Expert Systems

What's an expert?
An expert is one who possesses specialized skill, experience, and knowledge that most people do not have along with the ability to apply this knowledge using tricks, shortcuts to resolve a problem efficiently.

Expert Systems
An expert system is a computer program that is designed to hold a large database of accumulated knowledge of one or more experts.

Applications of Expert Systems

PUFF: Medical system for diagnosis of respiratory conditions

PROSPECTOR: Used by geologists to identify sites for drilling or mining

Applications of Expert Systems

MYCIN: Medical system for diagnosing blood disorders. First used in 1979

DESIGN ADVISOR: Gives advice to designers of processor chips

Applications of Expert Systems

DENDRAL: Used to identify the structure of chemical compounds. First used in 1965

LITHIAN: Gives advice to archaeologists examining stone tools

Real Life Expert Systems

Basic Architecture of an Expert System

Components of an Expert System

Knowledge-base Inference engine User-interface Rule-Base

Components of an Expert System

The knowledge base is the collection of facts and rules which describe all the knowledge about the problem domain The inference engine is the part of the system that chooses which facts and rules to apply when trying to solve the users query The user interface is the part of the system which takes in the users query in a readable form and passes it to the inference engine. It then displays the results to the user.

Knowledge Base
Knowledge base is that part of an expert system which holds knowledge about the application area. Much of the knowledge is held as If.Then.Else type of rules

Sample Rules (Example)

IF the patient diet is low in fat AND the patient takes regular exercise THEN the patient is healthy
This may be true most of the time and have a high certainty factor as a result.

Some Expert System Rules

If an old man is a smoker, then he is a high risk patient. If a middle man is a non-smoker, then he is a low risk patient. If a young woman is a non-smoker, then she is a low risk patient.

Sample Rules
RULE 1 IF room is cool and light is poor then best plant is ivy; RULE 2 IF temperature < 55 then room is cool. If the inference engine was trying to prove the conclusion in RULE 1, then it would require values for the two conditions in this rule. That is, "room is cool" and "light is poor".

Inference Engine
Inference Engine is an established set of rules to be tested based on certain conditions. If a certain condition is true after a series of questions, then a specific result is set to be triggered; else, do otherwise.

The User Interface

The user communicates with the system via the user interface that can be manipulated with the use of a mouse, the keyboard, light pen, touch-sensitive screen, and voice input. In addition to helping the nurse in answering questions through the user interface, the expert system will provide mechanisms for the nurse to ask questions as well.

Knowledge Acquisition
Obtaining the relevant data, yet, requires knowledge acquisition which is attainable through research and interviewing the experts in the field.

Creation of Expert System

User interviewed for requirements. Data is collected from experts. Knowledge base is designed. Rule base is designed. Inference engine is designed. Input screen is designed. Output format is designed. Testing of system by a sample input.

Why use Expert Systems?

Experts are not always available. An expert system can be used anywhere, any time. The computer can combine knowledge of lots of experts. Very accurate & up to date. Cost effective Available 24/7 and will never retire.

Problems with Expert Systems

It only works best when the problem is specific & well-defined. No common sense. Lacks human touch Experts needed to setup and maintain system Expert systems cost a lot to set up.

Expert Systems on the Web

http://www.exsys.com/demomain.html http://www.expertise2go.com/webesie/car http://www.expertise2go.com/webesie/wine