What are Agent and Environment?
An agent is anything that can perceive its environment through sensors and acts
upon that environment through effectors.
A human agent has sensory organs such as eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin parallel
to the sensors, and other organs such as hands, legs, mouth, for effectors.
A robotic agent replaces cameras and infrared range finders for the sensors, and
various motors and actuators for effectors.
A software agent has encoded bit strings as its programs and actions.
Rationality
Rationality is nothing but status of being reasonable, sensible, and having good sense
of judgment.
Rationality is concerned with expected actions and results depending upon what the
agent has perceived. Performing actions with the aim of obtaining useful information
is an important part of rationality.
Turing Test
The success of an intelligent behavior of a system can be measured with Turing Test.
Two persons and a machine to be evaluated participate in the test. Out of the two
persons, one plays the role of the tester. Each of them sits in different rooms. The
tester is unaware of who is machine and who is a human. He interrogates the
questions by typing and sending them to both intelligences, to which he receives
typed responses.
This test aims at fooling the tester. If the tester fails to determine machine’s response
from the human response, then the machine is said to be intelligent.
Properties of Environment
The environment has multifold properties −
Discrete / Continuous − If there are a limited number of distinct, clearly defined,
states of the environment, the environment is discrete (For example, chess);
otherwise it is continuous (For example, driving).
Observable / Partially Observable − If it is possible to determine the complete
state of the environment at each time point from the percepts it is observable;
otherwise it is only partially observable.
Static / Dynamic − If the environment does not change while an agent is acting,
then it is static; otherwise it is dynamic.
Single agent / Multiple agents − The environment may contain other agents
which may be of the same or different kind as that of the agent.
Accessible / Inaccessible − If the agent’s sensory apparatus can have access
to the complete state of the environment, then the environment is accessible
to that agent.
Deterministic / Non-deterministic − If the next state of the environment is
completely determined by the current state and the actions of the agent, then
the environment is deterministic; otherwise it is non-deterministic.
Episodic / Non-episodic − In an episodic environment, each episode consists
of the agent perceiving and then acting. The quality of its action depends just
on the episode itself. Subsequent episodes do not depend on the actions in the
previous episodes. Episodic environments are much simpler because the agent
does not need to think ahead.
What are Expert Systems?
The expert systems are the computer applications developed to solve complex
problems in a particular domain, at the level of extra-ordinary human intelligence
and expertise.
Characteristics of Expert Systems
High performance
Understandable
Reliable
Highly responsive
Capabilities of Expert Systems
The expert systems are capable of −
Advising
Instructing and assisting human in decision making
Demonstrating
Deriving a solution
Diagnosing
Explaining
Interpreting input
Predicting results
Justifying the conclusion
Suggesting alternative options to a problem
They are incapable of −
Substituting human decision makers
Possessing human capabilities
Producing accurate output for inadequate knowledge base
Refining their own knowledge
Components of Expert Systems
The components of ES include −
Knowledge Base
Inference Engine
User Interface
Expert Systems Limitations
No technology can offer easy and complete solution. Large systems are costly,
require significant development time, and computer resources. ESs have their
limitations which include −
Limitations of the technology
Difficult knowledge acquisition
ES are difficult to maintain
High development costs
Applications of Expert System
The following table shows where ES can be applied.
Application Description
Design Domain Camera lens design, automobile design.
Diagnosis Systems to deduce cause of
Medical Domain disease from observed data, conduction
medical operations on humans.
Comparing data continuously with observed
system or with prescribed behavior such as
Monitoring Systems
leakage monitoring in long petroleum
pipeline.
Controlling a physical process based on
Process Control Systems
monitoring.
Knowledge Domain Finding out faults in vehicles, computers.
Detection of possible fraud, suspicious
Finance/Commerce transactions, stock market trading, Airline
scheduling, cargo scheduling.
Development of Expert Systems: General Steps
The process of ES development is iterative. Steps in developing the ES include −
1. Identify Problem Domain
The problem must be suitable for an expert system to solve it.
Find the experts in task domain for the ES project.
Establish cost-effectiveness of the system.
2. Design the System
Identify the ES Technology
Know and establish the degree of integration with the other systems and
databases.
Realize how the concepts can represent the domain knowledge best.
3. Develop the Prototype
From Knowledge Base: The knowledge engineer works to −
Acquire domain knowledge from the expert.
Represent it in the form of If-THEN-ELSE rules.
4. Test and Refine the Prototype
The knowledge engineer uses sample cases to test the prototype for any
deficiencies in performance.
End users test the prototypes of the ES.
5. Develop and Complete the ES
Test and ensure the interaction of the ES with all elements of its environment,
including end users, databases, and other information systems.
Document the ES project well.
Train the user to use ES.
6. Maintain the System
Keep the knowledge base up-to-date by regular review and update.
Cater for new interfaces with other information systems, as those systems
evolve.
Benefits of Expert Systems
Availability − They are easily available due to mass production of software.
Less Production Cost − Production cost is reasonable. This makes them
affordable.
Speed − They offer great speed. They reduce the amount of work an
individual puts in.
Less Error Rate − Error rate is low as compared to human errors.
Reducing Risk − They can work in the environment dangerous to humans.
Steady response − They work steadily without getting motional, tensed or
fatigued.
Write the difference between Expert System and Conventional System.
Expert System Conventional System
A computer program that mimics A system designed to perform specific
human expert reasoning to solve tasks based on predefined logic or
complex problems. rules.
Knowledge-based, simulates expert Program-driven, follows fixed
decision-making. algorithms and logic
To provide intelligent solutions, To automate specific tasks or
reasoning, and recommendations processes.
Uses knowledge bases, rules, and Uses structured code, databases, and
inference engines. procedural logic.
Can adapt to new knowledge and Operates strictly within predefined
provide reasoning. parameters.
Interactive; may involve asking the Limited to predefined inputs and
user for additional information. outputs.
Typically more complex due to the Simpler to design, as it relies on
need for a knowledge base and traditional programming.
inference mechanism.