Optimización multiobjetivo inteligente del dimensionamiento energético en sistemas ferroviarios señalizados y en plataformas software de tiempo real

La capacidad de transporte es uno de los baremos fundamentales para evaluar la progresión que puede llegar a tener un área económica y social. Es un sector de elevada importancia para la sociedad actual. Englobado en los distintos tipos de transporte, uno de los medios de transporte que se encuentra más en alza en la actualidad, es el ferroviario. Tanto para movilidad de pasajeros como para mercancías, el tren se ha convertido en un medio de transporte muy útil. Se encuentra dentro de las ciudades, entre ciudades con un radio pequeño entre ellas e incluso cada vez más, gracias a la alta velocidad, entre ciudades con gran distancia entre ellas. Esta Tesis pretende ayudar en el diseño de una de las etapas más importantes de los Proyectos de instalación de un sistema ferroviario: el sistema eléctrico de tracción. La fase de diseño de un sistema eléctrico de tracción ferroviaria se enfrenta a muchas dudas que deben ser resueltas con precisión. Del éxito de esta fase dependerá la capacidad de afrontar las demandas de energía de la explotación ferroviaria. También se debe atender a los costes de instalación y de operación, tanto costes directos como indirectos. Con la Metodología que se presenta en esta Tesis se ofrecerá al diseñador la opción de manejar un sistema experto que como soluciones le plantee un conjunto de escenarios de sistemas eléctricos correctos, comprobados por resolución de modelos de ecuaciones. Correctos desde el punto de vista de validez de distintos parámetros eléctrico, como de costes presupuestarios e impacto de costes indirectos. Por tanto, el diseñador al haber hecho uso de esta Metodología, tendría en un espacio de tiempo relativamente corto, un conjunto de soluciones factibles con las que poder elegir cuál convendría más según sus intereses finales. Esta Tesis se ha desarrollado en una vía de investigación integrada dentro del Centro de Investigaciones Ferroviarias CITEF-UPM. Entre otros proyectos y vías de investigación, en CITEF se ha venido trabajando en estudios de validación y dimensionamiento de sistemas eléctricos ferroviarios con diversos y variados clientes y sistemas ferroviarios. A lo largo de los proyectos realizados, el interés siempre ha girado mayoritariamente sobre los siguientes parámetros del sistema eléctrico: - Calcular número y posición de subestaciones de tracción. Potencia de cada subestación. - Tipo de catenaria a lo largo del recorrido. Conductores que componen la catenaria. Características. - Calcular número y posición de autotransformadores para sistemas funcionando en alterna bitensión o 2x25kV. - Posición Zonas Neutras. - Validación según normativa de: o Caídas de tensión en la línea o Tensiones máximas en el retorno de la línea o Sobrecalentamiento de conductores o Sobrecalentamiento de los transformadores de las subestaciones de tracción La idea es que las soluciones aportadas por la Metodología sugieran escenarios donde de estos parámetros estén dentro de los límites que marca la normativa. Tener la posibilidad de tener un repositorio de posibles escenarios donde los parámetros y elementos eléctricos estén calculados como correctos, aporta un avance en tiempos y en pruebas, que mejoraría ostensiblemente el proceso habitual de diseño para los sistemas eléctricos ferroviarios. Los costes directos referidos a elementos como subestaciones de tracción, autotransformadores, zonas neutras, ocupan un gran volumen dentro del presupuesto de un sistema ferroviario. En esta Tesis se ha querido profundizar también en el efecto de los costes indirectos provocados en la instalación y operación de sistemas eléctricos. Aquellos derivados del impacto medioambiental, los costes que se generan al mantener los equipos eléctricos y la instalación de la catenaria, los costes que implican la conexión entre las subestaciones de tracción con la red general o de distribución y por último, los costes de instalación propios de cada elemento compondrían los costes indirectos que, según experiencia, se han pensado relevantes para ejercer un cierto control sobre ellos. La Metodología cubrirá la posibilidad de que los diseños eléctricos propuestos tengan en cuenta variaciones de coste inasumibles o directamente, proponer en igualdad de condiciones de parámetros eléctricos, los más baratos en función de los costes comentados. Analizando los costes directos e indirectos, se ha pensado dividir su impacto entre los que se computan en la instalación y los que suceden posteriormente, durante la operación de la línea ferroviaria. Estos costes normalmente suelen ser contrapuestos, cuánto mejor es uno peor suele ser el otro y viceversa, por lo que hace falta un sistema que trate ambos objetivos por separado. Para conseguir los objetivos comentados, se ha construido la Metodología sobre tres pilares básicos: - Simulador ferroviario Hamlet: Este simulador integra módulos para construir esquemas de vías ferroviarios completos; módulo de simulación mecánica y de la tracción de material rodante; módulo de señalización ferroviaria; módulo de sistema eléctrico. Software realizado en C++ y Matlab. - Análisis y estudio de cómo focalizar los distintos posibles escenarios eléctricos, para que puedan ser examinados rápidamente. Pico de demanda máxima de potencia por el tráfico ferroviario. - Algoritmos de optimización: A partir de un estudio de los posibles algoritmos adaptables a un sistema tan complejo como el que se plantea, se decidió que los algoritmos genéticos serían los elegidos. Se han escogido 3 algoritmos genéticos, permitiendo recabar información acerca del comportamiento y resultados de cada uno de ellos. Los elegidos por motivos de tiempos de respuesta, multiobjetividad, facilidad de adaptación y buena y amplia aplicación en proyectos de ingeniería fueron: NSGA-II, AMGA-II y ɛ-MOEA. - Diseño de funciones y modelo preparado para trabajar con los costes directos e indirectos y las restricciones básicas que los escenarios eléctricos no deberían violar. Estas restricciones vigilan el comportamiento eléctrico y la estabilidad presupuestaria. Las pruebas realizadas utilizando el sistema han tratado o bien de copiar situaciones que se puedan dar en la realidad o directamente sistemas y problemas reales. Esto ha proporcionado además de la posibilidad de validar la Metodología, también se ha posibilitado la comparación entre los algoritmos genéticos, comparar sistemas eléctricos escogidos con los reales y llegar a conclusiones muy satisfactorias. La Metodología sugiere una vía de trabajo muy interesante, tanto por los resultados ya obtenidos como por las oportunidades que puede llegar a crear con la evolución de la misma. Esta Tesis se ha desarrollado con esta idea, por lo que se espera pueda servir como otro factor para trabajar con la validación y diseño de sistemas eléctricos ferroviarios. ABSTRACT Transport capacity is one of the critical points to evaluate the progress than a specific social and economical area is able to reach. This is a sector of high significance for the actual society. Included