A connectionist approach for similarity assessment in case-based reasoning systems

Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) systems support ill-structured decision making. In ill-structured decision environments, decision makers (DMs) differ in their problem solving approaches. As a result, CBR systems would be more useful if they were able to adapt to the idiosyncrasies of individual decision makers. Existing implementations of CBR systems have been mainly symbolic, and symbolic CBR systems are unable to adapt to the preferences of decision makers (i.e., they are static). Retrieval of appropriate previous cases is critical to the success of a CBR system. Widely used symbolic retrieval functions, such as nearest-neighbor matching, assume independence of attributes and require specification of their importance for matching. To ameliorate these deficiencies connectionist systems have been proposed. However, these systems are limited in their ability to adapt and grow. To overcome this limitation, we propose a distributed connectionist-symbolic architecture that adapts to the preferences of a decision maker and that, additionally, ameliorates the limitations of symbolic matching. The proposed architecture uses a supervised learning technique to acquire the matching knowledge. The architecture allows the growth of a case base without the involvement of a knowledge engineer. Empirical investigation of the proposed architecture in an ill-structured diagnostic decision environment demonstrated a superior retrieval performance when compared to the nearest-neighbor matching function.     

Intelligent index selection for case-based reasoning

In this paper, we present an indexing technique for case-based reasoning called D-HS^E, that is shown to be more competent than and twice as efficient as the commonly used R-tree. D-HS^E was designed to addresses periodical competency shortcomings of the related D-HS^M index but unfortunately in doing so some efficiency was seen to be sacrificed. In order to address this problem of competency verses efficiency, we propose an intelligent selection algorithm that automatically analyses the case-base and decides which index (D-HS^M or D-HS^E) should be used to optimize performance. The algorithm is designed to favour competency at the expense of efficiency where a competency gain is deemed highly likely to be achieved by using the less efficient approach. In effect we are proposing a flexible indexing scheme that is aware of changes within its environment and which reacts to these changes to optimize performance.     

Synergistic case-based reasoning in medical domains

This paper presents four synergistic systems that exemplify the approaches and benefits of case-based reasoning in medical domains. It then explores how these systems couple Artificial Intelligence (AI) research with medical research and practice, integrate multiple AI and computing methodologies, leverage small numbers of available cases, reason with time series data, and integrate numeric data with contextual and subjective information. The following systems are presented: (1) CARE-PARTNER, which supports the long-term follow-up care of stem-cell transplantation patients; (2) the 4 Diabetes Support System, which aids in managing patients with type 1 diabetes on insulin pump therapy; (3) Retrieval of HEmodialysis in NEphrological Disorders, which supports hemodialysis treatment of patients with end stage renal disease; and (4) the Mälardalen Stress System, which aids in the diagnosis and treatment of stress-related disorders.     

A hybrid case adaptation approach for case-based reasoning

Case-Based Reasoning is a methodology for problem solving based on past experiences. This methodology tries to solve a new problem by retrieving and adapting previously known solutions of similar problems. However, retrieved solutions, in general, require adaptations in order to be applied to new contexts. One of the major challenges in Case-Based Reasoning is the development of an efficient methodology for case adaptation. The most widely used form of adaptation employs hand coded adaptation rules, which demands a significant knowledge acquisition and engineering effort. An alternative to overcome the difficulties associated with the acquisition of knowledge for case adaptation has been the use of hybrid approaches and automatic learning algorithms for the acquisition of the knowledge used for the adaptation. We investigate the use of hybrid approaches for case adaptation employing Machine Learning algorithms. The approaches investigated how to automatically learn adaptation knowledge from a case base and apply it to adapt retrieved solutions. In order to verify the potential of the proposed approaches, they are experimentally compared with individual Machine Learning techniques. The results obtained indicate the potential of these approaches as an efficient approach for acquiring case adaptation knowledge. They show that the combination of Instance-Based Learning and Inductive Learning paradigms and the use of a data set of adaptation patterns yield adaptations of the retrieved solutions with high predictive accuracy.     

