japan's fifth generation computer systemspszcah/g53ops/reading/fg001.pdf · ·...

Believing that von Neumann computers are now anendangered species, the Japanese have started to develop aknowledge-information processing system for the 1990's.

Japan's Fifth GenerationComputer Systems

Philip C. Treleaven and Isabel Gouveia Lima, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Until now, the Japanese computer industry has aimedat catching up with the US, especially IBM, in computertechnology. The result is that three Japanese companies(Fujitsu, Hitachi, and NEC) now claim to offer equiva-lent computers that are faster than IBM's. In fact, theJapanese computer industry is presently setting its sightson surpassing the rest of the world,la and it sees as itsopportunity the growing "technology gulf" between thetraditional sequential, control-flow computer andintended application areas such as distributed computing,office automation, and artificial intelligence. All of this iscreating the belief that the next generation of computerswill have a different theoretical foundation fromtraditional computers.

With these views in mind the Japanese government in1979 started a two-year preliminary investigation of thisfuture generation of computers. In April 1982 it em-barked on the actual project, which must be the mostchallenging and extensive computer project undertakento date. The aim is to develop by 1990 a prototype so-called fifth-generation computer system-a knowledge-information processing system and processor. lb Theplans for this project have been documented in a series oflengthy reports, 1-3 the main aspects of which aredescribed in this article. These fifth-generation computersystems are intended to represent a unification of fourcurrently separate areas of research, namely knowledge-based expert systems, very-high-level programming lan-guages, decentralized computing, and VLSI technology.

Knowledge-based expert systems4 are predicted by theJapanese to be the application area for the 1990's. Thesecomputing systems embody modules of organized knowl-edge which support sophisticated problem-solving andinference functions for the purpose of rendering to theusers intelligent advice on one or other specialized topics.

The knowledge bases (each concerning a specific area ofhuman expertise) are analogous to sophisticated versionsof current operating-system utilities and their files.Examples include medical diagnosis and mineralexploration.5 In addition, these systems are intended tosupport human-oriented input/output capabilitiesthrough the use of voice, images, or graphics. Expertsystems, however, can require large amounts ofcomputerpower for their support.

Very-high-level programming languages provide im-proved programming methodologies by specifying whatis to be performed rather than traditionally how toperform the programs. The best-developed classes ofvery-high-level languages are functional languages6 suchas Pure Lisp and predicate logic languages7 such asProlog.8 Functional and logic languages are well-suited toprogramming knowledge-based expert systems.

Decentralized or parallel computing comprises the fu-sion of communications and information processing9 in-to networks of computers that cooperate on a task. It en-compasses both mainframe computers that are geograph-ically distributed as well as miniature microcomputerswithin a single board or even a single chip. To cooperate,these computers are likely to have a common program-ming language and will conform to a common (decentral-ized) system architecture such as data flow or reduction.For instance, in data flow10 the availability of input datatriggers the execution of the task or operation to be per-formed on them. Both data flow and reduction architec-tures are suited to being programmed using functionaland logic languages.VLSI technology exploits very-large-scale integration

using high-level CAD systems incorporating methods ofarchitecture description, and the new quick-turnaroundchip fabrication facilities. 11 This yields high-performancegeneral-purpose and special-purpose computers at a

0018-9162/82/0800-0079$00.75 1982 IEEE 79August 1982

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modest cost and with greater functionality than conven-tional machines. With decentralized computing tech-niques, these computers can be used as building blocksand configured into a powerful computer system support-ing a specialist application.The planned fifth-generation computer systems may be

looked upon as forming a new computer family in whichmembers provide powerful facilities for problem-solvingand inference, knowledge-base management, and intelli-gent input/output. Interfaces are to exist at both the soft-ware and hardware levels, allowing software modules andhardware computers to be configured for a specific ap-plication or set of applications. The resulting systems willbe analogous to Lego building blocks, with each blockperforming some function and a configuration of blocksfunctioning as a specialized computer system. In turn,these computer systems will form building blocks for evenlarger systems. High-speed local networks will connectthe hardware blocks of a single system, while global net-works will link together computer systems for varioussocial organizations. The whole may be viewed as an in-formation processing equivalent to the telephone net-work.

This article, based on the opinions expressed in thereports, 1-3 previews the Japanese project by presenting animage ofa fifth-generation computer system, by outliningthe various subsidiary research projects involved, and bydiscussing the likely impacts and effects of this research.

Background

For the last 30 years, the principles of computer-systemdesign have remained largely static, being based on the se-quential control-flow computer. This so-called vonNeumann computer contains

* a single computer that incorporates a processor,communications, and memory,

* a linear organization of fixed-size memory cells,* a one-level address space of memory cells,* a low-level machine language (instructions perform

simple operations on simple operands),* a sequential, centralized control of computation,and

* a primitive input/output capability.