inside the most common types of transport, one of the means of transport which is elevating its use nowadays is the railway. Such as for passenger transport of weight movements, the train is being consolidated like a very useful mean of transport. Railways are installed in many geography areas. Everyone know train in cities, or connecting cities inside a surrounding area or even more often, taking into account the high-speed, there are railways infrastructure between cities separated with a long distance. This Ph.D work aims to help in the process to design one of the most essential steps in Installation Projects belonging to a railway system: Power Supply System. Design step of the railway power supply, usually confronts to several doubts and uncertainties, which must be solved with high accuracy. Capacity to supply power to the railway traffic depends on the success of this step. On the other hand is very important to manage the direct and indirect costs derived from Installation and Operation. With the Methodology is presented in this Thesis, it will be offered to the designer the possibility to handle an expert system that finally will fill a set of possible solutions. These solutions must be ready to work properly in the railway system, and they were tested using complex equation models. This Thesis has been developed through a research way, integrated inside Citef (Railway Research Centre of Technical University of Madrid). Among other projects and research ways, in Citef has been working in several validation studies and dimensioning of railway power supplies. It is been working by a large range of clients and railways systems. Along the accomplished Projects, the main goal has been rounded mostly about the next list of parameters of the electrical system: - Calculating number and location of traction substations. Power of each substation. - Type of Overhead contact line or catenary through the railway line. The wires which set up the catenary. Main Characteristics. - Calculating number and position of autotransformers for systems working in alternating current bi-voltage of called 2x25 kV. - Location of Neutral Zones. - Validating upon regulation of: o Drop voltages along the line o Maximum return voltages in the line o Overheating/overcurrent of the wires of the catenary o Avoiding overheating in the transformers of the traction substations. Main objective is that the solutions given by the Methodology, could be suggest scenarios where all of these parameters from above, would be between the limits established in the regulation. Having the choice to achieve a repository of possible good scenarios, where the parameters and electrical elements will be assigned like ready to work, that gives a great advance in terms of times and avoiding several tests. All of this would improve evidently the regular railway electrical systems process design. Direct costs referred to elements like traction substations, autotransformers, neutral zones, usually take up a great volume inside the general budget in railway systems. In this Thesis has been thought to bear in mind another kind of costs related to railway systems, also called indirect costs. These could be enveloped by those enmarked during installation and operation of electrical systems. Those derived from environmental impact; costs generated during the maintenance of the electrical elements and catenary; costs involved in the connection between traction substations and general electric grid; finally costs linked with the own installation of the whole electrical elements needed for the correct performance of the railway system. These are integrated inside the set has been collected taking into account own experience and research works. They are relevant to be controlled for our Methodology, just in case for the designers of this type of systems. The Methodology will cover the possibility that the final proposed power supply systems will be hold non-acceptable variations of costs, comparing with initial expected budgets, or directly assuming a threshold of budget for electrical elements in actual scenario, and achieving the cheapest in terms of commented costs from above. Analyzing direct and indirect costs, has been thought to divide their impact between two main categories. First one will be inside the Installation and the other category will comply with the costs often happens during Railway Operation time. These costs normally are opposed, that means when one is better the other turn into worse, in costs meaning. For this reason is necessary treating both objectives separately, in order to evaluate correctly the impact of each one into the final system. The objectives detailed before build the Methodology under three basic pillars: - Railway simulator Hamlet: This software has modules to configure many railway type of lines; mechanical and traction module to simulate the movement of rolling stock; signaling module; power supply module. This software has been developed using C++ and Matlab R13a - Previously has been mandatory to study how would be possible to work properly with a great number of feasible electrical systems. The target comprised the quick examination of these set of scenarios in terms of time. This point is talking about Maximum power demand peaks by railway operation plans. - Optimization algorithms. A railway infrastructure is a very complex system. At the beginning it was necessary to search about techniques and optimization algorithms, which could be adaptable to this complex system. Finally three genetic multiobjective algorithms were the chosen. Final decision was taken attending to reasons such as time complexity, able to multiobjective, easy to integrate in our problem and with a large application in engineering tasks. They are: NSGA-II, AMGA-II and ɛ-MOEA. - Designing objectives functions and equation model ready to work with the direct and indirect costs. The basic restrictions are not able to avoid, like budgetary or electrical, connected hardly with the recommended performance of elements, catenary and safety in a electrical railway systems. The battery of tests launched to the Methodology has been designed to be as real as possible. In fact, due to our work in Citef and with real Projects, has been integrated and configured three real railway lines, in order to evaluate correctly the final results collected by the Methodology. Another topic of our tests has been the comparison between the performances of the three algorithms chosen. Final step has been the comparison again with different possible good solutions, it means power supply system designs, provided by the Methodology, testing the validity of them. Once this work has been finished, the conclusions have been very satisfactory. Therefore this Thesis suggest a very interesting way of research and work, in terms of the results obtained and for the future opportunities can be created with the evolution of this. This Thesis has been developed with this idea in mind, so is expected this work could adhere another factor to work in the difficult task of validation and design of railway power supply systems.

