AI Mapping Bacteria

 Intrigued by the idea of mapping some complex, yet still varying topography.   The morphology and how that can be used to understand its functional characteristics.  

AI to Map Our Intestinal Bacteria   University of Copenhagen (Denmark)  January 12, 2021

Researchers at Denmark's University of Copenhagen (UCPH) are applying artificial intelligence (AI) to the exploration of human intestinal bacteria and its relationship to disease. UCPH's Simon Rasmussen and colleagues developed an algorithm that uses AI to complete the DNA strings of the approximately 1 billion bacteria found in feces. Said Rasmussen, "If we are able to reconstruct their DNA, it will give us an idea of the types of bacteria we are dealing with, what they are capable of, and what they actually do. It is not the complete picture, but it is a huge step forward." ... ' 

Templates for Computerized Robot Design

Seems a useful approach as we use robot solutions for more applications. Includes both physical designs and control programming.   And Optimization to tasks involved. 

Computer-Aided Creativity in Robot Design

MIT News,  By Daniel Ackerman

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have developed a system that simulates and optimizes robot design and control programs. RoboGrammar avoids jumbled structures yielded from arbitrary connections between parts by following rules on component arrangement, or graph grammar, inspired by arthropods. Based on inputs of available components and intended terrain, RoboGrammar defines the problem, drafts possible solutions, and chooses the optimal ones, using graph grammar to design all permutations. Each robot has a Model Predictive Control algorithm to model its movements and select the best design, while a graph heuristic search algorithm iteratively samples and assesses sets of robots, learning which designs execute a specific task better. Said Columbia University’s Hod Lipson, “This work is a crowning achievement in the 25-year quest to automatically design the morphology and control of robots.”

Morphological Analysis Update

Tom Ritchey sends this along, see my previous notes on this under the tag GMA.   Note that Morphology means structure ....  and just the structure of a problem, rather than including numerical specifications.

Dear Network,

General Morphological Analysis: Modelling, Forecasting, Innovation
Guest Editors: Tom Ritchey & Tomasz Arciszewski

We are happy to announce a Special Issue of Technological Forecasting and Social Change featuring General Morphological Analysis (GMA). The articles appearing in this issue are based both on papers presented at The Second International Symposium on General Morphological Analysis (ISGMA 2016), held in Bilbao 11-12 June, and on additional contributions provided by selected GMA practitioners globally. The articles for the Special Issue are now in press and will be available on-line shortly. The "hard copy" version will be available later this year.

Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Historical background (Editors)
2. General Morphological Analysis as a Basic Scientific Modelling Method
3. A Collaborative Process Model and Web-based Software-Support for GMA
4. Scenario Development with General Morphological Analysis
5. On a Morphology of Contact Scenario Space
6. Morphological Analysis in Inventive Engineering
7. Morphology of Conceptual Building Design
8. From Morphological Analysis to Optimizing Complex Industrial Operation Scenarios
9. Linking Fields with GMA: Sustainability, Companies, People and Operational Research 
10. Investigating Traffic Congestion: Targeting Technological and Social Interdependencies
11. An Informal Survey on the Application of Morphological Analysis in the Private Sector 
Kind regards,

  Tom

Morphological Modeling

Tom Ritchey sends along an article about structural systems modeling.   Technical.  See previous writing about this in the tags below.   As an alternative to quantitative analytics.  Continuing to cover.

Principles of Cross-Consistency Assessment in Morphological Modelling

For those interested in the more detailed methodological issues of GMA/morphological modelling, the following article is now available at AMG:   Ritchey, T. (2015) “Principles of Cross-Consistency Assessment in Morphological Modelling”, Acta Morphologica Generalis, Vol. 4 no. 2.   Download at: http://www.amg.swemorph.com/pdf/amg-4-2-2015.pdf

Abstract: In General Morphological Analysis (GMA), the Cross-Consistency Assessment (CCA) both serves as a check on the integrity and clarity of the concepts being employed, and allows us to identify and weed out all internally incompatible relationships in order to reduce the total problem space of the morphological field to a smaller, internally consistent solution space. With computer support this solution space can be treated as an inference model. This article examines the methodological principles and practical procedural issues involved in the CCA process, and presents examples from a number of client-based projects.