This computer, initially designed for scientific computa-tions with limited input/output requirements, has beenconsistently developed for such high-speed processing ofnumerical calculations. In addition, the high cost of hard-ware has effectively minimized the number of functionscarried out by hardware and gradually increased depen-dence upon software. The Japanese believe this has con-tributed significantly to the situation called the "softwarecrisis." In their view:

* Today's computers are not equipped with thenecessary functions, including input/output, to pro-cess nonnumerical data such as sentences, symbols,speech, graphics, and images.

* Conventional computers seem unable to satisfy theperformance demands of applications such as artifi-cial intelligence.

* Improvements in the system design of computers toincrease performance have thus far proven fruitless.

* Decentralized computing is expensive and difficultto implement due to the lack of a system architectureto which all component computers conform.

* Beyond memory, it is unclear how to exploit VLSItechnology in multimicrocomputer design.

In the 1990's, when fifth-generation computers are ex-pected to be in use, information-processing systems willbe key tools in all areas of business, scientific, and socialactivity. Examples la of office-automation utilities whichthese computers are to contain include

* systems capable of processing languages such asEnglish and Japanese in a natural way,

* irregular or nonfixed job processing systems capableof freely handling nonnumerical data such asdocuments, graphics, images, and speech,

* consultation and expert systems having inferenceand learning mechanisms of their own and capable ofstoring knowledge and providing adequate informa-tion as desired, and

* various data bases for providing high-level informa-tion necessary for decision-making, and man-machine interfaces supported by artificial in-telligence technology for making and supportingdecisions.

Thus, according to Moto-oka, la "Fifth-generation com-puter systems will be knowledge-information processingsystems based on innovative theories and technologiesthat can offer the advanced functions expected to be re-quired in the 1990's, overcoming the technical limitationsinherent in conventional computers."

Fifth-generation computers

Fifth-generation computer systems are to form a com-puter family linked by a common programming language,even though specific systems are intended to serve special-ized applications with one or more of their basic functionsenhanced. At a macroscopic level, fifth-generation com-puter systems are to be linked to each other liketelephones in a telephone network. At a microscopiclevel, each node in this information-processing network isto be a computer system consisting of specialist com-puters connected by local networks. The combined soft-ware and hardware of a fifth-generation computer systemis to provide three basic functions: the intelligent inter-face, knowledge-base management, and problem-solvingand inference functions.The intelligent interface functionlc is to support con-

versations with a computer and is therefore described asbeing analogous to traditional input/output channels anddevices. Such conversations are to be in the form ofspeech, graphics, natural languages, etc.-possibilities

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aimed at enabling the exchange of information in a formnatural to humans.

In traditional terms, the knowledge-base managementfunctionld is characterized as being equivalent to an in-tegration of main memory, virtual memory facilities, anda file system. This function is to be capable of retrievingwithin several seconds a knowledge base required for in-ference. A main data base system supporting this is ex-pected to have a capacity of 100G to 1000G bytes.The problem-solving and inference functionle can be

regarded as equivalent to the central processing unit of atraditional computer. Its maximum performance target islOOM- to IG-logical inferences per second-that is, in-ference operations of syllogism per second. la One LIPS isstated to be equivalent to approximately 100-1000instruc-tions per second on a conventional computer.These three basic functions are to be combined into a

single general-purpose computer system configured tomeet performance requirements in a variety of appliedfields. Such a general-purpose computer system is shownin Figure 1, which also illustrates the way its componentsinteract to support the three basic functions.

Applications. As previously mentioned, the principalapplication area for computer systems in the 1990's ispredicted la to be that of knowledge-based expert systems.Examples of such applications are "intelligent"computer-aided engineering and design systems,computer-assisted instruction, office automation, androbotics. These are viewed as opening up entirely newfields for computer applications as well as adding to thoseof traditional business data processing.

Fifth-generation computer systems are to utilize"knowledge" bases as the foundation of processing,beginning with inputs from the human system such asspeech, natural languages, pictures, or images, and ex-tending to comprehension of these inputs, synthesis andexecution of programs around them, and generation ofresponses. These bases are to include knowledge of lan-guages, images, and problem domains, as well as knowl-edge about the mechanisms and data expressions of themachine system.

All application systemsla are to be composed of in-teractive, processing, and management subsystems

Figure 1. A fifth-generation computer system.

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(Figure 2), although these three subsystems will differproportionally from application to application.The interactive system is to utilize the knowledge in-

herent in languages or pictures to analyze a structure (con-struction) and convert it into an internal (intermediate)expression such as an anatomical tree. Then an analysis ismade of the internal expression in context and a descrip-tion of the problem is extracted from that. This analysiswill, however, be incomplete due to omissions and thelike. One ofthe knowledge bases used at this time is infor-

Figure 2. Application systems structure.

