---
title: "Understanding Behavior Using Consolidation"
authors:
  - "Tom Bylander"
  - "B. Chandrasekaran"
doi: ""
url: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1985/88"
pdf: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1985/0088.pdf"
venue: "Proceedings of the Ninth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence"
year: 1985
pages: "450-453"
track: "Knowledge Representation"
keywords:
---

# Understanding Behavior Using Consolidation

Tom Bylander, B. Chandrasekaran

*Proceedings of the Ninth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence*, pages 450-453.

## Abstract

In this paper, we wish to make three contributions to Naive Physics in the context of reasoning about devices. ( 1) We discuss some limitations of current qualitative simulation approaches with regard to a number of issues in understanding device behavior and point to the need for additional processes. (2) We introduce a new approach to deriving the behavior of devices called consolidation. In this approach, the behavior of a device is derived from the behavior of its components by inferring the behavior of selected substructures of the device. (3) We present an ontology of behavior and structure which is wellsuited to the consolidation process. This ontology makes it possible to state rules of behavior composition, i.e., simple patterns of behavior and structure are used to infer additional behaviors.