Anthony Patera - 2019 ICT Conference

An undergraduate student in heat transfer (or similar engineering science continuum discipline) maps a non-prescriptive problem statement in natural language to a relatively simple mathematical model to a closed-form approximate solution. This classical approach remains relevant even today: to develop design tools which serve to narrow the parameter domain; to provide transparent reference solutions which serve to verify the results of simulation. "Artie" is software which replicates the undergraduate student procedure and further expands the analysis capability to incorporate numerical solution of partial differential equations. Artie may ultimately be capable of an A+ in an MIT heat transfer subject. The latter, in turn, has important implications for education and professional practice: we must adapt our undergraduate curriculum, and we must revisit the roles of engineers. However, many technical challenges remain, in particular related to geometry and image processing, natural language understanding, incorporation of (heat transfer) empirical data and correlations, and assessment of model and approximation error.