Figure 3. Basic sottware systems structure.

Figure 4. Programming language structure.

Figure 5. Computer architecture structure.

mation related to the background and flow of the "con-versation" taking place.The processing system is to convert the incomplete

description into a complete description, using itsknowledge about problem domains, and to generate ananswer to the description. At this time, operations such aseffective utilization (inference) of the knowledge aboutproblem domains and storage (learning) of new knowl-edge are effected. The generated answer is then convertedinto a summarized answer by removing unnecessary self-evident information. Thereafter, this summarized answeris converted by the interactive system into an internal ex-pression, which in turn is converted into an understand-able external expression. In this way, one conversationalcycle is completed. During this cycle, the managementsystem oversees a variety of knowledge bases used in ef-fecting common operations of inference and learning.

Basic software system. The basic software systemdirectly reflects the structure of the application systems,consisting of three basic subsystems: intelligent interface,problem-solving and inference, and knowledge-basemanagement systems. This is illustrated by Figure 3.

Basic software is to consist of a group of systems that,in designing and producing optimum information-pro-cessing systems for various applications, will have knowl-edge about what is to be produced, production processes,and the like. These software systems include subsystemsthat lead from a written specification to an eventual prod-uct, subsystems for verifying correctness, and subsystemsfor simulating operations. In addition, they include threesupport subsystems, namely an intelligent programmingsystem for handling programs, a knowledge-base designsystem for handling a knowledge base, and an intelligentVLSI design system for handling VLSI chips and com-puter architectures.

Basic software is also to include sophisticated functionsto facilitate use of the system itself. These include sub-systems for transferring stored programs and data basesfrom existing commercial machines to a target machine,subsystems for explaining the usage of functions withinthe overall system, and subsystems for intelligent troublediagnosis, recovery, maintenance, and repair.

Central to the operation of the basic software are threeso-called universal knowledge bases arranged as com-ponents of the knowledge-base management system. Thegeneral knowledge base, like common sense, will includecomponents giving basic words in everyday use, basic sen-tence patterns and scripts, dictionaries and sentence con-struction rules for various languages, and other compo-nents related to natural language. The systems knowledgebase will include components containing specifications forthe system itself (such as a processor-specification descrip-tion component and an operating-system-specificationdescription component), language manual component,and a program module component containing highly usedprograms. The application knowledge base will include abasic program component, a computer architecture com-ponent, and a VLSI technology design component.

Programming languages. Three categories ofprogram-ming languages may be used with a fifth-generation com-

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puter (see Figure 2). The natural language, speech, andpictures category interacts with the intelligent interfacesystem. The high-level inquiry language interacts with theknowledge-base management system. Lastly, the so-called core or kernel language interacts with the problem-solving and inference system.However, only the kernel programming language will

be directly supported (by the problem-solving and in-ference machines and the knowledge-base machines asshown in Figure 4) and may be used to program the com-puter. The kernel language is to be a problem-solvinglanguage based on predicate logic like Prolog. In apredicate logic language7 a program is a collection of logicstatements of a restricted form-clauses-and the execu-tion of such a program is a suitably controlled logicaldeduction from the clauses forming the program. The rea-son for this choice of language is, according to researchers'claims, that most relevant research points in the directionof this very-high-level class of languages. Other languages,such as inquiry languages for knowledge bases and aknowledge representation language, will be implementedin terms of the kernel language, which may be seen as themachine language of a fifth-generation computer system.The designers do not envisage the whole of the current

data processing community being retrained in logic pro-gramming. Instead they see such users, in the future, in-teracting with a system through natural languages. It isalso intended that fifth-generation computer systems willsupport other classes of programming language such asconventional, functional, and object-oriented languages.(Many such language features may be absorbed into thekernel language as long as each language shares a com-mon mathematical foundation.) As yet, it is unclear bywhich route the programs in these other classes oflanguages will enter a system.Ia,2 However, they may besupported by actually including a specific von Neumannor functional computer in the hardware of the target com-puter system.

Computer architecture. The architecturelf of fifth-generation systems will encompass all machine levels,from small to large, in order to support the intendeddiversity of applications. All these computer systems areto have three classes of component machines as shown inFigure 5. Recall that, when contrasted with conventionalcomputers, the problem-solving and inference machinescorrespond to the central processing unit; the knowledge-base management machine corresponds to an integrationof main memory, virtual memory, and file store; and theintelligent interface machines correspond to input/out-put channels and devices. A general-purpose fifth-generation computer system is to be equipped with eachof these machines in substantially the same proportion.

