Knowledge based systems for nuclear applications in Germany

Several national and international research programs which are dealing with artificial intelligence and other innovative computer applications are in progress in Germany. However in contrast to the development of computer applications in the past, the new research programs are not very much determined from needs of the nuclear industry. Thus, applications of AI techniques in German nuclear industry are not very innovative in the sense of artificial intelligence. They may be divided into two categories: 1. projects which are aimed to explore the new technologies, 2. projects which are aimed to open new areas of work. This situation changes due to the fact that supercomputers with large memory, workstations with cheap disc devices and fast networks are becoming available. These hardware devices allow the connection of locally available knowledge and data bases with powerful central computer capacity. Using such hardware tools new applications can be developed in nuclear engineering using even existing software tools. These new applications may be characterized as integrated systems. The Integral Planning Simulation System IPSS which is under development at the University of Stuttgart is such a system