Business Model Innovation

Not the same thing as BPM,  which I prefer because it deals with business specifics.  But in reading this, BMI could be a good place to start.  Perhaps linked to structural (Morphological) models of a business.  Lots to choose from.   Perhaps to understand the business specifics choices more exactly.

Distinct Approaches to Business Model Innovation by Ralph Ohr

Business model innovation (BMI) is becoming ever more important as it turns out increasingly difficult for companies to differentiate based on products and services alone. New business models are difficult for competitors to copy, not only because it takes considerable time and effort to build a new business model and simultaneously change several elements of an existing one, respectively. Moreover, a business model has to fit a company’s unique combination of strategy, culture and competencies in order to succeed. ...  " 

General Morphological Analysis for the Wicked

Just received, points to excellent resources and examples of morphological, or 'structural' analysis. This should see much more application,  consider applying it before detailed quant data is acquired for a complex problem.  It can show you rich opportunities of structure for particularly wicked problems.

 ....  via Tom Ritchey, SweMorph | Swedish Morphological Society ... 

For those who are interested in the numerous and varied applications of general morphological analysis (GMA), the following article is now available at AMG:  

Álvarez, A. & Ritchey T. (2015) “Applications of General Morphological Analysis: From Engineering Design to Policy Analysis”, Acta Morph Gen, 4(1). 

Abstract: Since its conception and development in the late 1940’s by Fritz Zwicky at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the “morphological approach” – or General Morphological Analysis (GMA) – has been applied to many diverse areas of study, from engineering design and technological forecasting to policy analysis, organisational development and creative writing. This article outlines the numerous applications of GMA since the 1950’s and gives examples from some 80+ published articles. Early examples of Zwicky’s work are also described and an overview of modern, computer-aided GMA is presented. 

The applications are divided up into the following categories: 

• Engineering and product design 
• General design theory and architecture 
• Futures studies and scenario development 
• Technology foresight/technological forecasting (a subset futures studies) 
• Management science, policy analysis and organisational design 
• Security, safety and defence studies 
• Creativity, innovation and knowledge management 
• Modelling theory, OR methods and GMA itself     ..... 

Morphology and Emergence

An area we examined. Has potential application to non quantified but constraint specified problems. Notably like alternative methods of task completion. For those who are interested in the principle of “emergence” and/or general morphological analysis (GMA), the following article is now online at AMG:

Ritchey, T. (2014). “On a Morphology of Theories of Emergence”. Acta Morph Gen, Vol. 3 No. 3.
Available for download in PDF format at: http://www.amg.swemorph.com/pdf/amg-3-3-2014.pdf

Abstract: “Emergence” – the notion of novel, unpredictable and irreducible properties developing out of complex organisational entities – is itself a complex, multi-dimensional concept. To date there is no single, generally agreed upon “theory of emergence”, but instead a number of different approaches and perspectives. Neither is there a common conceptual or meta-theoretical framework by which to systematically identify, exemplify and compare different “theories”. Building upon earlier work done by sociologist Kenneth Bailey, this article presents a method for creating such a framework, and outlines the conditions for a collaborative effort in order to carry out such a task. A brief historical and theoretical background is given both to the concept of “emergence” and to the non-quantified modelling method General Morphological Analysis (GMA).

Cheers,  Tom Ritchey, SweMorph

Morphological Approaches to Engineering Design

A long time correspondent,  Tom Ritchey, sends a note about an analytical approach that is little used in  enterprise, but should be much better known.  Using the structure, or morphology, of a business decision problem to improve it.  This is a mostly logical rather than numerical approach.    Below a link to a not overly technical example paper on the subject.  Also see my previous writings on General Morphology Analysis.

Short description of method.

