Chapter 2 - Intelligent Systems
Tools and techniques used to create a knowledge base:
-Human experts -Fuzzy logic -Rules -Cases
The Inference Engine
-Seeks information and relationships from the knowledge base -Provides answers, predictions, and suggestions the way a human expert would -Backward chaining -Forward chaining
Intelligent Agents
Special-purpose knowledge-based information systems that accomplish specific tasks on behalf of their users
Backward Chaining
Starting with conclusions and working backward to supporting facts (i.e. getting answers to exam after taking it and seeing what you did wrong)
Forward Chaining
Starting with facts and working forward to solutions (i.e. taking an exam and coming up with the answers)
Knowledge Base
Stores all relevant information, data, rules, cases, and relationships that the expert system uses
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Simulates human intelligence such as the ability to reason and learn
Applications of Expert Systems and Artificial Intelligence
-Credit granting and loan analysis -Stock picking -Catching cheats and terrorists -Hospitals and medical facilities -Employee performance evaluation
Participants in Developing and Using Expert Systems
-Domain expert -Knowledge engineer -Knowledge user
AI is a broad field that includes several specialty areas, such as:
-Expert systems -Genetic Algorithms -Intelligent Agents -Virtual Reality -Neural networks
Characteristics of intelligent behavior include the ability to
-Learn from experience and apply knowledge acquired from experience -Handle complex situations -Solve problems when important information is missing -Determine what is important -React quickly and correctly to a new situation
The Explanation Facility
Allows a user or decision maker to understand how the expert system arrived at certain conclusions or results
Genetic Algorithms
Artificial intelligent systems that mimic the evolutionary, survival-of-the-fittest process to generate increasingly better solutions to a problem
Neural Networks
Attempt to emulate the way the human brain works
Knowledge Acquisition
Can be a manual process or a mixture of manual and automated procedures
Virtual Reality
Computer-simulated environments that can be a simulation of the real world or an imaginary world
Expert Systems
Computerized advisory programs that imitate the reasoning processes of experts in solving difficult problems
Domain Expert
Individual or group with the expertise the expert system is trying to capture
Knowledge User
Person or group who uses and benefits from the expert system
Knowledge Engineer
Person who has training or experience in the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of an expert system
The Knowledge Acquisition Facility
Provides a convenient and efficient means of capturing and storing the components of the knowledge base