Trust and Privacy Solutions Based on Holistic Service Requirements

The products and services designed for Smart Cities provide the necessary tools to improve the management of modern cities in a more efficient way. These tools need to gather citizens’ information about their activity, preferences, habits, etc. opening up the possibility of tracking them. Thus, privacy and security policies must be developed in order to satisfy and manage the legislative heterogeneity surrounding the services provided and comply with the laws of the country where they are provided. This paper presents one of the possible solutions to manage this heterogeneity, bearing in mind these types of networks, such as Wireless Sensor Networks, have important resource limitations. A knowledge and ontology management system is proposed to facilitate the collaboration between the business, legal and technological areas. This will ease the implementation of adequate specific security and privacy policies for a given service. All these security and privacy policies are based on the information provided by the deployed platforms and by expert system processing.

The EMBL nucleotide sequence database

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/) is maintained at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) in an international collaboration with the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) and GenBank at the NCBI (USA). Data is exchanged amongst the collaborating databases on a daily basis. The major contributors to the EMBL database are individual authors and genome project groups. Webin is the preferred web-based submission system for individual submitters, whilst automatic procedures allow incorporation of sequence data from large-scale genome sequencing centres and from the European Patent Office (EPO). Database releases are produced quarterly. Network services allow free access to the most up-to-date data collection via ftp, email and World Wide Web interfaces. EBI’s Sequence Retrieval System (SRS), a network browser for databanks in molecular biology, integrates and links the main nucleotide and protein databases plus many specialized databases. For sequence similarity searching a variety of tools (e.g. Blitz, Fasta, BLAST) are available which allow external users to compare their own sequences against the latest data in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database and SWISS-PROT.

