iKen Studio

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iKen Studio

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Generate automatic DHTML scripts and HTML web pages. No explicit database programming required ... Create DHTML web pages for Input and Output ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: iKen Studio

1
An IIT Bombay Research Project Spin-off
2
iKen Studio Live

A SaaS (Software as Service) Delivery Platform
(www.iKenStudio.com)
An online development environment to develop
web-based enterprise applications, decision
support systems, knowledge-based websites and
portals backed by expert system, case-based
reasoning and Hybrid AI technologies.
It is a research spin-off of IIT Bombay

3
Contents

iKen Studio Features
Generic Applications of iKen Studio
System Development Interfaces
Core Engines
Presentation Interfaces
Database Management Interfaces
System Parameters and configuration
System Controls
Comparing iKen Studio with other Expert
System/CBR Tools/Shells
Related Research Papers
Business Case Studies
Case Study demos
Demos

4
iKen Studio Features

Completely Web-based
Access, management and configuration through Web
No desktop installation and management
Minimal coding
Generate automatic DHTML scripts and HTML web
pages
No explicit database programming required
Various development interfaces
Use of simple language for writing rules
Support large number of operators, functions and
data types
Existing C/C APIs can be reused
Database integration
Support popular databases MS-SQL Server, MYSQL,
MS-Access, Excel, Text, etc.
Simultaneously connects and accesses data from
multiple databases
In-built extraction, mapping and transformation
engine
Data access and manipulation through flexible
external dynamic queries

5
iKen Studio Features

XML and Web services
All components and interfaces use XML
SQL-XML and XML-SQL transformation
Access to APIs and intelligent systems through
web services
AI Techniques
Powerful expert system engine supporting large
number of data types including matrix, trend, XML
etc. and various SQL, matrix, list, chart,
session management, report etc. functions
Use of scripting language for implementing
procedural logic
Powerful CBR engine supporting structured and
conversational CBR applications
Applications can be developed using hybrids of
expert system and CBR
Security features
Role-based access to various development
interfaces
Role and user based access to applications,
databases and data
Encryption to prevent unauthorised changes
System tracks changes made by the users and save
change history for later investigation

6
Generic Applications using iKen Studio
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Knowledge Automation

Manage dynamic business rule
Retain and reuse in-house expertise
Maintain and assure regulatory compliance
Enforce decision rules make them consistent and
objective
Make transaction and reporting systems
intelligent by incorporating knowledge

8
Knowledge-based Websites and Intranets

Move from information delivery to knowledge
delivery
Automate and deliver expertise on-line virtual
consultant
Save experts time and serve large user/customer
base 24x7 days
Understand user, customers and employees well.
Recommend them the right products, deliver
customized advice and information
Lightweight, less crowded user interfaces
Intelligent product advisory and selection
Smart Intranets

9
Decision Support

Advanced decision support system using
rule-based, case-based systems and analytical
methods
Data Analysis, detect Inconsistencies
Reuse experience like dealing with customers
Analyse, match profiles and predict behaviour
Identify up-selling and cross-selling
opportunities

10
Automated Help-desks and Support

Reuse maintenance, support etc. experience
Self-service Interfaces
Intelligent help and troubleshooting

11
Monitoring and Reporting

Monitor and report fraudulent, suspicious and
abnormal activities
Generate alerts and early warning signals

12
Information Search and Retrieval

Flexible and guided quick information retrieval
from databases
Set individuals retrieval criteria and
requirements
Retrieval based on context and conceptual
similarity

13
System Development Interfaces
Presentation Services(Input/Output)
ProcessingLogic (Core Engines)
Domain Vocabulary
Data Services XMLlt-gt SQL Transformation
System controls
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Core Engines
Presentation Services(Input/Output)
ProcessingLogic (Core Engines)
Domain Vocabulary
Data Services XMLlt-gt SQL Transformation
System controls
15
Expert System Engine

Rule-based Reasoning
Web-based, XML-based Expert Systems can easily be
developed and deployed.
Easy to use and understand IF...THEN...ELSE rule
format
Write rules in simple english like sentences
Supports rules for multiple expert systems, which
are logically separated into application groups.
Rules are stored in intermediate format at run
time rather than interpreted each time. Rules
are checked for various syntax and semantic
errors. Rule Manager facilitates interactive
environment to manage the rules.
Supports
Backward as well as forward reasoning
Various data types number, real, text, date,
list, dynamic list, trend, matrix, boolean,
document, URL, etc
Various mathematical, string, list, date, matrix,
trend, graph, database, session management and
report functions
Special operators and functions like INCLUDE, IS
BETTER THAN, SCORE_OF, PROFILE_OF etc. to reduce
number of explicit rules eg expressions like
Customer.Education IS BETTER THAN Diploma,
STATUS_OF Customer.Age IS Young
Customer.Income Documents INCLUDE PAN,Form16
etc.

