Group Leader: Professor Gerry Kelleher
Overview
At Liverpool John Moores University, the AAI Group applies new technologies to a range
of problems. The group has internationally recognised expertise in the development of
advance computer-based systems for scheduling, planning, training, Petri net modelling,
intelligent robot control with application to job shop, flow shop systems and flexible
manufacturing systems. A central theme of the groups work is knowledge leverage - the
provision of tools and technologies which allow information to be manipulated, integrated
and used effectively.
The group combines expertise in techniques of Scheduling, Planning, Constraint
Satisfaction, Assumption Based Truth Maintenance Systems (ATMS), Petri Nets, Intelligent
Robot Control, Intelligent Automated Advisory Systems and Interface Technology.
The general aim of the group is to build computing tools that provide a supportive
function within an organisation, offering efficiency, economy, effectiveness and
productivity gains. Capitalising on advanced artificial intelligence techniques, the work
integrates new emerging technologies by drawing on work from several disciplines, such as
engineering, computer science and psychology.
In its basic and applied work, AAI Group has developed systems ranging from 'bespoke'
applications to general information systems and modelling tools for a range of clients.
The approach adopted is interactive, employing user-centred, participative, iterative
design concepts. An important aspect of the work is concerned with developing optimal
schedules and plans. The provision of navigational support for the client in using
largescale multidimensional information structures is central to the concerns of AAI
Group.
The methodologies and algorithms developed by the group have seen use within the
aircraft industry, marine technology, flexible manufacturing systems and more recently,
within the education and training sectors - resulting in automatic educational advising
systems and adaptive computer-based training.
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