An association-based case reduction technique for case-based reasoning

Case-based reasoning (CBR) is a type of problem solving technique which uses previous cases to solve new, unseen and different problems. Although a larger number of cases in the memory can improve the coverage of the problem space, the retrieval efficiency will be downgraded if the size of the case-base grows to an unacceptable level. In CBR systems, the tradeoff between the number of cases stored in the case-base and the retrieval efficiency is a critical issue. This paper addresses the problem of case-base maintenance by developing a new technique, the association-based case reduction technique (ACRT), to reduce the size of the case-base in order to enhance the efficiency while maintaining or even improving the accuracy of the CBR. The experiments on 12 UCI datasets and an actual case from Taiwan’s hospital have shown superior generalization accuracy for CBR with ACRT (CBR-ACRT) as well as a greater solving efficiency.     

Classification of physiological signals for wheel loader operators using Multi-scale Entropy analysis and case-based reasoning

Sensor signal fusion is becoming increasingly important in many areas including medical diagnosis and classification. Today, clinicians/experts often do the diagnosis of stress, sleepiness and tiredness on the basis of information collected from several physiological sensor signals. Since there are large individual variations when analyzing the sensor measurements and systems with single sensor, they could easily be vulnerable to uncertain noises/interferences in such domain; multiple sensors could provide more robust and reliable decision. Therefore, this paper presents a classification approach i.e. Multivariate Multiscale Entropy Analysis–Case-Based Reasoning (MMSE–CBR) that classifies physiological parameters of wheel loader operators by combining CBR approach with a data level fusion method named Multivariate Multiscale Entropy (MMSE). The MMSE algorithm supports complexity analysis of multivariate biological recordings by aggregating several sensor measurements e.g., Inter-beat-Interval (IBI) and Heart Rate (HR) from Electrocardiogram (ECG), Finger Temperature (FT), Skin Conductance (SC) and Respiration Rate (RR). Here, MMSE has been applied to extract features to formulate a case by fusing a number of physiological signals and the CBR approach is applied to classify the cases by retrieving most similar cases from the case library. Finally, the proposed approach i.e. MMSE–CBR has been evaluated with the data from professional drivers at Volvo Construction Equipment, Sweden. The results demonstrate that the proposed system that fuses information at data level could classify ‘stressed’ and ‘healthy’ subjects 83.33% correctly compare to an expert’s classification. Furthermore, with another data set the achieved accuracy (83.3%) indicates that it could also classify two different conditions ‘adapt’ (training) and ‘sharp’ (real-life driving) for the wheel loader operators. Thus, the new approach of MMSE–CBR could support in classification of operators and may be of interest to researchers developing systems based on information collected from different sensor sources.     

An ontology in OWL for legal case-based reasoning

The paper gives ontologies in the Web Ontology Language (OWL) for Legal Case-based Reasoning (LCBR) systems, giving explicit, formal, and general specifications of a conceptualisation LCBR. Ontologies for different systems allows comparison and contrast between them. OWL ontologies are standardised, machine-readable formats that support automated processing with Semantic Web applications. Intermediate concepts, concepts between base-level concepts and higher level concepts, are central in LCBR. The main issues and their relevance to ontological reasoning and to LCBR are discussed. Two LCBR systems (AS-CATO, which is based on CATO, and IBP) are analysed in terms of basic and intermediate concepts. Central components of the OWL ontologies for these systems are presented, pointing out differences and similarities. The main novelty of the paper is the ontological analysis and representation in OWL of LCBR systems. The paper also emphasises the important issues concerning the representation and reasoning of intermediate concepts.

A case-based reasoning approach to planning for disassembly

With recycling regulations, resource conservation needs and an increased awareness of the state of the environment by both the consumer and the producer, many companies are establishing disassembly plants and developing product designs that specifically facilitate disassembly. Once disassembled, the items can be reused, recycled or discarded. One can identify two distinct aspects of the disassembly problem: design for disassembly (DFD) and planning for disassembly (PFD). The goal of DFD is to design products that are easy to disassemble. On the other hand, the objective of PFD is to identify efficient sequences to disassemble products. This paper focuses on the PFD aspect of disassembly. Because there could be many ways to disassemble a given product, PFD knowledge is accumulated by experience. Such knowledge is valuable, and should be captured, saved and reused to solve similar problems that arise in the future. In this paper, we propose case-based reasoning (CBR) as an approach to solve PFD problems. CBR is based on the fundamental principle that problem solving can benefit from solutions to past problems that have been attempted. The technique and issues related to the application of CBR to PFD are presented.     