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Expert System Engine

Supports many databases simultaneously, no
explicit database programming is required like
opening database connections, executing SQL
command, opening record-sets, populating data
etc. The database interfaces manage extraction,
mapping and transformation of data. The data
from SQL queries is populated into session data
and vise-a-versa at run time.
Use of JavaScript for WHEN NEEDED and WHEN ADDED
methods. Expert system variables can directly be
accessed directly in JavaScript for client-side
as well as server-side functionality. This helps
to implement procedural component to be
implemented using scripting languages that are
relatively easier and widely used.
System can run in Debug mode to dump the data and
know process status at run-time.
An expert system can be invoked through URL and
Web services
System Interfaces like Form Designer and Report
Designers are used to create HTML input templates
and sessions reports to enter, validate data and
get formatted output in HTML format.
Existing C/C APIs can be used by wrapping them
in DLL files
Expert system engine can work as host system for
accessing and controlling case-based reasoning
systems or to develop hybrid systems

17
Case based reasoning engine

Domain independent Web-based CBR systems can be
developed. The engine is tightly connected to
expert system engine. Expert system engine can
act as host. Expert system can be used to enter
query or problem case (through QA or Forms).
Run-time format of case format is XML, cases are
stored in the database/s.
No restructuring of database contents, existing
contents can easily used and converted to cases
on the fly (by mapping SQL-XML)
Support for all phases (Retrieve, Reuse, Revise
and Retain) of CBR
Uses combination of rule-base, SQL and nearest
neighbour method for retrieval.
Powerful rule-based engine for adaptation of
cases.
It can address structural as well as
conversational CBR thereby supporting wide-range
of applications from intelligent help desk to
complex decision support.
The engine supports taxonomy, hierarchy of CBRs
and logical grouping of features.
It supports large number of similarity functions
and custom functions can be added.
It can be configured to set similarities from
databases based on criteria or procedural logic
(query results), also to learn and adjust
similarities automatically from the past
downloads or examples.

18
Presentation Interfaces
Presentation Services(Input/Output)
ProcessingLogic (Core Engines)
Domain Vocabulary
Data Services XMLlt-gt SQL Transformation
System controls
19
Form and Report Designer

Create DHTML web pages for Input and Output
Support all major HTML controls, tags, fonts,
colors etc
JavaScript code is automatically inserted into
forms and reports for validation, formatting etc.
Form designer interface used for designing and
building inputs forms
Report designer interface used for designing and
building report templates. The system populates
and calculates appropriate values at run-time
when invoked or displayed.
Studio supports default report templates with lot
of client side functionality and navigation aids
Support two basic types of reports
Session Report to display session data at
run-time
Query Report to display dataset in multiple rows
e.g. result of SQL query

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Example Form Preview
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Example Runtime Form
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Example Session Report Preview
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Example Runtime Session Report
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Example SQL Report Preview
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Example Runtime SQL Report
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Example Default Reports
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Data Management Interfaces
Presentation Services(Input/Output)
ProcessingLogic (Core Engines)
Domain Vocabulary
Data Services XMLlt-gt SQL Transformation
System controls
28
Database Connection

This interface is used for setting up database
connections. It can also be used to add, remove,
and update database connections.
The system maintains the list of database
connections as an application object. Each
connection has a logical ID
Supports databases SQL Server, Oracle,
MS-Access, MS-Excel, MySQL, Text Files etc.
System supports OLEDB or ODBC connection type
One database (core db) in the system is treated
as core database. The core database is used by
the system to store the user list, session
tracking, database access queries etc.

29
Dynamic Queries

Dynamic query facilitates retrieval of data at
run-time by just using their IDs and filters (by
populating filter values at run-time)
Queries can be predefined to bring datasets for
lists, dynamic lists, collaborative filtering,
content filtering, clustering etc.
These queries save lot of explicit coding inside
Rule-base.

30
Database Variable Linking

Mapping between variables and database fields can
be set to exchange the data between database and
system.
Data can be transformed on the fly after
retrieval and before updates to database/s.
Mapping can be set for read or update access.
Variable linking can be done for fields from
different databases.
Mapping and transformation is applied to all
queries sent to database/s.
It helps to populate data into variables
automatically and vice-a-versa without explicit
data population in rule etc.
Because of mapping, cursors can be simulated and
used in expert system coding

31
Database Access Configuration

Query objects hold the information about database
links to various components of the systems.
Database access can not be done unless query
objects are defined.
Query object can have multiple queries with
respect to role, goal, intelligent system, etc.
Access to data can be controlled based role,
application, read or write, etc.

