Rajit Gadh

Definitions

Design - the art and science of creating definitions for form and behavior of artifacts.

Decision - Selection of the best solution based on known knowledge.

Optimization - Obtaining the best solution given the known space of variables.

Position Statement

The objective in designing artifacts is to optimize a known function - the objective function - of a set of parameters. Automatic design optimization assumes that all the design parameters are known and correct and so is the function to be optimized - the objective function. This is not possible when the objective function is not known, or the complete set of parameters is not known. In general, that is the case, so human beings use apriori knowledge of the world and using heuristics or localizing constraints (e.g.constraining features on part designs based on prior experience of manufacturing), often find locally optimum solutions. Sometimes, using creativity in their solution finding strategies, function itself changes. Creativity provides a new dimension to decision-based design, and it would be interesting to quantify what creativity does to the objective function and to the set of parameters. Certain tools are available for assisting in creativity by the design - an example is are virtual environments.

My Research Interests

My research involves the use of advanced tools to support designing of artifact and assembly shapes. In particular, it involves the study of

1. Role, definition and determination of shape features in component design (feature extraction versus feature based design).
2. Role of assembly features in disassembly evalution.
3. The use of Virtual Environments in creating shapes of part/assembly designs.

Items i) and ii) involve research in the determination of features from component and assembly designs so that appropriate design decisions can be made. Item iii) involves a human in the loop creating shape designs (with the decisions being made by the human being). In this model, the role of computer is to store detailed information and provide it to the human when he/she wants to make high-level decisions - in this case regarding the shape of the artifact. Secondly, the human being is immersed in the environment, whereby he/she can create shape models intuitively; and this increases the bandwidth between the designer and the environment.

I Would Be Interested In Discussions On

1. The role of advanced CAD tools in supporting design decisions.
2. Automation versus semi-automation in design.
3. The role of internet and distributed intelligent agents in design. I,included in a large set of researchers, believe that the internet will play a key role in decision making since it will provide the relevant information and tools to allow designers to make decisions.
4. How high-end graphics-based and visualization based systems can support the decision making process.
5. Can we involve industry representatives in this workshop - since ultimately the practising designer works in industry.
6. Ultimately, where are we headed? Would be good to establish the long-term goals.
7. Can we aim to produce a small booklet that we can publish with NSF's help on this subject? I think that the general public would be interested in this topic.
8. Write an article on our findings to publish in a leading conference or journal, and make this is a periodic activity.