Smart software creates 'thinking' computers

Computers will be able to reason much more precisely, and better understand the commands of human operators, thanks to a newly developed software language.

Created by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and colleagues in France, Germany, Japan and the UK, the process specification language software, known as ISO 18629, is designed to make 'thinking' computers that will be much more useful in manufacturing.

According to its developers, the language is especially suited for the exchange of process planning, validation, production scheduling and control information for guiding manufacturing processes.

ISO 18629 uses artificial intelligence and language analysis to represent computer commands in the context of a manufacturing plan. Researchers have incorporated approximately 300 concepts, such as 'duration' and 'sequence', into its software structure.

"Computers using software with this expanded, though still primitive, AI capacity can act on a word's 'meaning' and interprete a command almost like a person," stated the researchers.

For example, a human operator who hears the commands 'paint it, before shipping it' and 'turn on the coolant, before milling' understands that the word 'before' has slightly different meanings in these two contexts.

In the first command, it is understood that painting and drying must be completed prior to the next action, i.e. shipping. In the second command, however, the first action, turning on the coolant, continues after the milling starts - a subtlety that is difficult for computers to recognise.

ISO 18629 supports systems with this type of rudimentary understanding of context-specific language, according to the researchers.

The International Organisation for Standardisation, which has already approved six sections of the fledging standard, is currently reviewing the last of its three sections.

Once the expected approval is given, software vendors will begin building a variety of manufacturing systems conforming to ISO 18629.