Improved monitoring and surveillance through integration of artificial intelligence and information management systems

The paper describes the results of a project which aims to improve the capabilities of an information system (IS) which supports the management of safety of dams. The improvement has been achieved through the incorporation of additional components developed using artificial intelligence concepts and technologies. We describe the pre-existing IS (comprised of automatic monitoring systems, telemetry and data bases), identify user requirements driving the evolution of the IS and explain how AI concepts and technologies may contribute. We describe the functions, the architecture and the AI techniques of two systems (MISTRAL and DAMSAFE) added to the IS. Moreover we discuss the issue of integration of the AI components and the pre-existing system and we present the technology developed to support this process. Finally we give the implementation status of the project (which delivered components operational since 1992) and some information about the user acceptance, development effort and applicability to other fields.