Generation Computer Project Research Articles

How Beneficial or Threatening is Artificial Intelligence?

Computer scientists have studied artificial intelligence and machine learning since computers were invented. There have been three waves of developments, in this field. First development, in the 1950s, computer chess and reversiTM, were realized. In the second development, “expert systems” attracted attention and started the “5th Generation Computer Project.” in 1980s. However, the results of both the developments were insufficient (for example, 5th Generation Computer was not created), and the enthusiasm for expecting new type of computers such as artificial intelligence quickly diminished. We are now in the third wave of the AI developments. Will it produce satisfactory results? Will it revolutionize life sciences? In this article, I have tried to answer these questions.

Logic/Constraint Programming and Concurrency: The hard-won lessons of the Fifth Generation Computer project

The technical goal of the Fifth Generation Computer Systems (FGCS) project (1982–1993) was to develop Parallel Inference technologies, namely systematized technologies for realizing knowledge information processing on top of parallel computer architecture. The Logic Programming paradigm was adopted as the central working hypothesis of the project. At the same time, building a large-scale Parallel Inference Machine (PIM) meant to develop a novel form of general-purpose computing technologies that are powerful enough to express various parallel algorithms and to describe a full operating system of PIM. Accordingly, the research goal of the Kernel Language was set to designing a concurrent and parallel programming language under the working hypothesis of Logic Programming. The aim of this article is to describe the design process of the Kernel Language (KL1) in the context of related programming models in the 1980s, the essence of Concurrent Logic Programming and Constraint-Based Concurrency, and how the technologies we developed in those days evolved after their conception. • Design process of the Kernel Language (KL1). • Essence of Concurrent Logic Programming and Constraint-Based Concurrency. • How the technologies evolved after their conception.

The Fifth Generation Computer Project: What I Think about it after Eleven Years

The Fifth Generation Computer Project: What I Think about it after Eleven Years

Technology at a crossroads: The Fifth Generation Computer Project in Japan

Technology at a crossroads: The Fifth Generation Computer Project in Japan

Research consortia as a vehicle for basic research: The case of a fifth generation computer project in Japan

This paper investigates the advantages and disadvantages of a publicly supported government-industry research consortium as a vehicle for conducting basic research, taking Japan's Fifth Generation Computer Systems Project as a case. After discussing the organization, activities, and achievements of the project, we inquire whether the usual explanations of cooperative R&D apply to the project. Complementarity of resources from different companies may not have been as important as in previous research associations in Japan (e.g. the VLSI Association) but the establishment of a temporary research institute with seconded researchers was an effective way to deal with the limited mobility of researchers in the Japanese labour market. Most importantly, the project fostered the spillover of created knowledge. There remains a doubt, however, whether the project can be a model for future research projects.

Experience of the Fifth Generation Computer Project on International Joint Researches with International Computer Network

Experience of the Fifth Generation Computer Project on International Joint Researches with International Computer Network

Current research status and future direction of the fifth generation computer project

The fifth generation computer project was launched in 1982, aiming at developing parallel computers dedicated for knowledge information processing. It was commonly believed that knowledge processing based on symbolic computation is very difficult to parallelize. We made a conjecture that logic programming technology will solve the difficulty. During the project, we succeeded in inventing a parallel logic programming language, GHC, and its realistic extention, KL1. We devoted our effort in developing parallel hardware called PIM, dedicated for KL1. We are now developing software technology on top of KL1 and PIM. We succeeded in developing PIM's operating system totally in KL1, which runs on Multi-PSI, a current experimental parallel hardware for developing KL1 programming. We are now concentrating our effort on developing mapping techniques, such as load balancing and priority control, for deriving real spead up in parallel execution. We are also trying to develop more realistic and complicated application programs such as VLSI-CAD systems, case based reasoning systems and parallel theorem provers which, we hope, will run efficiently on PIM.

Project START

When the Japanese Fifth Generation Computer project was launched in the early 1980s, data-processing professionals along with the world press were quick to appreciate the strategic goals and background ideas of the project which has since been referred to as “Japan's challenge.” Soon, next generation computing projects and programs, like MCC in the U.S., ESPRIT in Europe and ALVEY in Great Britain emerged as a response to this challenge.

Knowledge-based programming environments

Abstract This is a survey presented at the International Joint Conference on AI (IJCAI-89) in Detroit on Soviet work in the field of knowledge-based programming. It considers work which started in the 1970s as automatic programming projects with a goal to find new ways of program construction and, particularly, the work on computational models and problem solving. The structural program synthesis and conceptual programming technique developed in this framework were later used in the new generation computer project, START.

Japan's fifth generation computer project successes and failures

In November 1988 an international conference was held in Tokyo, organized by the Japanese Institute of New Generation Technology, to review the progress of Japan's fifth generation computer project and to launch the project's final phase. This report looks back to the origins of the project, comments on its aims and achievements, assesses criticisms of the project, and looks at expectations and prospects for the project's future.

A brief overview of the current status of expert systems in Japan

A number of expert systems have been built in many Japanese industries, and more than 250 systems are used in practice. Japan has caught the “AI fever” since the 5th generation computer project has been set up, though it is currently abating. People have realized the utility of expert systems and are developing advanced techniques to make expert sytems really useful. A brief overview of the current Japanese status of expert systems is presented here.