Aplicação de sistema especialista para localização de defeitos em redes de distribuição.

Com o objetivo de orientar e agilizar a busca do local de curto circuitos em redes primárias aéreas de distribuição de energia, esta pesquisa propõe uma metodologia para localização de áreas com maior probabilidade de ser sede do defeito, utilizando variáveis Heurísticas. A metodologia Heurística se aplica em problemas que envolvem variáveis com incertezas, que podem ser avaliadas por meio de recursos empíricos e na experiência de especialistas. Dentre as variáveis influentes no cálculo de curto circuito, foram consideradas como mais relevantes: a resistência de defeito, a tensão pré falta, a impedância do sistema equivalente a montante da subestação e a impedância da rede. A metodologia proposta se fundamenta no conhecimento das correntes e tensões oscilografadas no barramento da subestação por ocasião da ocorrência de um curto circuito e, por outro lado no pré-calculo de correntes de curto circuito heurísticas ao longo da rede. No âmbito da pesquisa foram realizados testes de campo para levantamento da variável heurística resistência de defeito, resumidos neste texto e documentados no CD - ROM em anexo. Foi desenvolvido um software que permitiu a efetiva aplicação da proposta desta pesquisa em vários alimentadores de uma Distribuidora, cujos resultados comprovaram a eficiência da metodologia.

Sistema especialista para análise pós-evento da proteção em subestações distribuidoras.

É importante que as redes elétricas tenham altos índices de confiabilidade, de forma a se manter a agilidade e a manutenção ideais para um melhor funcionamento. Por outro lado, o crescimento inesperado da carga, falhas em equipamentos e uma parametrização inadequada das funções de proteção tornam a análise de eventos de proteção mais complexas e demoradas. Além disso, a quantidade de informações que pode ser obtida de relés digitais modernos tem crescido constantemente. Para que seja possível uma rápida tomada de decisão e manutenção, esse projeto de pesquisa teve como objetivo a implementação de um sistema completo de diagnóstico que é ativado automaticamente quando um evento de proteção ocorrer. As informações a serem analisadas são obtidas de uma base de dados e de relés de proteção, via protocolo de comunicação IEC 61850 e arquivos de oscilografia. O trabalho aborda o sistema Smart Grid completo incluindo: a aquisição de dados nos relés, detalhando o sistema de comunicação desenvolvido através de um software com um cliente IEC61850 e um servidor OPC e um software com um cliente OPC, que é ativado por eventos configurados para dispará-lo (por exemplo, atuação da proteção); o sistema de pré-tratamento de dados, onde os dados provenientes dos relés e equipamentos de proteção são filtrados, pré-processados e formatados; e o sistema de diagnóstico. Um banco de dados central mantém atualizados os dados de todas essas etapas. O sistema de diagnóstico utiliza algoritmos convencionais e técnicas de inteligência artificial, em particular, um sistema especialista. O sistema especialista foi desenvolvido para lidar com diferentes conjuntos de dados de entrada e com uma possível falta de dados, sempre garantindo a entrega de diagnósticos. Foram realizados testes e simulações para curtos-circuitos (trifásico, dupla-fase, dupla-fase-terra e fase-terra) em alimentadores, transformadores e barras de uma subestação. Esses testes incluíram diferentes estados do sistema de proteção (funcionamento correto e impróprio). O sistema se mostrou totalmente eficaz tanto no caso de disponibilidade completa quanto parcial de informações, sempre fornecendo um diagnóstico do curto-circuito e analisando o funcionamento das funções de proteção da subestação. Dessa forma, possibilita-se uma manutenção muito mais eficiente pelas concessionárias de energia, principalmente no que diz respeito à prevenção de defeitos em equipamentos, rápida resposta a problemas, e necessidade de reparametrização das funções de proteção. O sistema foi instalado com sucesso em uma subestação de distribuição da Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz.