SweMorph | Swedish Morphological Society
An interesting example of the early application of General Morphological Analysis to engineering is the work of the British Norris Brothers, who in the 1960s worked with the speed racer Donald Campbell to achieve several world records. In this paper, Asunción Álvarez (Inplanta, Madrid) describes their work and its significance within its historical context as an early example of the “morphological approach” to actual engineering design.

You can download: “The Norris Brothers Ltd. morphological approach to engineering design – an early example of applied morphological analysis”, Acta Morphologica Generalis, Vol.3 No.2 (2014),

Origami and Math

 From the BBC:   Better Origami and the intricate relationship of form in nature and mathematics.  The folding of paper, genes and telescopes. " ... Paper folding isn’t just an art, it can help fit everything on spacecraft from solar panels to telescope mirrors. Two scientists say they have devised a better way for knowing when to fold them. ... "

Gap Analysis Paper

New from Tom Ritchey:

For those who are interested in computer-aided GAP Analysis – especially concerning problem areas that are difficult to quantify – a new article is available: 

“Morphological Gap Analysis: Using GMA to identify the DELTA” 

It can be downloaded (PDF) from the AMG site. 

Morphological Analysis for Wicked Problem Solving

A morphology is a set of structures that are used to define a category.  It is often used in one of my interest areas: Botany.  See the image on the right, where it defines leaf structures. It turns out that it can also be used to define and solve difficult, 'wicked' problems that are numerically or statically ill defined.    Problems that include choices among consumers, or policy definitions, or strategic choices.   I was recently re-introduced to the idea by Tom Ritchey and discovered that the method was more mature than I thought.  Useful for problems that are hard to quantify but whose solution spaces need to be explored.  I am further examining, if you have any comments, please pass along.  In a recent paper: 

General morphological analysis (GMA) is a method for structuring and investigating the total set of relationships contained in multidimensional, usually non-quantifiable, problem complexes. Pioneered by Fritz Zwicky at the California Institute of Technology in the 1930s and 1940s, it relies on a constructed parameter space, linked by way of logical relationships, rather than on causal relationships and a hierarchical structure. During the past 10 years, GMA has been computerized and extended for structuring and analysing complex policy spaces, developing futures scenarios and modelling strategy alternatives. This article gives a historical and theoretical background to GMA as a problem structuring method, compares it with a number of other ‘soft-OR’ methods, and presents a recent application in structuring a complex policy issue. The issue involves the development of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system in Sweden:    Journal of the Operational Research Society (2006) 57, 792–801.

An overview by Tom Ritchey and a link to his excellent book on the topic.
WP definition of morphological analysis.
A lecture video on the method.
And the Swedish Morphological Society.

Via Swedish Morphological Society
Ritchey Consulting LLC
Dr. Tom Ritchey
Email: ritchey@swemorph.com |  www.ritcheyconsulting.org

Diagramming Sentences and the Power of Morphology

The Language log Blog brings up diagramming sentences.  Very familiar and mostly disliked activity in early education in the US.  I remember being much intrigued by the application of this method to determine the structure, or morphology, of something like our own language. A first step in managing the knowledge that exists in language.  The article points out that the method is still in use and there are many resources that exist for it and are easily accessible.  Stripping a difficult problem down to its morphology can be a powerful way to solving it. I will follow later this week with a post that shows how morphology can address the wicked problems of today.

Social Wicked Problems

An interesting technical look at the application of 'wicked problem' techniques to social problems.  We used the term to indicated difficult to formalize and solve problems of many kinds.  Even this abstract is too convoluted, but here goes:  " ... If you work in an organisation that deals with social, commercial or financial planning – or any  type of public policy planning – then you’ve got wicked problems. You may not call them by this  name, but you know what they are. They are those complex, ever changing societal and organisational planning problems that you haven’t been able to treat with much success, because they won’t  keep still. They’re messy, devious, and they fight back when you try to deal with them. This paper  describes the notion of wicked problems (WPs) as put forward by Rittel & Webber in their landmark article “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning” (1973). It presents the ten criteria they  use to characterise WPS, and describes how general morphological analysis (GMA) can be used to  structure and analyse such problems complexes. ... "