FST Graduate Research Topic

Research Topic: Analyze and Design Factory Automation Applications with Semantic Technology
Suggested By: Xiaokun Zhang
Last Update: November 12th, 2010

Current market trends demand existing and future manufacturing systems to be able to provide rapid reconfigurability for the production of the mass customization. In the systems, it is expected that existing module components may interact with novel components but have no previous knowledge on how to collaborate. It is possible if components share a common understanding on how to interact and on the meaning of exchanged information. Those components are essential physical elements and function services such as sensor, actuator, machines, industrial controller, and software services etc. This research topic focuses on the strategies of using ontology and semantic technology as interaction model of the factory automation systems to overcome current interoperability barriers in the systems. The research in the methodology or technology implementation may be conducted in general or sub-domain specific ones in the systems, such as intelligent mechatronic devices, intelligent machine tools, material handle robot, distributed real time control systems, planning and schedule, monitoring, supervisory control, and error recovery systems, etc. Your options: 1. You can choose this topic and implement a project in COMP 697-698-699. 2. You select this topic as an essay to review relevant methods and carry out conceptual design and analysis in COMP 696 If you are interested in this project or need more information about the requirement, please contact with Dr. Xiaokun Zhang by email: xiaokunz@athabascau.ca