Hybrid knowledge representation in a blackboard KBS for liquid retaining structure design

This paper highlights the importance of design expertise, for designing liquid retaining structures, including subjective judgments and professional experience. Design of liquid retaining structures has special features different from the others. Being more vulnerable to corrosion problem, they have stringent requirements against serviceability limit state of crack. It is the premise of the study to transferring expert knowledge in a computerized blackboard system. Hybrid knowledge representation schemes, including production rules, object-oriented programming, and procedural methods, are employed to express engineering heuristics and standard design knowledge during the development of the knowledge-based system (KBS) for design of liquid retaining structures. This approach renders it possible to take advantages of the characteristics of each method. The system can provide the user with advice on preliminary design, loading specification, optimized configuration selection and detailed design analysis of liquid retaining structure. It would be beneficial to the field of retaining structure design by focusing on the acquisition and organization of expert knowledge through the development of recent artificial intelligence technology. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Telemedical support for Iraq

The Swinfen Charitable Trust (SCT) provided two kinds of telemedical support to Iraq during 2004. Starting in January 2004, the Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad was able to refer cases into the well established global e-health network that the SCT has operated for the last five years. (In the first quarter of 2004, the SCT dealt with a total of 57 referrals from 15 hospitals in eight countries.) Two cases were referred from Baghdad in March 2004, both gynaecological, which were dealt with by consultants from the UK and Australia. The SCT administrators visited Basrah during April 2004 and met Iraqi doctors at the Shaibah Hospital as part of the international initiatives to improve health care there. Following this visit, the SCT network expanded to include another four hospitals in Iraq (Table 1). In addition, the SCT provided an electronic health records (EHR) system to support the rebuilding of maternity services, which has been led by the British Royal Colleges. The maternity records system is a Web-based EHR system, running on a secure server, which allows integrated access from antenatal clinics, from hospitals and from postnatal clinics in Iraq. Patients can view their own notes, thus promoting ownership of medical information, and doctors can view the notes of their own patients, from any Internet-connected PC. No special software is required by the user.

Computer simulation of form-roll design

Changes in modern structural design have created a demand for products which are light but possess high strength. The objective is a reduction in fuel consumption and weight of materials to satisfy both economic and environmental criteria. Cold roll forming has the potential to fulfil this requirement. The bending process is controlled by the shape of the profile machined on the periphery of the rolls. A CNC lathe can machine complicated profiles to a high standard of precision, but the expertise of a numerical control programmer is required. A computer program was developed during this project, using the expert system concept, to calculate tool paths and consequently to expedite the procurement of the machine control tapes whilst removing the need for a skilled programmer. Codifying the expertise of a human and the encapsulation of knowledge within a computer memory, destroys the dependency on highly trained people whose services can be costly, inconsistent and unreliable. A successful cold roll forming operation, where the product is geometrically correct and free from visual defects, is not easy to attain. The geometry of the sheet after travelling through the rolling mill depends on the residual strains generated by the elastic-plastic deformation. Accurate evaluation of the residual strains can provide the basis for predicting the geometry of the section. A study of geometric and material non-linearity, yield criteria, material hardening and stress-strain relationships was undertaken in this research project. The finite element method was chosen to provide a mathematical model of the bending process and, to ensure an efficient manipulation of the large stiffness matrices, the frontal solution was applied. A series of experimental investigations provided data to compare with corresponding values obtained from the theoretical modelling. A computer simulation, capable of predicting that a design will be satisfactory prior to the manufacture of the rolls, would allow effort to be concentrated into devising an optimum design where costs are minimised.

The investigation of crime:the myths and the reality

Initially the study focussed on the factors affecting the ability of the police to solve crimes. An analysts of over twenty thousand police deployments revealed the proportion of time spent investigating crime contrasted to its perceived importance and the time spent on other activities. The fictional portrayal of skills believed important in successful crime investigation were identified and compared to the professional training and 'taught skills’ given to police and detectives. Police practitioners and middle management provided views on the skills needed to solve crimes. The relative importance of the forensic science role. fingerprint examination and interrogation skills were contrasted with changes in police methods resulting from the Police and Criminal Evidence Act and its effect on confessions. The study revealed that existing police systems for investigating crime excluding specifically cases of murder and other serious offences, were unsystematic, uncoordinated, unsupervised and unproductive in using police resources. The study examined relevant and contemporary research in the United States and United Kingdom and with organisational support introduced an experimental system of data capture and initial investigation with features of case screening and management. Preliminary results indicated increases in the collection of essential information and more effective use of investigative resources. In the managerial framework within which this study has been conducted, research has been undertaken in the knowledge elicitation area as a basis for an expert system of crime investigation and the potential organisational benefits of utilising the Lap computer in the first stages of data gathering and investigation. The conclusions demonstrate the need for a totally integrated system of criminal investigation with emphasis on an organisational rather than individual response. In some areas the evidence produced is sufficient to warrant replication, in others additional research is needed to further explore other concepts and proposed systems pioneered by this study.

