The Evolution, Framework, and Future of Cognitive Intelligence-enabled Product Design

In recent years, the powerful capabilities of big data and intelligent algorithms (e.g., machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL)) have fostered a new product design paradigm called Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled design. Although current AI-enabled design outperforms many other classic design methods by effectiveness and efficiency, most of its applications are still preliminary AI-based applications, such as classification, recognition, and detection. Many domain knowledge and design knowledge among historical design cases and designers have not been fully recognized and explored. To bridge the semantic gap between humans and systems/machines, this study proposed a cognitive intelligence-enabled product design (CIPD) framework in which cognitive computing serves as the key enabler. To make the vision concrete, this study proposes a CIPD framework to illustrate the relationship between cognitive intelligence and product design. Meanwhile, the prospective human-like capabilities of CIPD and the critical enabling technologies are also described. Finally, some potential CIPD industrial applications are envisioned.