Expert Systems by Melinda Smith - c203111  

An expert system is a computer application program that takes the knowledge of one or more human experts in a field and computerizes it so that it is readily available for use.

Expert systems usually contain two components: -- the knowledge base -- the inference engine.

The knowledge base houses the knowledge of one or more human experts in a specific field or task and is usually made up of factual knowledge. The inference engine is usually setup up to mimic the reasoning, or problem solving abilities that a human expert would use to arrive at a conclusion. information that is commonly shared, usually found in textbooks or journals, and typically agreed upon by humans knowledgeable in a specific field or task.

Expert Systems are created by Knowledge Engineers, who interview experts in whatever field is being considered. The Knowledge Engineer extracts the essential skills from the expert and codes them as rules.

The first expert system serviced the field of medicine. In fact most of the early expert systems were built to assist medical or scientific research. Earlier developers realized that ES performed best in any area or field that was cut off from everyday common sense and social intercourse.

Early expert systems: -DENDRAL -MYCIN -MACSYMA -MOLGEN -XCON -INTERNIST -PROSPECTOR -PUFF

Other areas where expert system are being used: -Accounting: Planet -Agriculture: The Soy Trader -Job Search: The Employment Coach

Advantages: - don’t forget - can be reproduced - un-influenced by most recent events or early - information decision making is documented saves time can combine the knowledge of multiple experts *

Disadvantages: - lacks common sense - lacks creativity - lack sensory experience - difficulty determining when no answer exists knowledge base is difficult to build.

The Future of Expert Systems: Expert systems are quickly become more widely used in fields that require social interaction.

Demonstration of an expert system: easydiagnosis.com - developed by MatheMEDics

Disclaimer: THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT MAKE A "DIAGNOSIS," something only a physician can do. It merely lists an estimated order of likelihood and estimates probabilities of diseases or conditions based on its internal logic and your answers to the questions.

Steps for using the easy diagnosis ES: Disclaimer Accept terms and conditions Answer questions: ex. How often do you drink alcohol? Have you ever been stopped or arrested for drunken behavior or for a driving violation related to drinking? Evaluate application.

Condition/Disease Estimated probability  Alcoholism-Alcohol Abuse  97% Alcohol Dependency  2.6% No Alcohol Dependency  0.1%  At Risk for Problem Drinking  0.1%  Links Official National Institutes of Health site – One of the best references about alcoholism.

My conclusion: The validity of the conclusion an expert system gives is only as accurate as the response to the questions it asks.

--End of presentation. You may now ask questions!