基于案例推理的竖炉故障预报系统

为降低竖望炉焙烧过程的故障发生率,基于故障机理的分析,将过程参量预报与案例推理技术相集成,提出了竖炉焙烧过程的智能故障预报方法.参量量预报模型对不易在线连续测量但能反映故障征兆的关键工艺参数进行实时预报,在此基础上,采用案例推理技术对焙烧过程进行全面分析并给出一些典型故障发生的概率和操作指导.将所建立的故障预报系统成功应用于竖炉焙烧过程的生产实际中,故障发生率明显降低,取得了显著应用成效.     

Scenario-based knowledge representation in case-based reasoning systems

A scenario-based representation model for cases in the domain of managerial decision-making is proposed. The scenarios in narrative texts are converted to scenario units of knowledge organization. The elements and structure of the scenario unit are defined. The scenario units can be linked together or coupled with others. Compared with traditional case representation methods based on database tables or frames, the proposed model is able to represent knowledge in the domain of managerial decision-making at a much deeper level and provide much more support for case-based systems employed in business decision-making.     

Integrating a semantic-based retrieval agent into case-based reasoning systems: A case study of an online bookstore

Natural language search engines should be developed to provide a friendly environment for business-to-consumer e-commerce that reduce the fatigue customers experience and help them decide what to buy. To support product information retrieval and reuse, this paper presents a novel framework for a case-based reasoning system that includes a collaborative filtering mechanism and a semantic-based case retrieval agent. Furthermore, the case retrieval agent integrates short-text semantic similarity (STSS) and recognizing textual entailment (RTE). The proposed approach was evaluated using competitive methods in the performance of STSS and RTE, and according to the results, the proposed approach outperforms most previously described approaches. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed approach was investigated using a case study of an online bookstore, and according to the results of case study, the proposed approach outperforms a compared system using string similarity and an existing e-commerce system, Amazon.     

Complementary case-based reasoning and competitive fuzzy cognitive maps for advanced medical decisions

This paper presents a new hybrid modeling methodology suitable for complex decision making processes. It extends previous work on competitive fuzzy cognitive maps for medical decision support systems by complementing them with case based reasoning methods. The synergy of these methodologies is accomplished by a new proposed algorithm that leads to more dependable advanced medical decision support systems that are suitable to handle situations where the decisions are not clearly distinct. The methodology developed here is applied successfully to model and test two decision support systems, one a differential diagnosis problem from the speech pathology area for the diagnosis of language impairments and the other for decision making choices in external beam radiation therapy.     

Improving the tutoring of software design using case-based reasoning

Judging by results, the methods undertaken to teach software development to large classes of students are flawed; too many students are failing to grasp any real understanding of programming and software design. To address this problem the University of Wales, Aberystwyth has developed VorteX, an interactive collaborative design tool that captures the design processes of novice students, provides a diagnosis system capable of interpreting the students’ work, and advises on their design process.This paper provides an overview of VorteX, its capabilities and use, and explains how the case-based system identifies redundancies in the storage of student designs and reduces data volume. The paper describes how equivalence maps merge similar classes to reduce the design structure possibilities, how snippets eliminate the replication of components and how abstract snippets represent the design intent of students in a minimalist form. Finally it concludes with comments on the student experience of the VorteX case-based reasoning assistant.     

A case-based reasoning system for PCB defect prediction

The manufacturing process for a new Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design is often instable and might generate a number of defects during the complicated production process. Defects reduce the yield rate and increase the production costs. Although skilled engineers can predict the possible defect items for a new PCB product, this approach requires strong engineering experience and is time consuming. To conquer this problem, this research applies case-based reasoning (CBR) methodology to develop a defect prediction system for new PCB products. In the CBR system, each case is represented using the design specifications, defect items and corresponding costs. A vantage-based case indexing mechanism is developed to accelerate the case retrieval efficiency. In addition, a reasoning algorithm that considers the defect cost is proposed to infer the defect items that are interesting to PCB manufacturers. The system performance is analyzed to show the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed system. A practical implementation using a case-base provided by a PCB manufacturer is demonstrated.     