32
Domain Vocabulary
Presentation Services(Input/Output)
ProcessingLogic (Core Engines)
Domain Vocabulary
Data Services XMLlt-gt SQL Transformation
System controls
33
Global Variables, Menus, Range Conversions and
Lookup Table

It facilitates to maintain global dictionary of
domain terms (parameters/variables and their
descriptions)
These variables are used in various intelligent
systems like in expert system, forms, reports,
etc.
Supports various variable type based on usage in
the system
Interface facilitates to enter detailed variable
description like HTML formatting, validation
criteria, WHEN NEEDED and WHEN ADDED scripts,
linked intelligent systems and so on. Web pages
are automatically for input type variables based
on HTML formatting parameters selected.
Various data types are supported
Menu objects hold the information about various
possible options (list of values) a variable can
take.
Symbolic values and numeric values (including)
can be converted into numeric and qualitative
respectively using range-list objects. These can
be used to transform values. It helps to reduce
the writing of explicit rules to convert values
at run-time in expert system.
Lookup table interface is used store table of
values in memory at run-time instead of fetching
them from database each time. Especially if
taxonomy or abstract features for generalization
is to be stored in memory instead fetching them
each time from databases. e.g. to fetch Education
Level, Education Discipline, etc. from Degree.

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SQL-XML Mapping and Transformation Engine

Responses from SQL calls are converted into XML
and XML data is converted to SQL requests
Fields are mapped to variables and data is
transformed at the time of retrieval from
database/s and vice-a-versa.
Engine can fetch data from multiple databases or
update to many databases simultaneously.
Various access rights can be set to access data
based on user, role as well as type of
intelligent system accessing data.

35
System Controls
Presentation Services(Input/Output)
ProcessingLogic (Core Engines)
Domain Vocabulary
Data Services XMLlt-gt SQL Transformation
System controls
36
Load Application and File Upload

Interface to load required applications in the
project
Backup and restoration of selected applications
at client location
Shows application load status and errors while
loading and building applications
Files can be uploaded to server from client
location

37
Access Rights and Roles

Access rights to roles, users can be defined.
It allows to set different options to roles. Each
role includes access to system interfaces,
applications, databases and variable groups.
An user can have multiple roles

38
System Parameters Configuration

Various project level parameters can be set which
are applicable to all applications in that
project
Applications and linked variable groups can be
defined with some applications can be loaded as
default applications when iKen Studio starts
These include parameters for connecting to SMTP
server, use navigation button names, virtual
directory path, script files path, default
formats, max number of rules, max number of
tokens in expression etc.

39
iKen Studio Layered Architecture
iKen Studio
40
Comparing with other Expert System Tools/Shells

Completely web-based development framework
facilitating centralised system development and
deployment.
First expert system software to be offered in
SaaS model. So the cost is much less (almost 10
times) and can subscribed yearly subscription.
It is complete high productive development
environment which includes form generators,
report designers, SQL builder etc.
Lot of extensions and customizations done to
address specific kind of applications like
personalization, recommendation, intelligent
exams, surveys etc.

Most of the tools have desktop development and
web-based deployment. Which makes development
environment distributed.
These tools are not offered in SaaS mode. Client
has to pay upfront heavy licensing cost.
Concentrate on expert system development
interfaces rather than components to generate
reports, forms, XML support etc.
These provides standard expert system
functionality. For other extensions, client has
to customize explicitly or pay for additional
add-ons to the software vendor

41
Comparing with other Expert System Tools/Shells

Saves lot of explicit database coding has
built-in SQL-XML mapping and transformation
engine.
Interfacing with JavaScript helps to have
procedural logic implemented using popularly used
scripting languages like JavaScript
CBR is tightly integrated with expert system
engine. Hybrid systems can be developed easily
having advantages of explicit knowledge system
case-based (data driven) systems
Support for data types like matrix, trend, XML
etc.

Developers need to do lot of explicit database
coding opening database connections, populating
data sets into variables, updating variable
values to databases etc. Code may vary from
database to databse.
These tools have their own language for writing
procedural logic which user needs to learn
Do not include CBR systems. So address limited
applications of expert systems. Need to integrate
with other CBR tools and can be tedious.
May be limited to standard data types

42
Comparing with other CBR Tools/Shells

CBR engine is integrated with expert system
engine, thereby facilitating development of
hybrid CBR systems supported by expert system
Applications requiring all R-4 (Retrieve, Reuse,
Revise, Retain) cycles can be developed.
Because of SQL-XML mapping and transforming
engine, existing database contents are treated as
cases without explicit case presentations etc.
Has built-in mechanism for learning similarities
from the downloads etc.
Coupled with databases, it relies on database
indexing mechanism (for retrieval) which is
powerful instead of having explicitly implemented
in CBR tool.

Only CBR engine (expert system is not part of it)
which sometimes limits type of applications that
can be developed and addressed
Most of the CBR shells are limited to retrieval
(and reuse) phase only.
May have to define case structure and cases
explicitly.
Similarities has to be defined explicitly.
Case management and indexing mechanism is
explicitly part of CBR shell.

43
Related Research Papers

An Integration Framework to develop Modular
Hybrid Systems
A Web-based Hybrid Expert System Framework
An Enterprise Intelligent System and Solution
Development Framework
An Application Development Framework using Expert
System Approach
On Applications of Web-based Intelligent Systems
Focus Banking Applications
Business Intelligence through Hybrid Expert
System Approach Application to Retail Banking

44
Case Studies