for 
embodiment and detailed design but there is evidence that the research 
community is addressing this imbalance. 

Substantial contributions are invited to the 1995 Lancaster International 
Workshop on Engineering Design from those working in a variety of areas of 
AI, aiming to provide system support for conceptual design.  Areas of 
particular interest include, but are not limited to: 

- knowledge representation for conceptual design 
- analogical reasoning
- evolutionary techniques
- shape and geometrical reasoning
- case-based reasoning
- functional reasoning
- reasoning from first principles
- reasoning under imprecise and incomplete information (including fuzzy logic)
- human-machine cooperative problem solving
- distributed problem solving and multi-agent systems
- integrated design systems

The workshop will focus on the practical application of these areas in 
providing computational system support at the conceptual phase of design.  
Of particular interest is the gain in designers' productivity and creativity 
in generating and synthesising conceptual solutions to a design problem or 
requirement, either working individually or in integrated teams.


VENUE

The Workshop, which will be limited to a maximum of 30 places, will be held 
over three days from 27th - 29th March 1995 at the Lake District Conference 
Centre in Ambleside.  The Centre, set in the heart of the English Lakes, is 
part of the Charlotte Mason College, Lancaster University's tenth college and 
second campus site.  Facilities will be made available for practical 
demonstrations if required.


SUBMISSION

Extended abstracts of about 1000 words can be submitted either by snail-mail
or electronically (in postscript format). Abstracts should reach us by 20 Nov
1994. The refereed contributions, together with summaries of the discussions
and rapporteurs' comments, will be published in the proceedings.

Snail-mail address:  The Engineering Design Centre
                     (LIW'95 AISSCD)
                     SECAMS
                     Lancaster University
                     Lancaster LA1 4YR
                     United Kingdom


REGISTRATION AND ACCOMMODATION

The registration fee for the Workshop including lunch and refreshments, and a 
bound copy of the Proceedings will be approximately 195 pounds sterling.  
En-suite accommodation is available at 24 pounds sterling per night.


IMPORTANT DATES

Extended Abstract due :             20 Nov 1994
Acceptance Notification :           10 Dec 1994
Final Camera-Ready Manuscript :     25 Jan 1995


ORGANISER

This workshop is being organised by the Engineering Design Centre, Lancaster 
University, Lancaster, England. The Engineering Design Centre at Lancaster 
University was established in 1990, under its first Director, Professor Michael
French, with a rolling grant from the Science and Engineering Research Council 
and substantial support from the University, as one of five national centres 
of excellence in Engineering Design.  In 1992 Professor John Sharpe became 
Director on the retirement of Professor French.

The Centre, built on the established reputation of the School of Engineering, 
Computing and Mathematical Sciences for interdisciplinary work especially in 
the area of design, seeks to establish Engineering Design as an important 
intellectual discipline as well as a Useful Art.  The Centre concentrates on 
the Conceptual Design of Interdisciplinary Systems, with a special interest 
in Mechatronics.  The Centre is also concerned to establish the underlying 
principles of good design and demonstrate how they should be applied.

There are some eight academic staff including the Director, involved in the 
Centre, supported by approximately ten research assistants, comprising 
engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians and one psychologist.  In 
addition there are visitors from academic institutions and industry both from 
the UK, Europe and overseas collaborating in the work of the Centre, with 
financial support from industry, EPSRC and the EC.  Research students 
contribute to the longer term aims of the Centre.

Lancaster EDC's WWW URL: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/edc/edc.html


CONTACTS

JOHN SHARPE (general enquiries)
Workshop Chair 
Email: jan@comp.lancs.ac.uk

VINCENT OH (paper submissions)
Workshop Manager
Email: vincent@comp.lancs.ac.uk

JAN ANDERSON (administrative enquiries)
Workshop Secretary
Email: jan@comp.lancs.ac.uk


-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Vincent K S Oh                                  |  Tel No: +44-524-65201 ext 3140
Engineering Design Centre, Lancaster University |  Fax No: +44-524-59304
Lancaster LA1 4YR, United Kingdom               |  Email:  vincent@comp.lancs.ac.uk
