Expert Identification System

Business Challenges

XID Services Inc. is one of the leading providers of expert identification systems for some of the largest universities and botanical gardens in United States.

XID Services Inc. produces expert system software with an emphasis on the biological sciences. While most software in this field has been developed by universities and government agencies funded by large grants, XID is a small private company.

XID needed a timely and affordable source of programming talent to make user driven changes and improvements to its software in order to remain competitive with the other systems.

Arrangement with Intelsys has allowed XID to have such modifications made in an extremely timely manner at an affordable cost and has greatly improved the competitive edge of its product.

System Functionality

INTELSYS designed an expert system based on object-oriented technologies. Application presents the information for end-users and has many useful functionalities, such as:

• Expert identification system capabilities / smart key generation

Data distribution management

• Embedded species database
• Management of the embedded species database.
• Management of Photo Gallery

Summary

The XID Authoring System allows authors to create their own "smart key" or random access expert system for the identification of any group of species, individuals, or objects, i.e., plants, animals, cars, criminals, etc. The system consists of multi-layered menus in which any attribute can be prioritized and described. The elegant simplicity of the XID System makes it extremely user friendly. It is as useful for the junior high school teacher as for the professional scientist.

Unlike many of the larger and more cumbersome systems such as DELTA and MECCA, the XID System utilizes state-of-the-art technology. This allows for extreme user friendliness for both the author and end user of the database, as well as maximizing the speed and efficiency of data storage and manipulation. Characteristic terminology and database items may be graphically represented using line drawings or color photos.

In addition, unlike a dichotomous key, which requires a rigid set of steps, the XID System allows the user to randomly select characteristics that are consistent with their specimen and skill level. If the user cannot decide upon a characteristic, they may query the program, which will provide a list of suggestions in order of ease of use, effectiveness, and items remaining.

Applications in which the XID System is being used include the identification of weeds, insects, poisonous plant symptomatology, fishes, rocks and minerals, diseases, etc. The XID System can also be used in applications as diverse as assigning health care benefits, personnel selection, research plot evaluation, or any other application where a relational database is required.

Used languages & Technologies

• Visual C++
• Rational Unified Process
• Microsoft Foundation Classes
• MS Windows NT
• Rational Rose 2001
• Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0