Embedding knowledge-based systems into C++ applications

Knowledge-based applications are increasingly developed as components in large software systems rather than as stand-alone systems. Such software applications are highly complex because they model the complexity of the real world. In order to reduce development time and cost, the object-oriented programming technology has been used extensively. It is now widely acknowledged that C++ is the de facto standard language for object-oriented programming, while rule-based programming is an appropriate means for capturing business rules or expertise. Therefore, the need to embed knowledge-based applications into C++ programs has attracted much research attention. The paper discusses trends in the development of rule-based systems for computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM), the challenges of embedding rule-based systems into C++ applications, and our research experience in developing an object-oriented rule-based inference toolkit for C++ (ORIT++).