Conference reports. ANNIE '98. Artificial Neural Networks In Engineering.

Conference reports

ANNIE '98

ANNIE '98 was the conference Artificial Neural Networks In Engineering. Concerned with: Smart Engineering System Design it included: Neural networks; Fuzzy logic, Evolutionary programming, Data mining and Rough sets. It was organised by the University of Missouri-Rolla in co-operation with IEEE's Neural Networks Council. The organisers have reported that:

ANNIE '98 was held on November 1-4, 1998, at Marriott's Pavilion Hotel in downtown St Louis, Missouri,USA. This was the eighth international gathering of researchers interested in Smart Engineering System Design using neural networks, fuzzy logic, evolutionary programming, data mining, and rough sets. The previous conferences each drew approximately 150 papers from 20 countries and this one exceeded expectations. The proceedings of all conferences were published by ASME Press as hardbound books in seven volumes. The last volume, edited by Dagli et al., was titled Smart Engineering Systems: Neural Networks, Fuzzy Logic, Data Mining and Evolutionary Programming.

It dealt with the theory of Smart Engineering System Design techniques, namely; neural networks, fuzzy logic, evolutionary programming, data mining, and rough sets. Presentations dealt with applications of these technologies in the areas of: manufacturing engineering, biology and medicine, pattern recognition, image processing,process monitoring, control, recent theoretical developments in neural networks,fuzzy logic, data mining, rough sets, evolutionary programming, fractals, chaos,and wavelets that can impact smart engineering system design.

There were many topics of interest to systemists and those involved with neural networking and fuzzy systems in cybernetics research. Some of those were:

• Techniques:

• Neurally-Based Network Architectures;

• Learning Algorithms and Training;

• Optimization;

• Evolutionary Programming;

• Genetic Algorithms;

• Complex Systems;

• Fuzzy Logic and Systems;

• Fuzzy Modeling;

• Fuzzy Evolutionary Computation;

• Fuzzy Hardware.

Topics discussed in the data mining sessions involved:

• Parallel Data Mining Algorithms;

• Distributed Data Mining;

• Data Mining Tools and Applications;

• Parallel Techniques for Search in Data Mining;

• Interactive Data Exploration;

• Algorithmic Complexity and Scalability in Data Mining;

• Rough Sets and Data Mining;

• Data Figures;

• Exploratory Data Analysis.

Other papers and sessions were relevant to:

• •

  Pattern recognition:

  • Pattern Identification;

  • Feature Identification;

  • Machine Vision and Image Processing;

  • Temporal Pattern Identification;

  • Motion Analysis.

• •

  Control:

  • Adaptive Control;

  • Non-linear Systems Modeling;

  • Diagnosis;

  • Process Monitoring;

  • Mechatronics.

• •

  Smart Engineering Systems:

  • Manufacturing Engineering Applications;

  • Biomedical Engineering Applications;

  • General Engineering Applications;

  • Financial and Economic Applications;

  • Decision-making Applications;

  • Time Series Analysis.

Representation at the conference was wide ranging with participants from some of the most prestigious research groups worldwide. North America and Canada were well represented. From Europe delegates included those from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. From the Pacific Rim scientists from both Australia and Japan attended.

The Conference Chair was: Professor Cihan H. Dagli of the Engineering Management Department of the University of Missouri with co-chairs Professors Akay (Dartmouth College), Buczak (Allied Signals) Ersoy (Purdue University) and Fernandez (University of Texas at Austin). The above named are editing the proceedings which will be published as a hardbound book by ASME Press. All the papers included in the book, I am told,have been refereed and reviewed by at least two experts. The organisers scheduled distinguished keynote speakers, arranged conference tutorials and had invited some of the better known companies and research institutions which are involved in "Smart Systems" to exhibit their wares. Best Paper Awards were also included in the programme. Participants and non-attenders can obtain more information about the event and future activities from the ANNIE conference chair: Dr Dagli at: dagli@umr.edu

Hojjat Adeli