Basic Research in Artificial Intelligence and Foundations of Programming

摘要

This report describes recent research in several related areas. Basic research in artificial intelligence and formal reasoning addresses fundamental problems in the representation of knowledge and reasoning processes applied to this knowledge. Solution of these problems will make possible the development of analytical applications of computers with large and complex data bases, where current systems can handle only a very restricted set of data structures and queries. Mathematical theory of computation studies the properties of computer programs. The goal is to provide a sound theoretical basis for proving correctness or equivalence of designs. The goal of program verification is to improve the reliability of important classes of programs such as compilers, operating systems and realtime control systems, and to standardize techniques for program construction, documentation and maintenance. Image understanding is aimed at mechanizing visual perception of three-dimensional objects either from photographs or from passive imaging sensors. Advances in this field are expected to lead to much more efficient photointerpretation capabilities as well as automatic visual guidance systems.