Parallel processing: A critical element in applying artificial intelligence to manufacturing

Fortified by Japan's fifth generation computer project, many researchers are vigorously pursuing parallel processing projects. Much of this work is a result of the desire to apply artificial intelligence techniques in a real-time environment such as manufacturing. Parallel processing increases both processing speed and programmer productivity. True concurrency in parallel processing increases to execute multiple segments of a program simultaneously on different processors. In order for real-time manufacturing systems to use the memory intensive and relatively slow artificial intelligence languages, such as LISP or Prolog, they will have to utilize concurrent programming on parallel processors.

Fifth Generation Computers and Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is an area of Computer Science concerned with making the computer perform tasks which, to be successfully done by human beings, require intelligence. Early efforts aimed at implementing general systems capable of working in a wide variety of tasks as well as special systems doing only one type of task very well. Expert systems belong to the second category and aim at competence comparable to that of an expert, in a very well delimited area of activity. These consist of broadly two parts: a core consisting of the domain specific knowledge and inference rules and a shell which (is domain independent and) provides the facilities for using these and interacting with the user.The Fifth Generation Computer project proposed by Japan is the first comprehensive effort to consolidate and build up on the progress achieved in artificial intelligence and incorporate this into a new generation of very powerful computers, for use by the common man in his day to day life.Expert systems offer numer...

Executing PASCAL programs on a PROLOG architecture

The decision by the Japanese to buid their Fifth Generation Computer Project around systems based on logic programming rather than on conventional imperative languages is a significant departure from the style of computers developed in the past. The effect which this might have on computer systems in the future had led to concern about what might happen to the large base of existing software which is implemented in imperative languages. To allay fears on this score an investigation has been conducted into the feasibility of translating conventional languages like PASCAL into PROLOG. The results of this study are reported.

The role of logic programming in the Fifth Generation Computer Project

This paper describes the role of logic programming in the Fifth Generation Computer Project. We started the project with the conjecture that logic programming is the “bridge” connecting knowledge information processing and parallel computer architecture. Four years have passed since we started the project, and now we can say that this conjecture has been substantially confirmed. The paper gives an overview of the developments which have reinforced this foundational conjecture and how our “bridge” is being realized.

R & D Cooperation in AI: Report on the U.S. and Japanese panel, IJCAI 1985

The consensus of government, academic, and industry leaders widely supports the strategic positioning of U.S. and Japanese research and development in mutually beneficial, two-way flows of innovation. This report is derived from the IJCAI panel titled U.S and Japanese Cooperation in AI and R&D Opportunities, held August 23, 1986 at the University of California at Los Angeles. This panel discussed the sensitive topic of alternatives to nationalistic competitive strategies that have contributed to an extreme trade deficit surpassing $40 billion in 1986. The ideas offered by the panelists shed light on ways our countries' respective scientific communities can blend talents to achieve the best results in reducing trade frictions. Each country has designated AI research as a key to unlock years of generations of technology and has directed billions of dollars to fund this development. The most recognized projects are the U.S. Microelectronics Technology Computer Consortium (MCC) and Japan's Fifth Generation Computer Project (ICOT). Although noting the obstacles, the panelists encouraged specific, shared efforts to ensure the development of a closer working relationship to explore AI's benefits.

Specification languages

Various problems with traditional program specifications using only natural language and graphical representations led to the development of formal specification languages. Currently, most of them are founded on a paradigm called Abstract Data Types. However, up to now the actual use of formal specifications in practical applications is very limited: they are not really “implemented”, i.e. properly supported by computer based software engineering environments. Therefore, other approaches stemming from new developments in the fields of logic programming and artificial intelligence are coming up fast because they are executable and allow for a validation of specifications. The possibility of such tests was only recently recognized as a necessary precondition for the applicability of specification languages for real-world problems. Languages like Prolog promise to merge these new developments with the sounder features of abstract data types. Moreover, their underlying semantic model - first-order calculus and logic theorem proving algorithms - provided the foundation of the Japanese Fifth Generation Computer project. Hence, software specified using such languages will meet much better than the programs we specified and realised in the past the demands and possibilities of the new hardware to come.

The structure of the Japanese fifth generation computer project — then and now

The FGCS programme has shown since its inception a gradual development through several stages of planning

A relational database machine with large semiconductor disk and hardware relational algebra processor

This paper describes the basic concepts, design and implementation decisions, standpoints and significance of the database machine Delta in the scope of Japan’s Fifth Generation Computer Project. Delta is planned to be operational in 1985 for researchers’ use as a backend database machine for logic programming software development. Delta is basically a relational database machine system. It combines hardware facilities for efficient relational database operations, which are typically represented by relational algebra, and software which deals with hardware control and actual database management requirements. Notable features include attribute-based internal schema in accordance with the characteristics found in the relation access from logic programming environment. This is also useful for the hardware relational algebra manipulation algorithm based on merge-sorting of attributes by hardware and a large capacity Semiconductor Disk for fast access to databases. Various implementation decisions of database management requirements are made in this novel system configuration, which will be meaningful to give an example for constructing a hardware and software combination of a relational database machine. Delta is in the stage between detailed design and implementation.

Japan's fifth generation computer project

The Japanese Fifth Generation project is aimed at increasing computing power by around three orders of magnitude over 15 years. Motives are political and social as well as commercial. The Japanese have sought international cooperation in this attempt to beat IBM (in particular) by ignoring compatibility with existing systems. Although there is not even an embryonic Vth generation system yet, final success looks likely. One goal is to be able to process knowledge (rather than data), in a user-friendly manner.