A comparative evaluation of expert system tools

The results of an assessment of the functionality and performance of tools with different architectural approaches are presented. The goal was to gain insight into the advantages and disadvantages of the various architectures. The tools evaluated in the study were (1) the Automated Reasoning Tool for Information Management (ARTIM), (2) the C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS), (3) the Knowledge Engineering System (KES), (4) Level 5, and (5) VAX OPS5. Emphasis was on tools implemented in languages other than Lisp. KES and Level 5 were found to be inadequate for an application that required constructive problem solving, but both tools could be expected to provide improved performance for problems based on a heuristic classification approach due to their backward-chaining orientation. On the other hand, ART-IM, CLIPS, and VAX OPS5 might prove less effective for heuristic classification problem solving than for synthesis because they lack support for backward chaining. The results reinforce the fact that all expert system tools have strengths and weaknesses and that no single tool is dominant for a wide spectrum of applications or over a wide range of functionality.<>