Extenics is a science which solves contradictory problems. It adopts formalized models to study the possibility of the extension of matters and its law and methods of exploitation and innovation. The application effect of Extenics in some fields is not to find new experimental facts but to provide a theory and method, a kind of new thinking and model to reveal the internal mechanism of the reason study object produces contradiction as well as the rule and opportunity of contradictory transformation. Extenics introduces a new methodology to help people understand and analyze the real world from a new perspective and solve contradictory problems of the real world.
After years of research, the system of extension theory and method has become mature. Researchers have used it to conflict resolution and innovation research in many fields. Recently it has been widely applied in engineering technology, information science and intelligence science, economics and management, etc so as to play an important role in product innovation, technological innovation, management innovation, organizational innovation of machinery, architecture, commodities, etc.
1. Application of Extenics in management
1.1 Application in decision science
The following projects funded by National Science Foundation Committee of China (NSFC), study the rule to solve problems of contradictory conflict in decision system (Cai Wen, 1988), Research on the theory and method of transforming bridge (Cai Wen, 1993), Generation method and coordination problem of key strategy (Cai Wen, 1996), Research on the theory and method of extension planning (Yang Chunyan, 2001) and Research on the basic theory and method of extension strategy’s generation system (Cai Wen, 2005), supported researches of Extenics’ application in decision science. These researches have focused on constitution of key strategy, design of transforming bridge, consistency of group decision, intelligent generation of extension strategy, etc. and have preliminarily formed the theory and method of extension decision. The main achievements include the books-- Extension planning (Yang Chunyan and Zhang Yongjun, Science Press, 2002) and Generation system of extension strategy (Li Lixi, Yang Chunyan and Li Huawen, Science Press, 2006).
1.2 Application in marketing
The NSFC project Method of extension marketing (Cai Wen, 1988) supported researches on the application of Extenics in marketing. These researches used basic-element theory and theory of extension to analyze demand, products, market, resources and firms, proposed the basic theory of extension marketing which comprises theory of product exploitation, extension theory of market, extension theory of resources and theory of firm’s perfecting. The main achievements include Extension marketing (Cai Wen and Yang Chunyan, Science and Technology Literature Press, 2000).
1.3 Application in Logistics Management
The NSFC projects--Mathematical treatment of extension information and its application in logistics information system (Liu Wei, 2000) and Research on the structural approach and method of emergency-response decision in Supply Chain (Li Xiangyang, 2007), supported researches on application of Extenics in logistics management. Contents of some major research of application of Extenics in management are as follows: 1) extension analysis and conjugate analysis of involving objects in management process; 2) transforming bridge’s theory and method to solve contradictory problems in management process, with the idea that ‘each acts his own way, each has a role to play’; 3) the role of extension transformation and conductive effect of factors’ transformation in management process; 4) theories and methods of dynamic classification based on extension set and dynamic transformation of contradictory problems in management process. Common features of these researches are: 1) analyzing problems from things’ extension; 2) combining quality and quantity as a unity (i.e. primitive); 3) discussing management issues from their dynamic change and development by use dynamic primitive. These methods can help managers develop their ideas and improve their innovation abilities, and let them follow certain procedures and methods to solve contradictory problems. Achievements of Extenics’ application in management have formed the theory and methods of ‘extension engineering of management’.
2. Extenics’ application in architectural design
The NSFC project Research on basic theory and applying method of architectural planning and design based on Extenics (Zou Guangtian, 2006) supported researches on application of Extenics in architectural design. Related researches focus on problems ecological planning and extensive thinking pattern, method of analyzing innovative resources in architectural design based on Extenics, innovation of indoor design, etc.
3. Application of Extenics in product design and product innovation
The NSFC projects—Research and realization on solving cooperative problem of product and craft design (Li Jian, 1996), Research on intelligent conceptual design based on extension theory (Zhao Yanwei, 2001), Research on modeling theory and method of cpc product development process family based on extension theory (Li Renwang, 2002), Research on intelligentizing and modeling conceptual design based on analysis of matter-element dynamic system (Yang Guowei, 2003), Research on theory and method of adaptability design of product family based on extension logic (Zhao Yanwei, 2005) and Research on key technique of knowledge extension reuse for conceptual design of large complex product (Wang Tichun, 2010), supported researches on Extenics’ application in product design and product innovation.
Contradictory problems of design object, design system and design process being research object, and extension design seek the best design alternative through formalized representation of design problems, modeling, transformation, reasoning, evaluation and decision-making. Extension design applies Extenics mainly on design thinking, conceptual design, allocation design, modularization design, variant design and optimization design. The main achievements include “Extension Design” (Zhao Yanwei and Su Nan, Science Press, 2010).