Problem-solving and inference machineslg are to bebased on a logic programming machine with a data-flowexecution mechanism. Knowledge-base managementmachineslh are to be based on an integration of a rela-tional data-base machine and a relational algebramachine. Intelligent interface machines are to be based onspecial-purpose VLSI processors for exclusive use inspeech processing and signal processing. A computersystem with an enhanced problem-solving and inference

function will find applications in fields where consultingrequires both professional knowledge and a strong abilityto infer. On the other hand, systems with a reenforcedknowledge-base management function will be applied tofields requiring massive storage of "knowledge." Com-puters incorporating an enhanced intelligent interfacefunction are to interface with various interactive media,speech, pictures, and images, as well as those based onnatural languages. In the future, it will be possible to usethese machines independently or in combination.

VLSI technology. Providing machines with high func-tionality and high performance requires utilization ofVLSI technology, and getting the most out of VLSI re-quires"i

* computational structures and algorithms suited toVLSI's two-dimensional nature,

* sophisticated CAD systems to handle VLSI designcomplexity, and

* quick-turnaround fabrication facilities, the so-calledsilicon foundries.

To achieve a quantum leap in computer technology, it isargued that VLSI must be introduced into all aspects ofcomputer design. Although such devices have beensmoothly introduced into memories, the evolution ofstructures combining logic and memory-a replicablecomputer-poses problems whose solutions will be ofgreat importance for the future.The actual development of the devices has been as-

signed to another national project, not the Fifth-Generation Computer Systems Project. However, theproject is watching closely the development of not onlyMOS and bipolar technology but also Josephson junc-tions and GaAs devices. Since a number of customizedVLSI machines are viewed as indispensable for fifth-generation computers, the rapid development of facilitiesto produce such machines is considered vital to the wholeproject.To summarize this section, fifth-generation computer

systems are to perform the following functions as in-tegrated capabilities:

* intelligent interfacing capable of understandingspeech, images, and natural language, etc.,

* understanding of problem description and require-ment specifications,

* synthesizing processing procedures,* optimization between machine system and process-

ing procedures, and* synthesizing responses based on outputs frommachine systems.

These functions are to be supported by the followingknowledge bases:

* knowledge of the languages to be used for man-

machine communication,* knowledge of the problem areas to be solved, and* knowledge of the machine systems.

August 1982 83


What the project then involves is a menu of researchthemes on knowledge-engineering applications (expertsystems with their knowledge bases and inference mecha-nisms), very-high-level programming languages (centeredon logic languages like Prolog), decentralized computerarchitectures (data-flow machines being an important in-gredient), and facilities for human-oriented input/output(such as speech I/O and image I/O), all exploiting thelatest VLSI technology.

Research projects

The major phase of the Fifth-Generation ComputerSystems Project started in April 1982 with three stages,each to be approximately three years in duration. Thegeneral goal for the initial stage is the construction of a

first version of the fifth-generation kernel language, lj anda personal "workstation" logic computer called System5G. Ii The interim stage is to construct an initial prototypecomputer, and the final-stage goal is the construction of afinished prototype. During each of these stages achieve-ments are to be continuously reevaluated and new trendsin computing research reviewed. At the beginning of theinterim and final stages, the overall research plan is to bereassessed.

The overall research and development of the project, as

illustrated by Figure 6, may be classified into seven groupswhich contain 26 subsidiary themes in all. Five groups-application systems, software systems, advanced archi-tectures, distributed function architectures, and VLSItechnology-are directed at identifying the structure ofthe computer systems. Supporting this research are the

BASIC APPLICATION SYSTEMS

BASIC SOFTWARE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENTSYSTEMATIZATION _ SUPPORTING

TECH NOLOGY COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE TECH NOLOGY

NEW ADVANCED DISTRIBUTED FUNCTIONARCHITECTURES ARCHITECTURES

VLSI TECHNOLOGY

Figure 6. Fifth-generation computer systems research and develop-ment.

Figure 7. Basic application systems projects.

other two groups: systematization technology relates tothe development and integration of software and hard-ware components, and development-supporting technol-ogy covers facilities such as computer networks andfabrication lines built to support research and develop-ment. As an illustration of the detailed forward planningundertaken by the research committee and the contents ofthe 26 research and development themes, we will examineexamples from each of the seven groups.

Basic application systems. This research is to study anddevelop systems representing functions like hearing,speaking, seeing, drawing, thinking, and problem solv-ing. As shown in Figure 7, there is a proposal to study five"benchmark" applications.The machine translation (of foreign languages) is an il-

lustration of the basic-application-systems projects. laThe R&D effort grows out of "results of research indocumentation techniques and artificial intelligence forknowledge utilization, which will be combined toresearch and develop an integrated, multilingual transla-tion system.,"la Specifically this will involve the develop-ment of

(1) a machine translation system and its core,

(2) grammars for the languages,(3) sentence-generating grammars,(4) an integrated machine-translation system with

room for operator intervention,(5) a specialized terminology data base (knowledge

data base),(6) a machine for the specialized terminology data

base, and(7) high-level word-processing techniques.

