Transitioning expert system technology: case studies at the Navy Center for applied research in artificial intelligence

Three case studies in expert or knowledge-based system technology development and transition at the US Navy Center for applied research in artificial intelligence are discussed. The systems share a common development philosophy, i.e., to construct prototypes as specialized, reusable tools or shells rather than as simple technology demonstrations tailored to a particular application. A number of critical issues in technology transition drawn from experiences with these efforts are identified and discussed