Developing a model for consumer product safety evaluation

Safety enforcement practitioners within Europe and marketers, designers or manufacturers of consumer products need to determine compliance with the legal test of "reasonable safety" for consumer goods, to reduce the "risks" of injury to the minimum. To enable freedom of movement of products, a method for safety appraisal is required for use as an "expert" system of hazard analysis by non-experts in safety testing of consumer goods for implementation consistently throughout Europe. Safety testing approaches and the concept of risk assessment and hazard analysis are reviewed in developing a model for appraising consumer product safety which seeks to integrate the human factors contribution of risk assessment, hazard perception, and information processing. The model develops a system of hazard identification, hazard analysis and risk assessment which can be applied to a wide range of consumer products through use of a series of systematic checklists and matrices and applies alternative numerical and graphical methods for calculating a final product safety risk assessment score. It is then applied in its pilot form by selected "volunteer" Trading Standards Departments to a sample of consumer products. A series of questionnaires is used to select participating Trading Standards Departments, to explore the contribution of potential subjective influences, to establish views regarding the usability and reliability of the model and any preferences for the risk assessment scoring system used. The outcome of the two stage hazard analysis and risk assessment process is considered to determine consistency in results of hazard analysis, final decisions regarding the safety of the sample product and to determine any correlation in the decisions made using the model and alternative scoring methods of risk assessment. The research also identifies a number of opportunities for future work, and indicates a number of areas where further work has already begun.

Predicting and diagnosing faults in wastewater treatment process by Bayesian Belief Networks

Diagnosing faults in wastewater treatment, like diagnosis of most problems, requires bi-directional plausible reasoning. This means that both predictive (from causes to symptoms) and diagnostic (from symptoms to causes) inferences have to be made, depending on the evidence available, in reasoning for the final diagnosis. The use of computer technology for the purpose of diagnosing faults in the wastewater process has been explored, and a rule-based expert system was initiated. It was found that such an approach has serious limitations in its ability to reason bi-directionally, which makes it unsuitable for diagnosing tasks under the conditions of uncertainty. The probabilistic approach known as Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNS) was then critically reviewed, and was found to be well-suited for diagnosis under uncertainty. The theory and application of BBNs are outlined. A full-scale BBN for the diagnosis of faults in a wastewater treatment plant based on the activated sludge system has been developed in this research. Results from the BBN show good agreement with the predictions of wastewater experts. It can be concluded that the BBNs are far superior to rule-based systems based on certainty factors in their ability to diagnose faults and predict systems in complex operating systems having inherently uncertain behaviour.

Computer automation of land evaluation procedures

This study was concerned with the computer automation of land evaluation. This is a broad subject with many issues to be resolved, so the study concentrated on three key problems: knowledge based programming; the integration of spatial information from remote sensing and other sources; and the inclusion of socio-economic information into the land evaluation analysis. Land evaluation and land use planning were considered in the context of overseas projects in the developing world. Knowledge based systems were found to provide significant advantages over conventional programming techniques for some aspects of the land evaluation process. Declarative languages, in particular Prolog, were ideally suited to integration of social information which changes with every situation. Rule-based expert system shells were also found to be suitable for this role, including knowledge acquisition at the interview stage. All the expert system shells examined suffered from very limited constraints to problem size, but new products now overcome this. Inductive expert system shells were useful as a guide to knowledge gaps and possible relationships, but the number of examples required was unrealistic for typical land use planning situations. The accuracy of classified satellite imagery was significantly enhanced by integrating spatial information on soil distribution for Thailand data. Estimates of the rice producing area were substantially improved (30% change in area) by the addition of soil information. Image processing work on Mozambique showed that satellite remote sensing was a useful tool in stratifying vegetation cover at provincial level to identify key development areas, but its full utility could not be realised on typical planning projects, without treatment as part of a complete spatial information system.

I&R Systems on the Internet/Intranet Cites as the Tool for Distance Learning

This article considers the Internet/Intranet information systems as the tool for distance learning. Author considers the model of the 3-tier WEB based information system, the idea of the language for implementing and customized solution, which includes the original language and processor for fast prototyping and implementing small and middle sized Internet/Intranet information systems.

Interface Engineering and Design: Adaptibility Problems

* The research work reviewed in this paper has been carried out in the context of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research funded project “Adaptable Intelligent Interfaces Research and Development for Distance Learning Systems”(grant N 02-01-81019). The authors wish to acknowledge the co-operation with the Byelorussian partners of this project.