Abstract
In the earliest stages of engineering design, where ideas and vague tasks predominate, the dynamics of interaction in creating and organising ideas are at least as important as the rather static and precise requirements for decision-making and for defining the product. A fundamentally different approach to the way that computers are programmed, in which computation is subordinated to interaction, provides new ways of modelling that are not constrained by preconceived modes of input and output. Models created by these means are extensible, reusable, multi-agent or concurrent. The user can construct and interact with a ‘virtual prototype’ as one might work up a physical prototype. The emphasis of the approach is manipulation and observation of application-specific knowledge, in an experimental environment that human users construct to mirror their own experience of the real world. The modelling method allows knowledge to be modified on line by the intervention of the modeller. The process offers immediate experience of the model behaviour and allows refinement of the design according to many viewpoints. It also assists in the decomposition of a system requirement into component requirements.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adzhiev V, Beynon WM, Cartwright AJ, Yung YP. A new computer-based tool for conceptual design. Int Workshop on Computer Aided Conceptual Design, Lancaster, April 1994
Finger S, Dixon JR. A review of research in mechanical engineering design, Part 1. Res Engng Design 1989; I: 51–67
Beynon WM. Parallelism in a definitive programming framework. Proc Conf on Parallel Computing. Elsevier Amsterdam. 1990. pp 425–430
Beynon WM, Yung YW. Implementing a definitive notation for interactive graphics. New trends in computer graphics. Springer-Verlag 1988, 456–468
Piela P, Katzenberg B, McKelvey R. Integrating the user into research on engineering design systems. Res Engng Design 1992; 3:211–221
Dym CL. Engineering design. A synthesis of views. Cambridge University Press, New York 1994
Suh P. The principles of design. Oxford University Press, New York 1990
Taguchi G, Konishi S. Taguchi methods: orthogonal arrays and linear graphs. American Supplier Inst., 1987
Spence R. Quotes of the future. Information Engng Rept 94/2, Dept of Elec Engng, Imperial College, London 1994
Oh V, Langdown P, Sharpe JEE. Schemebuilder: an integrated computer environment for product design. Proc Int Workshop on Computer Aided Conceptual Design. University of Lancaster, April 1994. pp 339–362
Hamburg I. Using fuzzy logic in the interactive computer support of engineering design. Proc ICED 93, Den Hague, Heurista, 1993. pp 1343–1350
Smith BC. Two lessons of logic. Computer Intelligence 1987; 3:214–218
Tomyama T. Meta-model: a key to Intelligent CAD Systems. Res Engng Desig 1989; 1:19–34
Bietz W, and Feldhusen J. Management systems and program concepts for an integrated CAD process. Res Engng Design 1991; 3:61–72
Veerkamp P. On the development of an artefact and design description language. CWI, Amsterdam 1992
Tomiyama T, ten Hagen PJW. The concept of intelligent integrated interactive CAD systems. CWI Report, Centre for Mathematics & Computer Science, Amsterdam 1987
Wærn Y. Cognitive aspects of computer supported tasks. John Wiley, New York 1986
Abelson H, Sussman GJ. Structure and interpretation of computer programs. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, and McGraw-Hill, New York 1985
Sudkamp TA. Languages and machines. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA 1988
Clocksin WF, Mellish CS. Programming in prolog. 3rd edn. Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1987
Beynon WM, Cartwright AJ. A definitive approach to the implementation of CAD software. In: V Akman, PJW ten Hagen, PJ Veerkemp (eds). Intelligent CAD Systems III Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 1989. pp 126–145
AutoDesk® AutoLisp release 12 programmer's reference. AutoDesk Inc 1992
Smith ST, Chetwynd DG. Foundations of ultraprecision mechanism design. Gordon & Brech Science Publishers, 1992
Beynon WM, Angier D, Bissell T, Hunt S. DoNaLD, a line drawing system based on definitive principles. University of Warwick Computer Science Research Report No. 87, 1986
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cartwright, A.J. Interactive prototyping—a challenge for computer based design. Research in Engineering Design 9, 10–19 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01607054
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01607054