Uttam Datta

Northern Research Station, University of Rhode Island

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Total Citations

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About

Uttam Datta is a pioneer in the integration of artificial intelligence with mechanical design, specializing in the type synthesis of mechanisms. His groundbreaking work centers on the development of DOMES (Design Of Mechanism by an Expert System), an innovative system that combines graph theory with the separation of structure from function to automate the conceptual phase of mechanism design. Implemented in LISP and OPS-5, DOMES represents a seminal contribution to knowledge-based engineering, enabling computers to reason about mechanical configurations in ways previously reserved for human experts. Datta’s most-cited paper, "An Integrated System for Design of Mechanisms by an Expert System—DOMES: Theory" (1990), has garnered 9 citations and lays the theoretical foundation for this approach. His subsequent applications paper (1991, 5 citations) validated the system by successfully solving complex design problems, including a variable stroke piston engine and a robot gripper, demonstrating DOMES’ practical utility. Though his citation counts are modest, Datta’s work is notable for being among the earliest to apply expert systems to mechanical design, foreshadowing today’s AI-driven engineering tools. His research remains a touchstone for scholars exploring computational creativity in design automation.