Expert system technology in observing tools

Karl R. Wolf; Chris Burkhardt; Mark Fishman; Sandy Grosvenor; Jeremy E. Jones; Anuradha Koratkar; LaMont Ruley

doi:10.1117/12.392494

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25 July 2000 Expert system technology in observing tools

Karl R. Wolf, Chris Burkhardt, Mark Fishman, Sandy Grosvenor, Jeremy E. Jones, Anuradha Koratkar, LaMont Ruley

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Proceedings Volume 4010, Observatory Operations to Optimize Scientific Return II; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.392494
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2000, Munich, Germany

Abstract

Over the past two years, the Scientist's Expert Assistant team from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the Space Telescope Science Institute has been prototyping tools to support General Observer proposal development for the Hubble Space Telescope and the Next Generation Space Telescope. One aspect of this effort has been the exploration of the use of expert systems in guiding the user in preparing their observing program. The initial goal was to provide the user with a question-and-answer style of interaction where the software would 'interview' the user for their science needs and recommend instrument settings. This design ultimately failed. The reasons for this failure, and the resulting evolution of our approach, are an interesting case study in the use of expert system technology for observing tools. Although the interview approach failed we felt that expert systems can still be used in the tools environment. This paper describes our current approach to the use of expert systems and how it has evolved over the project's lifetime. We also present suggestions on why expert systems are useful and when they are appropriate.

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Karl R. Wolf, Chris Burkhardt, Mark Fishman, Sandy Grosvenor, Jeremy E. Jones, Anuradha Koratkar, and LaMont Ruley "Expert system technology in observing tools", Proc. SPIE 4010, Observatory Operations to Optimize Scientific Return II, (25 July 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.392494

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