#19 intro page ok

docs/index.rst

@@ -14,26 +14,48 @@ Grasshopper plugin for data-driven and inverse design methods with generative AI
 
 
 Introduction
-============
-**ARA** is a `Grasshopper <https://www.rhino3d.com/features/#grasshopper>`_ plugin that augments the design process with data-driven and inverse design approach
-by leveraging parametric models built in Grasshopper with generative AI models.
-It enables architects, engineers and designers to efficiently generate design solutions with the assistance of generative neural networks.
-The inverse design paradigm accelerates design exploration by providing many different design variants that match requested objectives.
+------------
+**ARA** is a `Grasshopper <https://www.rhino3d.com/features/#grasshopper>`_ plugin 
+that augments the design process with data-driven and inverse design approach
+by combining parametric models built in Grasshopper with generative AI models.
+It enables designers, architects and engineers to efficiently generate design solutions with the assistance of generative neural networks.
+The inverse design paradigm accelerates design exploration by providing many different design variants that match project objectives.
+
+With **ARA**, you can easily generate a project-specific the dataset from an existing parametric model definition in Grasshopper,
+and then train and deploy a custom autoencoder model to generate designs that satisfy the requested target values, 
+such as performance metrics or design constraints.
 
-With **ARA**, you can easily generate a project-specific the dataset and then train and deployy of a custom autoencoder model to generate designs.
 **ARA** also comes with various visualization tools for data analysis and performance evaluation.
 
-Grasshopper plugin **ARA** builds on top of the `AIXD: AI-eXtended Design <https://aixd.ethz.ch>`_ toolkit.
+**ARA** is open-source and builds on top of the `AIXD: AI-eXtended Design <https://aixd.ethz.ch>`_ toolkit. 
+
+
+.. attention::
+
+   **ARA** was developed for Rhino 7 on Windows. It was not tested on other versions of Rhino or other operating systems.
 
 
 Inverse Design
 --------------
-Inverse design is a design paradigm that accelerates design exploration by providing many different design variants that match requested objectives.
+Inverse design is a design paradigm that accelerates design exploration by providing many different design variants that match requested objectives. 
+
+A parametric design model is an example of a *forward* design, mapping from  inputs (*design parameters*) to outputs (*peformance attributes*).
+It can entail procedures to generate geometry, run simulations and calculate evaluation metrics.
 
+.. image:: _images/diagrams/inverse_design.png
+	:align: center
 
+In *inverse* design, the process is reversed: the designer specifies the desired target values and the model generates the corresponding design parameters. 
+In many cases, this is a one-to-many mapping, meaning that there are multiple design solutions that satisfy the target values. 
+Being able to obtain multiple equivalent solutions may be a valuable asset in the design process to explore different design alternatives.
+In **ARA**, the inverse design process is achieved by training a conditional (variational) autoencoder model - 
+a type of deep neural network (more details can be found `here <https://aixd.ethz.ch/docs/userguide/model.html>`_).
+
+
+----
 
 Table of Contents
-=================
+-----------------
 
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 3
@@ -44,11 +66,4 @@ Table of Contents
    documentation
    tutorial
    examples
-   license
-
-
-Indices and tables
-==================
-
-* :ref:`genindex`
-* :ref:`modindex`
+   license

docs/tutorial.rst

@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ Only the variables earlier defined as *targets* can be requested.
 In the request, specify the name of the variable and the requested target value(s), 
 formatted as a list of strings with colon-separaterd pairs of the variable name and the target value(s).
 Beside single target value, it is also possible to request values within a given range or a list of options.
+
 Examples:
 ``myrealvar:3.141``, ``myintvar:42``, ``mycatvar:[cat,cod]``.