XcelLog: A User - Centered Deductive Spreadsheet System

In Phase I XSB, Inc. explored the technical feasibility of building XcelLog – a user-centered deductive spreadsheet (DSS) system. XcelLog is envisioned as a tool for empowering end users to create intelligent computing applications using the spreadsheet metaphor without having to know programming. These applications are typically characterized by a knowledge base encoding known properties of the application and an inference engine that reasons over it to derive valid conclusions. XSB, Inc. made significant strides in the development of: the DSS language; the implementation infrastructure for computing DSS expressions; and user interface. These efforts culminated in the implementation of XcelLog with Excel as the front-end and the XSB tabled logic programming system as the backend deduction machine. Phase II efforts will primarily focus on implementing a fully operational commercial XcelLog system. Towards this goal XSB, Inc will: harden and enhance the already developed core technology components (the DSS language, DSS expression evaluator, Excel/XSB interface); develop the remaining core components (explanation and visualization of DSS computations, optimization of expression evaluation); develop a programming methodology for problem solving based on the DSS paradigm; conduct comprehensive usability studies and develop a suite of DSS applications for a variety of businesses that will be commercialized.