In addition, specific targets set for the machine transla-tion system are

(1) the ability to handle 100,000-word documents,(2) a 90-percent accuracy rate (the remaining 10 per-

cent to be processed by human translators),(3) the general-purpose ability to computerize all jobs,

including text compilation and printing of trans-lated documents, and

(4) a translation cost no more than 30 percent of thatby human translators.

Basic software systems. Software research is intendedto identify a group of modules corresponding to the basicinformation-processing functions of interaction, pro-

cessing, and management. Basic software systems are toconstitute the core of fifth-generation computer systems(see Figure 8). 'For example, the general theme for theknowledge-base management systems is "research anddevelopment of intelligent system management tech-niques to, format and store human knowledge in a com-

puter, to utilize it and support the user in solving prob-lems. "la Specifically this is to involve

(1) research on knowledge representation and utiliza-tion techniques,

(2) knowledge acquisition and learning,

COMPUTER

BASIC APPLICATION SYSTEMS

MACHINE- QUESTION- APPLIED APPLIED APPLIEDTRANSLATION ANSWERING SPEECH- PICTURE- PROBLEM-

SYSTEM SYSTEM UNDERSTANDING AND-IMAGE SOLVINGSYSTEM 'UNDERSTANDING' SYSTEM

SYSTEM

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(3) research on large-scale knowledge-base systems,

(4) development of a knowledge-base management

system, and(5) development of a knowledge-base machine.

Regarding targets and specifications, the aim is a

knowledge-base management (software) system and a

supporting knowledge-base machine. The interim targets

for software are simultaneous management of rules anddata, a data-base access optimization mechanism, a

mechanism to eliminate inconsistencies, and an interfacewith an inference machine; for hardware, storage andretrieval of 2000 rules and 1,000,000 data items. The finaltargets for software are a multiple-world knowledge base,a distributed knowledge base, and learning based on in-ductive inference, all integrated with an inferencemachine; for hardware, storage and retrieval of 2,000rules and 100,000,000 data items.

New advanced architecture. Research in new advancedarchitectures is to enable the fifth-generation computer to

satisfy the knowledge information-processing system re-

quirements. Ik The six themes of this area are shown inFigure 9.To illustrate the new advanced architecture projects we

examine logic-programming machines and data-flowmachines. For the former, the research theme is "studyand development of the necessary architectures to sup-

port inferences and a computational model based on

predicate logic with a power of expression approximatingnatural languages." Specifically this is to involvela

(1) development of languages and a processing system

incorporating predicate logic(a) Prolog system(b) extended Prolog language(c) new (augmented) programming languages

(2) development of the basic technology(a) research on parallel systems(b) development of special-purpose mechanisms

(3) logic programming machine(a) firmware base machine (0. IM LIPS)(b) personal logic programming machine (O.AM-IM

LIPS)(c) parallel logic programming machine (50M -IG

LIPS)

For the data flow machines, the R&D theme is"research on an architecture based on a data flow modeloriented to parallel processing, thereby achievingsophisticated parallel processing." Specifically this is toinvolvela

(1)(2)(3)

(4)(5)(6)(7)

design of a machine instruction set,design of a high-level language for data flow,determination of the overall structure of the

machines,configuration of the communication network,development of a structured memory,establishment of an activity control system,development of operating system functions,

(8) creation of countermeasures against troubles andproblems of protection,

(9) invention of a structure allowing combinationwith a conventional machine,

(10) development of a prototype data flow machine,(11) development of a personal data flow machine,

and(12) combination with the data base management

functions.

Like the overall project, the data flow machine projectis subdivided into initial, interim, and final stages. Theinitial target is a modest data flow machine with 16 pro-

cessors and a memory of 8M bytes. The interim target is acomputer incorporating 100 prototype processors with a

memory of IOOM bytes, a communications network ex-

pandable to 1000-10,000 processors, and a performanceof 50 MIPS. The final goal is an extra-high-speed dataflow machine with 1000-10,000 processors plus a memoryof IG-lOG bytes and a performance of 1-10 BIPS.

