Hybrid Answer Set Programming Systems and Applications

A special issue of Algorithms (ISSN 1999-4893). This special issue belongs to the section "Analysis of Algorithms and Complexity Theory".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2023) | Viewed by 8109

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, University of Klagenfurt, Universitätsstraße 65-67, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria
Interests: artificial intelligence; declarative problem solving; knowledge representation and reasoning; computational logic; answer set programming

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Knowledge representation and reasoning extensions for databases, logic, and answer set programming have attracted research interest for more than a decade. Multi-paradigm declarative problem-solving approaches in artificial intelligence range from iterative and metaheuristic methods for combinatorial search and optimization to theory solving for specific application challenges, e.g., in production planning, scheduling, transport, timetabling, and more. This Special Issue is particularly focusing on hybrid answer set programming techniques and closely related methods as well as their applications, showcases for the performance, and testing of hybrid reasoning algorithms and systems.

Dr. Martin Gebser
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • multi-paradigm declarative problem solving in artificial intelligence
  • knowledge representation and reasoning extensions for databases, logic and answer set programming
  • iterative and metaheuristic methods for combinatorial search and optimization
  • performance and testing of hybrid reasoning algorithms and systems
  • application areas, e.g., production planning, scheduling, transport, and timetabling

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

62 pages, 1282 KiB  
Article
Solving an Industrial-Scale Warehouse Delivery Problem with Answer Set Programming Modulo Difference Constraints
by David Rajaratnam, Torsten Schaub, Philipp Wanko, Kai Chen, Sirui Liu and Tran Cao Son
Algorithms 2023, 16(4), 216; https://doi.org/10.3390/a16040216 - 21 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1520
Abstract
A warehouse delivery problem consists of a set of robots that undertake delivery jobs within a warehouse. Items are moved around the warehouse in response to events. A solution to a warehouse delivery problem is a collision-free schedule of robot movements and actions [...] Read more.
A warehouse delivery problem consists of a set of robots that undertake delivery jobs within a warehouse. Items are moved around the warehouse in response to events. A solution to a warehouse delivery problem is a collision-free schedule of robot movements and actions that ensures that all delivery jobs are completed and each robot is returned to its docking station. While the warehouse delivery problem is related to existing research, such as the study of multi-agent path finding (MAPF), the specific industrial requirements necessitated a novel approach that diverges from these other approaches. For example, our problem description was more suited to formalizing the warehouse in terms of a weighted directed graph rather than the more common grid-based formalization. We formalize and encode the warehouse delivery problem in Answer Set Programming (ASP) extended with difference constraints. We systematically develop and study different encoding variants, with a view to computing good quality solutions in near real-time. In particular, application specific criteria are contrasted against the traditional notion of makespan minimization as a measure of solution quality. The encoding is tested against both crafted and industry data and experiments run using the Hybrid ASP solver clingo[dl]. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Answer Set Programming Systems and Applications)
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25 pages, 569 KiB  
Article
On the Semantics of Hybrid ASP Systems Based on Clingo
by Pedro Cabalar, Jorge Fandinno, Torsten Schaub and Philipp Wanko
Algorithms 2023, 16(4), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/a16040185 - 28 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1284
Abstract
Over the last decades, the development of Answer Set Programming (ASP) has brought about an expressive modeling language powered by highly performant systems. At the same time, it gets more and more difficult to provide semantic underpinnings capturing the resulting constructs and inferences. [...] Read more.
Over the last decades, the development of Answer Set Programming (ASP) has brought about an expressive modeling language powered by highly performant systems. At the same time, it gets more and more difficult to provide semantic underpinnings capturing the resulting constructs and inferences. This is even more severe when it comes to hybrid ASP languages and systems that are often needed to handle real-world applications. We address this challenge and introduce the concept of abstract and structured theories that allow us to formally elaborate upon their integration with ASP. We then use this concept to make the semantic characterization of clingo’s theory-reasoning framework precise. This provides us with a formal framework in which we can elaborate upon the formal properties of existing hybridizations of clingo, such as clingcon, clingo[dl], and clingo[lp]. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Answer Set Programming Systems and Applications)
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38 pages, 993 KiB  
Article
Evolutionary System Design with Answer Set Programming