4. Application of Extenics in knowledge management and data mining
Extenics has studied application of extension model in information, which denotes information by matter-element, affair-element and relation-element, builds formalized models of information and knowledge, and generates the strategies to solve contradictory problems through extension transformation and extension reasoning. These researches will provide the foundation for studying highly intelligent computer and all kinds of intelligent machines with the ability to deal with contradictory problems.
The NSFC projects—Theory, method and empirical research on extension data mining of acquiring changing knowledge (Yang Chunyan, 2007), Research on intelligent management of knowledge acquired by data mining (Li Xingsen, 2008), Decoupling point positioning theory and method of customer order with mass customization based on extension logic (Xu Xuanguo, 2008), Research on discovery of deep knowledge driven by field knowledge (Zhang Lingling, 2010) and Theoretical research on extension optimization and sharing of knowledge combining slowness with quickness in the environment of knowledge super network (Pan Xuwei, 2010), supported researches on application of Extenics in knowledge management and data mining.
Based on extension transformations, extension data mining studies how to mine database or knowledge by combining extension method with existing methods of data mining.
5. Application of Extenics in detection and control
There are many contradictory problems in the field of detection and control, such as conflict of accuracy, stability and speediness in control, contradiction between detection parameters and disability of detection apparatus, contradiction between demand of detection parameters and detection environment, etc. The problems that are unable to control and detect influence the level of automation.
The NSFC projects—Extension control (Wang Xingyu, 1994), Research on mechanism of matter-element in detection (Yu Yongquan, 2002), Photo acoustic intelligent detection and the fittest control of photosynthetic process of Huoshan Dendrobium (Lu Rongde, 2009) and Research on control system of extensive and modularized mobile manipulator with coverage of whole area (Wu Huaiyu, 2010), supported researches on Extenics’ application in detection and control.
Based on extension theory, extension detection applies the method of extension transformation to construct theory and method of detection on the basis of extension model, so as to detect the physical quantities that are difficult or unable to be detected by traditional methods.
The purpose of extension control is to transform control system under certain condition from uncontrollable status into controllable status, resolve the conflict between uncontrollable control system and demand of control, and improve the control ability and area of control system.
6. Application of Extenics in sustainable social development
The NSFC projects—Research on generating method of strategy set in sustainable utilization of land based on extension engineering (Xu Baogen, 2002), Research on method of extensive fuzzy quantification in management of sustainable water resources (Hu Baoqing, 2007), Extension engineering method of optimizing operation of process-oriented industrial energy consumption reduction (Zhu Qunxiong, 2007), Theory and application research on extension generation of circular agricultural patterns (Deng Qunzhao, 2008), Research on evaluation method of strategic environment based on SD-EBC and extensive analysis (Xu Ling, 2008) and Research on dynamic mechanism and sustainability of evolution of water resources carrying capacity in the framework of mass quality (Zou Jin, 2010), supported researches on Extenics’ application in sustainable development.
7. Application of Extenics in identification, search and diagnoses
The NSFC projects—Research on hierarchy and quantification of exopathy causes by using extension method (Li Jingbo, 1998), Research on quantification and multidimensional correlation of exopathy causes based on extension theory (Chen Xiaoyin, 2004), Research on knowledge acquisition of pathogenesis relationship and law of key pathogenesis for the symptom of non small cell lung cancer (Li Jingbo, 2005), Research on techniques of case-oriented cross-media information retrieval (Yu Yaxin, 2007) and Research on theory and method of identifying security and seismic performance of existing buildings based on Extenics (Liu Ming, 2009), supported researches on Extenics’ application in identification, search and diagnoses.
Related researches focus on the composition of primitive information database, rule database, basic knowledge database and extension transformation database.
8. Application of Extenics in complex system modeling
The NSFC projects—Theory of dynamic spatial correlation in mine GIS (Liu Wenbao, 2004), Research on new model of neural network in the information processing of artificial brain (YangGuowei, 2006), Extension method of correcting evaluation indicator system and generating alternatives to be evaluated (YangYimin, 2006), Research on environmental force behavior and state degradation mechanism of key parts of large wind turbines (Chen Changzheng, 2009) and Modeling and predictive control research on large complex system of water quality for sewage streams in Pearl River Delta (Zhang Xinzheng, 2010), supported researches on Extenics’ application in complex system modeling.
Related researches concentrate on determining boundary of complex system, system structure model and system mechanism.