Distributed function architecture. Here research is tobe directed toward the development of a system architec-ture to combine the new advanced architectures, previ-ously discussed, with the VLSI architectures to be dis-cussed in the next section. There are five themes in thisarea and they are illustrated in Figure 10.The role of the subsidiary distributed-function ar-

chitecture theme is "development of a distributed-function architecture consistently assuring high efficien-cy, high reliability, simple use and construction, easy

BASIC SOFTWARE SYSTEMS

KNOWLEDGE-BASE l PROBLEM-SOLVING , INTELLIGENTMANAGEMENT 'AND INFERENCE ' INTERFACE

SYSTEM a SYSTEM I SYSTEM

Figure 8. Basic software systems projects.

NEW ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE

LOGIC. _FUNCTIONALREL_T_ON_L-__ BSTRACT- DATA______VATIVELOGIC- :FUNCTIONALRELATIDNAL ABSTRACT- DATA INNOVATIVE

PROGRAMMINGI MACHINE I ALGEBRA DATA-TYPE' FLOW 'VON NEUMANNMACHINE MACHINE SUPPORT MACHINE

! ! M'MACHINE

Figure 9. New advanced architecture projects.

Figure 10. Distributed function architecture projects.

August 1982

NEW ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE

DISTRIBUTED- NETWORK i DATA ' HIGH-SPEED i HIGH-LEVELFUNCTION I ARCHITECTURE I BASE I NUMERICAL, MAN-MACHINE

ARCHITECTURE I MACHINE ICOMPUTATION 1COMMUNICATIONI I I MACHINE I SYSTEMI.a I -

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adaptability to future technological improvements andthe different machine/system levels, and sophisticatedfunctions. " la Specifically this is to involve

(1) development of a basic distributed-function system(a) establishment of a logic model(b) establishment of various architecture systems(c) dynamic architectures(d) implementation(e) special-purpose machine development tech-

niques(2) development of an experimental distributed-func-

tion system(a) personal computer(b) high-level language machine groups(c) local networks

(3) development of an integrated system

VLSI technology. Research into VLSI technology willinvolve two areas-the development of architecturesmaking full utilization of VLSI and the development ofdesign and processing facilities for all aspects of fifth-generation computer systems from component devices toactual computers (Figure 11). VLSI architecture R&D isto involve the following:

(1) techniques for constructing new advanced ar-chitectures (basic study)(a) VLSI device rule book(b) design question answering system(c) architecture data base(d) CAD for VLSI architecture

(2) VLSI architectures(a) complete one-chip architectures(b) functional parts of the architectures

(3) function division and connection techniques

In this area the interim target is a complete one-chip ar-chitecture using one million transistors per chip, while thefinal target is a complete one-chip architecture using tenmillion transistors.

VLSI TECHNOLOGY

VLSI INTELLIGENTARCHITECTURE VLSI CAD SYSTEM

Figure 11. VLSI technology projects.

Figure 12. Systematization technology projects.

Systematization technology. Research into so-calledsystematization technology covers the integration of bothbasic and applied software, architecture, and devices(Figure 12). In addition it covers the development of tech-niques relating to the life-cycle of systems: design, devel-opment, maintenance, and management.

Perhaps the most ambitious theme in this area is that ofthe intelligent programming system, which is the"development of a system fetching programs from analgorithm bank (knowledge base) by user requirementsand synthesizing a program which meets requirementspecifications by inference. Furthermore, the systemmust verify by a process of inference whether the programgenerated meets the requirements optimally. " Specifical-ly this will involve

(1) modular programming and verification theory,(2) a theory to specify description and program syn-

thesis,(3) a system for program verification and synthesis and

a program base,(4) a system to maintain, improve, and manage pro-

grams, and(5) a consultant system for program design.

As an illustration of these, the system for programverification and synthesis has the following goals. Interimtargets are (1) improvement through synthesis and con-version of programs for particular fields, whichminimizes data-base retrieval, (2) development of a small-scale program base, and (3) generation of a system toverify functional, logic, and data-abstraction programs.Final targets are (1) synthesis of large-scale programs fordata base management systems, language processors,etc., and (2) development of a large-scale program base.

Developing supporting technology. In this last area,R&D is to provide supporting facilities for software andhardware components developed by the whole project,specifically

(1) computer networks,(2) support system for software development,(3) support system for knowledge-base development,(4) use of VLSI-CAD as a supporting tool, and(5) use of personal computers in research and develop-

ment.

An initial aim is to use VLSI-CAD to construct a numberof personal logic computers-to support the other projectthemes-and to link these computers globally with the aidof the switched network of NTT, Nippon Telegraph andTelephone Public Corporation.

