For More Info   What is a "Case"   Building a Case-Base   Additional Benefits

SpotLight Reasoning Engine Software

SpotLight is a software system specifically designed to support the troubleshooting of complex equipment, systems or processes.  It uses "case-based reasoning" to emulate the way people employ recall in relating past experiences to the solving of current problems, and judgment in determining the most sensible information to gather at any given time. 

SpotLight helps operators and maintenance technicians deal with equipment or systems problems more efficiently, by highlighting similar problem experiences and their solutions, often from another place or time.  SpotLight can also be used to identify and correct inefficiencies caused by operating adjustments on equipment.  It represents a revolutionary problem-solving tool for keeping equipment and systems operating at peak efficiency. 

A SpotLight application has two main components: the database or "case-base" of known problems and solutions applicable to the equipment in question, and the reasoning software that searches the case-base and interacts with the user.  Previously solved problems and their solutions are stored as "cases".  A case normally contains symptom descriptions, root causes, and repair information, but can also include tips, explanations, contacts, and links to related information such as on-line service bulletins or maintenance manuals.  Whereas the case-base is unique to each diagnostic application, the same SpotLight software operates on all case-bases.

SpotLight requires no computer skills -- the user simply picks the symptoms that best describe the current problem.  SpotLight asks pertinent questions to differentiate among possible cases, and then brings forward the cases in its case-base that best fit the problem.  To prioritize the cases, SpotLight identifies the most valuable pieces of information and asks the user intelligent, discriminating questions. The user can answer or ignore the questions, or can volunteer new information.  SpotLight uses this input to perform another search of the case-base.  SpotLight does not eliminate the expert – on the contrary, it is an expert’s assistant - designed to assist trained technicians in recognizing known faults in a complex environment.  See section on Our Technology for more detail. 

SpotLight is available in several configurations:

• SpotLight Web

• SpotLight Remote

• SpotLight Client-Server System

For more information on configurations, go to SpotLight Configurations.

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