Related Research

In addition to the use of open standard ontology language it's also possible to use agreed semantics for the domain of engineering modelling. The language most relevant for this purpose is the Process Specification Language (PSL) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A representation of this PSL-XML [1] can be used with OWL, both OWL and PSL-XML are based on RDF-XML (Resource Description Framework) implemented with XML (eXtensible Markup Language). This makes our translation process simpler and can enable interaction with other systems.

Collaboration, simulation and modelling have been investigated to assist us in determining the requirements for future research in modelling of problems. Huhns [2] and Paternò [3] both explain that alternatives to the current approach to software development are required. This should allow translation from a model-based representation of software to the actual software. This could involve automatically producing software for a semantic web site from visual representations of the problem. The core of this modelling infrastructure would be automated generation of models written using World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards based languages and the visualisation of information represented in such W3C standard ways. We have examined modelling languages such as Alloy [4] Wallace [5], in order to establish how modelling languages can be used as an interface to an End-User Programming environment. Transformation from a model building environment to program code has been investigated by Gray et al [6]. MathML [7] can assist in this process by providing an open representation of functions as XML. Functions entered by the model developer can then be translated to this open representation and translated to programming languages and/or read by programming languages. The representation of functions and information can sometimes be illustrated diagrammatically. In the mid 1970s Smith [8] introduced the technique of Programming by Example with a program called Pygmalion, Smith elaborated on this in [9] (Chapter 1). This demonstrated the need to describe algorithms through concrete examples rather than abstractly. Guibert et al [10] explain and expands on Smiths work with an example demonstrating how numbers fail to reveal the concept behind them. The example is a numerical representation of a triangle. This representation is 'fregean' because it does not show the concept of a triangle. Next to this is a diagram of the triangle that does show the concept, this is referred to as 'analogical' representation because it includes the context of the information. Including the context of the information allows a person to discover meanings or relationships in the information which would not always be obvious. Semantic web languages allow for the context of the information to be represented in documents and so make it possible to represent information in an analogical way, as well as allowing the kind of two way interaction mentioned in section 2.1, leading to an improvement in information discovery. This is the theory behind our conversions to interactive SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) and tree based representations of information and functions [11][12].
An open standards web driven method of collaboration is required to make it possible for organisations and individuals to become more deeply involved in projects that are well coordinated using web technologies. Morris et al. [13] examine Interactivity and collaboration on the web. Aziz et al. [14] examine how open standards software can assist in an organisation's collaborative product development. This approach is outlined in Ciancarini et al. [15] that explains ways of designing a document-centric coordination application over the Internet. Nidamarthi et al. [16] explain how web based collaboration can aid the design process. Huang and Mak [17] evaluate issues in the development and implementation of web applications for product design and manufacture. Reed et al. [18] show how web based modelling and simulation can be used in the aircraft design process. Kim et al. [19] explain their approach to modelling and simulation. Zhang et al. [20] review Internet-based product information sharing and visualisation. Li [21] examines the role of web based services for distributed process planning optimization.
The intention is to further the research of others into the approach of web based collaboration, and use semantic web software and techniques to achieve this. The above research reinforced our view that this is a robust approach. Modelling collaborations based on these techniques would bring together experts in engineering, systems modelling, computing, and Human Computer Interaction.

[1] Lubell J, 2006 http://ats.nist.gov/psl/xml/process-descriptions.html - XML Representation of Process Descriptions
[2] Huhns, M. (2001) Interaction-Oriented Software Development, International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, 11 259-279.
[3] Paternò, F. (2005) Model-based tools for pervasive usability. Interacting with Computers 17 (3), 291-315.
[4] Alloy http://alloy.mit.edu/ The Alloy Analyzer - 3.0 Beta
[5] Wallace C. (2003) Using Alloy in process modelling. Information and Software Technology, Vol. 45 (15), 1031-1043.
[6] Gray J, Zhang J, Lin Y, Roychoudhury S, Wu H, Sudarsan R, Gokhale A, Neema S, Shi F, and Bapty T, Model-Driven Program Transformation of a Large Avionics Framework, 2004, Third International Conference on Generative Programming and Component Engineering GPCE.
[7] W3C Math Home - http://www.w3.org/Math/Overview.html - What is MathML?
[8] Smith, D. C. (1977) A Computer Program to Model and Stimulate Creative Thought. Basel: Birkhauser.
[9] Guibert N, Girard P, Guittet L, (2004), Example-based Programming: a pertinent visual approach for learning to program, University of Poitiers, Proceedings of the working conference on Advanced visual interfaces - Pages: 358 - 361 - ISBN:1-58113-867-9.
[10] Cypher, A, 1993, Watch What I Do Programming by Demonstration, MIT Press, ISBN:0262032139.
[11] Hale P, http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/~phale/Flash/FlashHCI.htm - Spar - Tree based representation
[12] Hale P, http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/~phale/InteractiveSVGExamples.htm - Interactive Examples
[13] Morris, S., Neilson, I., Charlton, C., Little, J. (2001) Interactivity and collaboration on the WWW - is the 'WWW shell' sufficient?. Interacting with Computers, 13, 717-730.
[14] Aziz, H., Gao, J., Maropoulos, P., Chewing, W. M. (2005) Open standard, open source and peer-to-peer tools and methods for collaborative product development. Computers in Industry, 56, 260-271.
[15] Ciancarini, P. & Rossi, D. & Vitali, F. (2001) Designing a document-centric coordination application over the Internet. Interacting with Computers, 13 677-693.
[16] Nidamarthi S., Allen R. H., Ram D. S. (2001) Observations from supplementing the traditional design process via Internet-based collaboration tools, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 14 (1), 95-107.
[17] Huang, G. Q., Mak, K. L. (2001) Issues in the development and implementation of web applications for product design and manufacture. Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 14 (1), 125-135.
[18] Reed, J. A., Follen, G. J., Afjeh A. A. (2000) Improving the Aircraft Design Process Using Web-Based Modeling and Simulation. ACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation, 10 (1), 58-83.
[19] Kim Y., Choi Y., Bong Yoo S. (2001) Brokering and 3D collaborative viewing of mechanical part models on the Web, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 14 (1), 28-41.
[20] Zhang, S., Weimen, S., Hamada, G. (2004) A review of Internet-based product information sharing and visualization. Computers in Industry, 54, 1-15.
[21] Li, W. D. (2005) A Web-based service for distributed process planning optimization. Computers in Industry, 56, 272-288.