The 26 themes described represent afirst version of theFGCS plan, la which is intended to cover a wide variety ofresearch fields. The plan will inevitably change as theproject progresses. In addition, certain seemingly impor-tant areas will not be investigated by the project becausethey are being investigated by others. For example networkarchitectures are under intensive investigation by NTT in

cooperation with Japanese manufacturers, and high-

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SYSTEMATIZATION TECHNOLOGYI IINTELLIGENT IKNOWLEDGE- SYSTEMATIZATION I DATA BASE AND

PROGRAMMING IBASE DESIGN I TECHNOLOGY DISTRIBUTEDSYSTEM I SYSTEM I FOR COMPUTER DATA BASE

I I ARCHITECTURE I SYSTEMa

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speed numerical computation machines are the subjectof another national project called the SupercomputerProject.

Impacts and effects

From the start of its preliminary investigation, theFifth-Generation Computer Committee considered it im-portant to try to foresee every possible impact that thecomputer systems will have on societyll and establishedthe Subcommittee for Research into Social Environmen-tal Conditions. Possible impacts of fifth-generation com-puters on society include

(a) the elimination of social distortions resulting fromdifferences between low-productivity and high-productivity fields,

(2) the expansion of man's abilities by using machinesto amplify human intelligence, and

(3) the management of the deluge of information pro-duced by information technologies.

Fifth-generation computers are envisaged as function-ing efficiently in all fields of society. 11 They are expectedto improve greatly the current low levels of productivity infields such as education and medical treatment, as well asin areas of physical labor such as agriculture and fisheries.To date, productivity has largely been improved by in-creased efficiency in human labor. In future systems, theproject states that machines should be concentrated on in-creasing productivity, and humans should concentrateonly on what they do well.Even today, society appears to be flooded with infor-

mation. Fifth-generation computer systems will sift anddistill this information and present it in an optimum formfor human assimilation. Another obvious contribution ofthe proposed computer systems is the bridging of a gapbetween individuals and machines. This will stem fromthe fact that anyone will be able to converse with com-puters without professional knowledge of the machines.Some of the areas identified by the preliminary investiga-tionla that are likely to undergo significant changesbecause of fifth-generation computers are office automa-tion, decision support systems, computer-aided engineer-ing, and intelligent robots.

International collaboration

The preliminary research summarized here was under-taken by the Committee for Study and Research on Fifth-Generation Computers under the chairmanship of TohruMoto-oka ofTokyo University. This committee consistedof three subcommittees2: Subcommittee for Systematiza-tion Technology (Hajime Karatsu, chairman), Subcom-mittee for Basic Theory (Kazuhiro Fuchi, chairman), andSubcommittee for Computer Architecture (Hideo Aiso,chairman). The organizing body of these committees isthe Electronics Policy Division, Machinery and Informa-tion Industry Bureau, Ministry of International Tradeand Industry. Its secretariat is the Fifth-Generation Com-

puter Systems Project Group of the Japan InformationProcessing Development Center. JIPDEC is a nonprofitorganization aimed at the promotion, research, anddevelopment of information processing and informationprocessing industries in Japan.From the standpoint of organization and execution,

the project mustla

(1) play a pioneering role besides being creative in itsapproach;

(2) look far into the future;(3) be wide enough to encompass the entire computer

industry with all its ramifications, which, it ishoped, will emerge by the 1990's as the mainstay ofall industrial activities; and

(4) be internationally oriented.

With regard to the last area, this seems to be the first timein its history that Japan is inviting other nations to par-ticipate and share in the results of an R&D project.12Basically the Japanese see international collaboration asimplying mutual efforts by the different countries of the(western) world to promote further advances in informa-tion technology. To this end, the project emphasizes theimportance of public relations activities as a means ofaverting misconceptions about the project abroad and,instead, stimulating enthusiasm in the different countriesabout its progress.

One of the first initiatives to encourage collaborationwas the International Conference on Fifth-GenerationComputer Systems,1 held in Tokyo in October 1981, atwhich a number of internationally recognized researcherswere invited to speak. Further efforts to encourage inter-national cooperation involve governmental talks with theUK, Germany, and France.12 In addition, foreign re-searchers are expected to be invited to work in Japan, andforeign research institutions may be entrusted with speci-fic research projects.

In conclusion, the scope and extent of this project willensure that, even if the initial perceptions and targets offifth-generation computer systems prove incorrect, thefuture generation of computers will be identified. It canalso be expected that such a stimulating project willgenerate numerous innovative by-products. Lastly, theproject itself may be seen as an interesting test-bed forfuture high-technology research projects.E

Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to the Japan InformationProcessing Development Center for so readily makingavailable documents describing the Fifth-GenerationComputer Systems Project. We thank Tohru Moto-oka,Kazuhiro Fuchi, and Shunichi Uchida, senior members ofthe committees for fifth-generation computers, for ex-planations of their project and answers to our questions.We thank Donald Michie of the University of Edinburghand Brian Randell of the University of Newcastle uponTyne for commenting on early versions of this paper.Lastly, we acknowledge the UK Science and Engineering

August 1982 87


Research Council for funding our own research whichfalls within the area of fifth-generation computersystems.

