Category Archives: Enterprise Applications
16 Jun Genetic Cross-Pollination
Cross Pollination Many approaches exist for simulating intelligent behavior on computers. In the past, the most popular approach was to focus on developing a technique and applying it to a problem. Most basic research has focused on single paradigms and their properties. Sometimes, however, in domains where multiple approaches to problem solving are possible, some […]
10 Jun Survival of the Fittest Knowledge
Genetic Algorithms in Search I think we can safely assume that intelligent applications, including accurate language interpreters and translators, will possess large amounts of knowledge to be processed and searched. Genetic algorithms are great for searching for obscure data in massive search spaces. The mechanism for association in computers can be defined as searching, just as humans describe their […]
09 Jun In Search of Depth and Breadth
Depth-First Search Search is one of many functions needed in intelligent systems. Web search in systems like Google, Bing, Yahoo and Alta Vista use complex algorithms to help you find the information you want based on words. Words are patterns of letters strung together in a unique way. Searching is a kind of pattern matching. […]
30 May State of the Art in Knowledge Representation
KR Evolves Slowly The state of the art in computer programming has evolved toward data-driven techniques. In early programs, the data was “hard-coded” into the program with specific functions operating differently on each data item and type. Gradually, programmers began storing data and templates in different files, attempting to write orthogonal procedures to introduce a modularity […]
27 May Machine Components for Intelligence
If an abacus or a log and rope can be considered intelligent machines, then we can decompose their parts, possibly rearrange them, and get different kinds of intelligent machines. I know this is an extreme example of absurd reasoning. Let’s go from the opposite direction in the complexity spectrum. Can we use the human brain and its parts as […]
07 Apr A Good Excuse for Heuristic Logic
Dichotomous logic is useful for reasoning about form or the way things are. Function, or cause and effect, however, is fuzzier because observation may not be enough to exclude other processes that lead to the same result. Heuristic logic applies to function instead of form, prescribing actions based facts. Heuristics often operate at a relatively […]
05 Feb Rings of Power: Workflow and Business Rules
Gandalf the Wizard explained the writing on the “One Ring”: “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them“ Such a ring would be a nice thing to have, as long as it didn’t make you into a fascist – the […]
01 Oct Methodology or Mythology
Call me a “nut”, but I have always been enthralled by science fiction. An image of Dave, a surprised and confused astronaut from 2001, a Space Odyssey, stays in my mind. In his eyes, I could see his brain working frantically to figure out how to master the situation, and giving way to hopelessness. The […]
22 Aug Unlocking the Power of Unruly Systems
Rules are the basis of all good decisions. Humans learn learn them through observation and nurture. Can systems do the same thing – can they learn through observation and nurture? I propose that they can. At it’s simplest, a rule takes the form of a premise (“IF clause”) and conclusion (“THEN clause”) and can be stated in natural […]