Chapter 16

Intelligent Support Systems

Chapter 16 directs attention to the technologies of artificial intelligence, especially to expert systems (ES) and artificial neural networks (ANN). These and other cutting edge technologies use knowledge as the primary factor in their systems. The major purpose is the support of knowledge workers in order to increase productivity and quality. The chapter deals primarily with the support provided to mission-critical activities in organizations. Specifically, support is provided to the operational, managerial, and strategic operations of the major functional areas in the organization. It focuses on practical applications, providing solutions for improved productivity and quality and enhancing business processes reengineering.

[ Update | Exercises | IT@Work ]

Update

And the winner is...

Can a machine think as well as a human being? Can a machine think better than a human being? Researchers in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) have contended for decades that this is possible. However, up until recently, AI had little in the way of hard evidence to back these grandiose claims. Enter Deep Blue.

On February 10, 1996, researchers at IBM matched their six-year effort, a chess playing computer named Deep Blue, against Garry Kasparov, reigning world chess champion. And the computer won. Well, it won the first game. Kasparov and Deep Blue played five more games, two were draws and Kasparov won three. Still, the achievement was a hallmark in the history of AI, a strong encouragement to its research community.

In TIME Magazine, Robert Wright examines this momentous occasion and the debate over artificial intelligence in Can Machines Think? Also, check out IBM’s site devoted to its remarkable creation at Deep Blue Check.

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Exercises

1. Surf the Internet to learn the progress of the Autonomous Land Vehicle. Try the Web site of the Robotic Institute at Carnegie Mellon University for a start.

2. Enter the Web site of Allen-Bradley and find some applications related to machine vision.

3. Read the story about automated marketing analysis. Visit the Web site of Ocean Spray Co. to learn more about CoverStory. E-mail the company. Find similar applications in other companies.

4. Join a newsgroup that is interested in voice recognition. Identify some managerial issues discussed. Find two vendors involved in voice recognition, view their Web sites for products, and report on the current capabilities.

5. There is an increased interest in using neural networks to make buying and selling decisions regarding stocks. Surf the Internet to find appropriate information. Find some vendors and products. Join a newsgroup and discover interesting tips. Download demo software.

6. Identify some business applications of fuzzy logic by surfing the Internet. Join a newsgroup and identify managerial issues. Find some major vendors and download demo software.

IT@Work

GE Research and Development

British Gas

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