by Christian Haubelt, Luise Müller, Kai Neubauer, Torsten Schaub and Philipp Wanko
Algorithms 2023, 16(4), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/a16040179 - 24 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1057
Abstract
We address the problem of evolutionary system design (ESD) by means of answer set programming modulo difference constraints (AMT). The goal of this design approach is to synthesize new product variants or generations from existing products. We start by formalizing the underlying system [...] Read more.
We address the problem of evolutionary system design (ESD) by means of answer set programming modulo difference constraints (AMT). The goal of this design approach is to synthesize new product variants or generations from existing products. We start by formalizing the underlying system synthesis problem and design space exploration process, which consists of finding the Pareto front with respect to latency, cost, energy, and similarity measures between the two designs. We then present AMT-based encodings to capture all of these aspects. The idea is to use plain ASP for conflict detection and resolution and for routing and to use difference constraints for scheduling. Moreover, we propose a new approach for expressing the similarity that we use at three alternative levels of AMT-based design space exploration, namely, at the strategic, heuristic, and objective levels, which is performed to guide the exploration towards designs of high interest. Last but not least, we systematically evaluate the emerging techniques empirically and identify the most promising AMT techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Answer Set Programming Systems and Applications)
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23 pages, 563 KiB  
Article
Pushing the Limits of Clingo’s Incremental Grounding and Solving Capabilities in Practical Applications
by Marcello Balduccini, Michael Barborak and David Ferrucci
Algorithms 2023, 16(3), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/a16030169 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1648
Abstract
Incremental techniques aim at making it possible to improve the performance of the grounding and solving processes by reusing the results of previous executions. Clingo supports both incremental grounding and incremental solving computations. In order to leverage incremental computations in clingo, the incremental [...] Read more.
Incremental techniques aim at making it possible to improve the performance of the grounding and solving processes by reusing the results of previous executions. Clingo supports both incremental grounding and incremental solving computations. In order to leverage incremental computations in clingo, the incremental fragments of ASP programs must satisfy certain safety-related conditions. In a number of problem domains and reasoning tasks, these conditions can be satisfied in a fairly straightforward way. However, we have observed that in certain practical applications, satisfying the conditions becomes more challenging, to the point that it is sometimes unclear how or even if it is possible to leverage incremental computations. In this paper, we report our findings, and ultimate success, with the use of incremental grounding and solving techniques in one of these challenging cases. We describe the domain, which is linked to a large practical application, discuss the challenges we faced in attempting to leverage incremental computations, and then describe the techniques that we developed, in particular at the level of methods for encoding the domain knowledge and of algorithms supporting the intended interleaving of grounding and solving. We believe that our findings may provide valuable information to practitioners facing similar challenges and ultimately increase the adoption of clingo’s incremental capabilities for complex practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Answer Set Programming Systems and Applications)
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14 pages, 2892 KiB  
Article
ASP-Based Declarative Reasoning in Data-Intensive Enterprise and IoT Applications
by Francesco Calimeri, Nicola Leone, Giovanni Melissari, Francesco Pacenza, Simona Perri, Kristian Reale, Francesco Ricca and Jessica Zangari
Algorithms 2023, 16(3), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/a16030159 - 14 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1571
Abstract
In the last few years, we have witnessed the spread of computing devices getting smaller and smaller (e.g., Smartphones, Smart Devices, Raspberry, etc.), and the production and availability of data getting bigger and bigger. This work presents DLV-EE, a framework based on Answer [...] Read more.
In the last few years, we have witnessed the spread of computing devices getting smaller and smaller (e.g., Smartphones, Smart Devices, Raspberry, etc.), and the production and availability of data getting bigger and bigger. This work presents DLV-EE, a framework based on Answer Set Programming (ASP) for performing declarative reasoning tasks over data-intensive, distributed applications. It relies on the DLV2 system and it features interoperability means for dealing with Big-Data over modern industry-level databases (relational and NoSQL). Furthermore, the work introduces DLV-IoT, an ASP system compatible with “mobile” technologies for enabling advanced reasoning capabilities on smart/IoT devices; eventually, DLV-EE and DLV-IoT via some real-world applications are illustrated as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Answer Set Programming Systems and Applications)
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