References

1. Proc. Int'l Conf. Fifth-Generation Computer System,Japan Information Processing Development Center, Oct.1981.

a. T. Moto-oka et al., "Challenge for Knowledge In-formation Processing Systems (Preliminary Reporton Fifth Generation Computer Systems)."

b. K. Fuchi, "Aiming for Knowledge InformationProcessing Systems."

c. Ho. Tanaka et al., "Intelligent Man-Machine Inter-face. "

d. M. Suwa, et al., "Knowledge Base Mechanisms."

e. K. Furukawa, et al., "Problem Solving and In-ference Mechanisms."

f. H. Aiso, "Fifth Generation Computer Architec-ture.'"

g. S. Uchida, et al., "New Architectures for InferenceMechanisms. "

h. M. Amamiya, et al., "New Architecture forKnowledge Based Mechanisms. "

i. K. Sakamura, et al., "VLSI and System Architec-ture-The Development of System 5G."

j. T. Yokoi, et al., "Logic Programming and a Dedi-cated High-Performance Personal Computer."

k. Hi. Tanaka, et al., "The Preliminary Research onData Flow Machine and Data Base Machine as theBasic Architecture of Fifth Generation ComputerSystems."

I. H. Karatsu, "What is Required of the Fifth Genera-tion Computer-Social Needs aiid Its Impacts."

2. Interim Report on Study andResearch ofFifth-GenerationComputers (Outline), Japan Information ProcessingDevelopment Center, 1980.

3. Research Reports in Japan-A Collection of RecentResearch Reports Related to the R & D of the Fifth-Generation Computer Systems, Japan Information Pro-cessing Development Center, fall 1981.

4. R. 0. Duda and J. G. Gaschnig, "Knowledge-Based Ex-pert Systems Come of Age," Byte, Vol. 6, No. 9, Sept.1981, pp. 238-281.

5. D. Michie (ed.), Expert Systems in the Micro-electronicAge, Edinburgh University Press, 1979.

6. P. Henderson, Functional Programming Application andImplementation, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.,1980.

7. R. Kowalski, Logic for Problem Solving, Elsevier-NorthHolland, New York, 1979.

8. Ron Ferguson, "Prolog, A Step Towards the UltimateComputer Language," Byte, Vol. 6, No. 11, Nov. 1981,pp. 384-399.

9. K. Kobayashi, "Computer, Communications and Man:The Integration of Computer and Communications withMan as an Axis," Computer Networks-The Int'l J.Distributed Informatique, Vol. 5, No. 4, July 1981, pp.237-250.

10. P. C. Treleaven et al., "Data Driven and Demand DrivenComputer Architecture," ACM Computing Surveys, Vol.14, No. 1, Mar. 1982, pp. 93-143.

11. W. D. Jansen and D. G. Fairbairn, "The Silicon Foundry:Concepts and Reality," Lambda, first quarter 1981, pp.16-26.

12. E. K. Yasaki, "Tokyo Looks to the 90's," Datamation,Vol. 28, No. 1, Jan. 1982, pp. 110-115.

Philip C. Treleaven is a research associatein the Computing Laboratory at theUniversity of Newcastle upon Tyne,England, where he leads the Computer Ar-chitecture Group. His research interests in-clude decentralized computer architec-tures, new forms of programming lan-guages, fault-tolerant computing, andvery-large-scale integration. From 1970 to1973 he was employed by International

Computers Limited. From 1973 to 1976 he was a graduate stu-dent in the Computer Science Department of Manchester Uni-versity, where he started the department's data flow research.He has been an invited speaker at a number of conferences in-cluding the International Conference on Fifth-Generation Com-puter Systems in Tokyo. Treleaven holds a BTech from BrunelUniversity, England, and the MSc and PhD degrees fromManchester University, England. He is a member of the ACM,the IEEE, and the British Computer Society, for which he hasserved as a council member.

Isabel Gouveia Lima is a research associatein the Computer Laboratory at the Univer-sity of Newcastle upon Tyne, England,where she works in the Computer Archi-tecture Group. Her research interests in-clude new forms of programming Ian-guages, machine translation systems, andcommercial applications of decentralizedcomputers. From 1973 to 1980 she wasemployed as a business systems analyst by

Banrisul Processamento de Dados Itda., the data processingfirm of the Banco do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, SA, inBrazil. In 1978 she was awarded a scholarship at the EindhovenUniversity of Technology, Eindhoven, Holland. Gouveia Limaholds a BA in communication and a degree of licentiate inEnglish teaching, both from the Universidade Federal do RioGrande do Sul, Brazil. She is a member of the ACM and of thespecialist group on expert systems of the British ComputerSociety.

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