Borg: a knowledge-based system for automatic generation of image processing programs

This article deals with the design of a system that automates the generation of image processing applications. Users describe tasks to perform on images and the system constructs a specific plan, which, after being executed, should yield the desired results. Our approach to this problem belongs to a more general category of systems for the supervision of a library of operators. The generation of an application is considered as the dynamic building of chains of image processing through the selection, parameter tuning and scheduling of existing operators. To develop such a system, we suggest to use a knowledge-rich resolution model and to integrate seven design rules. The Borg system has been developed following these prescriptions. It hinges on hierarchical, opportunistic and incremental planning by means of knowledge sources of the blackboard model, which enable to take into account the planning, evaluation and knowledge acquisition issues.