A case-based reasoning approach for automating disassembly process planning

One of the first processes for preparing a product for reuse, remanufacture or recycle is disassembly. Disassembly is the process of systematic removal of desirable constituents from the original assembly so that there is no impairment to any useful component. As the number of components in a product increases, the time required for disassembly, as well as the complexity of planning for disassembly rises. Thus, it is important to have the capability to generate disassembly process plans quickly in order to prevent interruptions in processing especially when multiple products are involved. Case-based reasoning (CBR) approach can provide such a capability. CBR allows a process planner to rapidly retrieve, reuse, revise, and retain solutions to past disassembly problems. Once a planning problem has been solved and stored in the case memory, a planner can retrieve and reuse the product's disassembly process plan at any time. The planner can also adapt an original plan for a new product, which does not have an existing plan in case memory. Following adaptation and application, a successful plan is retained in the case memory for future use. This paper presents the procedures to initialize a case memory for different product platforms, and to operate a CBR system, which can be used to plan disassembly processes. The procedures are illustrated using examples.     

Scale-guided object matching for case-based reasoning

Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) can be seen as a problem-solving paradigm that advocates the use of previous experiences to limit search spaces and to reduce opportunities for error repetition. In this paradigm, the case at hand is compared against former experiences to select from a set of possible courses of action the best one. A comparison method is required to ensure that the most resembling experience is, in fact, chosen to drive the problem-solving process. This paper discusses an object-oriented framework that provides a scale-guided measure of similarity between objects, and shows how this framework can be applied for case-based reasoning, drawing examples from device diagnosis.     

CaBMA: a case-based reasoning system for capturing,refining, and reusing project plans

In this paper, we present CaBMA, a prototype of a knowledge-based system designed to assist with project planning tasks using case-based reasoning. CaBMA introduces a novel approach to project planning in that, for the first time, a knowledge layer is added on top of traditional project management software. Project management software provides editing and bookkeeping capabilities. CaBMA enhances these capabilities by automatically capturing project plans in the form of cases, refining these cases over time to avoid potential inconsistency between them, reusing these cases to generate plans for new projects, and indicating possible repairs for project plans when they derive away from existing knowledge. We will give an overview of the system, provide a detailed explanation on each component, and present an empirical study based on synthetic data.     

基于智能CASE库的多时相SAR影像分类方法-土地利用及变化监测

针对SAR影像分类,提出了一种基于智能案例(CASE)库多时相SAR影像分类方法。该方法主要分为4部分:SAR影像预处理;智能CASE的建构;基于CASE相似度匹配的SAR影像分类;分类后处理。在智能CASE建构期间,引入时空分析技术去除“伪”CASE,从而保证了CASE库中CASE信息的可靠性。接着,在基于CASE匹配的SAR影像分类过程中,采用分层相似度评价的方法,消除CASE特征相互之间的混叠效应。最后,采用面向对象的方法进行影像分类后处理。该方法有效地考虑了分类地块的形状因子,使分类结果更精确、更符合逻辑性。以2000年(4景,包含4个季度)和2004年(3景,包含3个季度)的多时相SAR影像作为实验数据,结果表明,使用我们提出的方法能达到较好的SAR影像分类结果,分类总体精度达到85%～90%,这为利用多时相SAR影像实施土地利用和变化监测(Land Use and Land Cover Change,LULC)奠定了良好基础。     

A framework for the analysis of dynamic processes based on Bayesian networks and case-based reasoning

Bayesian networks are knowledge representation schemes that can capture probabilistic relationships among variables and perform probabilistic inference. Arrival of new evidence propagates through the network until all variables are updated. At the end of propagation, the network becomes a static snapshot representing the state of the domain for that particular time. This weakness in capturing temporal semantics has limited the use of Bayesian networks to domains in which time dependency is not a critical factor. This paper describes a framework that combines Bayesian networks and case-based reasoning to create a knowledge representation scheme capable of dealing with time-varying processes. Static Bayesian network topologies are learned from previously available raw data and from sets of constraints describing significant events. These constraints are defined as sets of variables assuming significant values. As new data are gathered, dynamic changes to the topology of a Bayesian network are assimilated using techniques that combine single-value decomposition and minimum distance length. The new topologies are capable of forecasting the occurrences of significant events given specific conditions and monitoring changes over time. Since environment problems are good examples of temporal variations, the problem of forecasting ozone levels in Mexico City was used to test this framework.