APSI - ADVANCED PLANNING AND SCHEDULING INITIATIVE

The APSI Framework has been developed by ESA with the aim of creating a software platform to improve the cost-effectiveness and flexibility of the development of planning support tools. APSI strives to bridge the gap between advanced artificial intelligence (AI) Planning and Scheduling technology and the world of space mission planning.

Distribution

The Framework distribution includes:

•     A library of functional AI modules applicable to the modelling and resolution of Planning and Scheduling problems
•     A general architecture for the development of experimental planning tools
•     A modelling language for Planning and Scheduling domains and problems
•     A prototype planning and scheduling system built using the Framework

Innovation and Advantages

The Framework innovates the ESA software design and implementation process by:

• Employing an AI model-based approach, in which the relevant features of the domain are described in a high-level declarative language allowing harnessing the versatility of general modelling and solving capabilities
• Enabling the capability of designing ad-hoc components and problem solving modules to extend the Framework

Domain of Application

•         Computer Software
•         Artificial Intelligence
•         Planning and Scheduling
•         Resource Allocation and Optmization
•         Robotics, Control of Complex Physical Systems
•         Temporal Reasoning
•         Industrial Automation

APSI is developed in Java as an Eclipse Project. It implements advanced planning and scheduling solutions based on constraint programming, local search, and mixed-initiative approach.