Artificial Intelligence

Assignment 1

Deadline: 29/11/2020, at 11.59pm CET

University College Maastricht

Course code: SCI2036
Examiners-Turors: Dr. S. Asteriadis, Mr. Aleksander Michoński, Mr. Eduardo Sánchez González

Description of the assignment:

Search algorithms are used extensively in multiple every-day applications, in order to improve efficiency
and speed while searching for possible solutions to a given problem. Examples include but are not limited
to: GPS navigation systems, social networks, gaming, criminology (e.g. searching for fingerprints in big
databases). The goal of this assignment is to look for a real-life application of a search algorithm, among
the ones we discussed during our lectures and tutorials. Make sure you have a good understanding of
how the technique works on the specific problem, although going deeply into technical/mathematical
details will not be needed. Provide the right references to your sources (these can be from scientific
sources up to other reliable material found online, such as product descriptions, reports, interviews).

Your report should not exceed 800-1200 words, it should be a pdf or word file, and should have the
following structure:

PART 1: Presentation of the problem and why an AI solution to it is appropriate (1 point).

PART 2: Description of how the search algorithm is applied on the specific application. Your description
should provide clear matches with concepts we discussed in class, such as how a state is described, costs,
goals, etc., depending on the employed algorithm and desired solution(s) (2.5 points).

PART 3: Choose at least three of the following aspects, and comment on them: Efficiency of the technique,
(possible) results provided – qualitative and/or quantitative, possible problems and challenges,
improvements you would consider, problem complexity, other solutions to the particular problem still
coming from AI that can be considered (without going into technical details) (1.5 points).
Prepare a short pitch (2 slides, no more than 3-4 minutes in total) of your topic (algorithm+application) to
discuss in Week 4 with one of your tutors and your colleagues, during the tutorial – non-graded but you
will receive valuable feedback for your assignment.

For those students wishing to have a programming assignment on a search technique among those
discussed in class, overall, the same structure will apply. However, you are asked to first come in contact
with your tutor (depending on which tutorial group you belong to, you contact the corresponding tutor)
in order to discuss your idea. Please, send him an email by the end of week 2, describing the dataset you
wish to use, or in general, the idea you have for this assignment if you choose a programming task.

Deadline for uploading your assignment on the student portal: 29/11/2020, at 11.59pm CET