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Artificial Intelligence
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science
that consists of algorithms, mathematical and statistical
models, programming languages, that aims to mimick
human intelligence.
Further AI is implemented using cognitive
analytics and computing, machine learning, machine vision,
along with hardware to enable computers, robots and other
systems to operate in an autonomous mode. Humans and
animals using natural intelligence, can independently
react to any situation and take necessary action to
progress forward to get preferred outcomes.
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Human Intelligence (Natural Intelligence)
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A baby after birth initially cries when it is hungry,
has some discomfort or needs new diapers and so on.
Day by day the baby starts to recognize who the
parents are, initially by how they are held and
carried around - tactile comprehension, later on
by vision - facial/pattern recognition. The baby
tries to mimic the parents voice by different types
of noise and sound - audio/voice comprehension,
until it can master to communicate meaningful
words/sentences. Since humans eat and can react
to adverse conditions (foul smell), other sensory
intelligence is acquired by retaining how things
smell. At each level, the newly acquired
intelligence gets permanently stored in the
human brain (human learning). This results in
humans taking logical and intelligent actions
to one's best ability for day to day activities.
There is a lot of ongoing research to
understand how the human brain works. There has
been analysis of the brain of the well known genius
scientist such as Albert Einstein to understand the
differences in the brain of a normal person to that
of a genius.
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Many years ago during my engineering college days
(in mid 1980s), I came across a book
"How and Why Wonder Book of Robots and Electronic
Brains - by Robert Scharff (Author),
Donald D. Wolf (Illustrator), January 1, 1963"
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This book inspired me to pursue graduate studies
in Robotics, AI and autonomous manufacturing.
In 1980s only a handful colleges and universities
were involved in AI and robotics research. The
research was mostly enhancing
Industrial Robots
and Robotics for high risk areas such as
radioactive material handling, space based
systems (Star Wars,
SDI).
Further, hardware during those times were based on
Intel x86
or equivalent
firmware and related software. AI was all about
embedding intelligence in systems and machines
(robots) based on hardware and software. The
advancement of hardware in the later years is
discused in the chapter on hardware.
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In 1950's, Alan Turing, a British computer
scientist wrote about machines (computers) that
could think. He is considered as father of
Artificial Intelligence. From then on, there
has been research to create machines that
can think independently by many research
organizations such as
DARPA
and universities
around the world. Another famous US computer
scientist, considered as the founder of AI,
John McCarthy named the area of thinking
machines as
"Artificial intelligence".
He also designed
LISP
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AI has been there for a very long time. Due to
hardware/computing limitation in the early years
(1980s to 2010),
AI was typically a part of Robot operations, fixed
system intelligence, embedded intelligence by use
of machine vision, tactile and proximity sensors.
The learning algorithms was very limited.
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Shown below is the advanced version of a robotic
hand (gripper) with latest sensors, and intelligence
to effectively handle objects
(MIT research).
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Advanced Robotic Hand - MIT Research [14]
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In the recent times, AI along with Machine Learning (ML) has been
implemented in software using statistical function, in areas
such as image/pattern recognition, shortest path generation,
prediction of future values, fraud detection and prevention
to name a few. Python language has a broad array of libraries,
features and built in functions suited for AI and ML. Hence it
is one of the main choice for AI/ML implementation.
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In autonomous machinery, robots, self driving automobiles and
custom robotic devices, AI is implemented using
- sensors
- vision cameras
- voice synthesis using intelligent audio devices
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These devices inter-operate with embedded software that
use AI and ML.
Training data is used for operating from start and learn new
senarios as they go along. In the current state of AI and ML,
certain level of autonomous operation exists. AI will
continue to improve with technology and time.
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