Robotics, A.I.

and Expert Systems

EAS October 2001

Robots
The word Robot comes from the Czech word for forced labour. It was used in a play by Karel Capek in 1923 Robots perform manual tasks using a microprocessor Input can be via sensors and output is usually sent to arms and moving parts The most sophisticated robot cant tie shoelaces or tell the difference between a dog and a cat (Beekman)

Asimovs 3 laws of robotics

A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law

What will the robot do? Which law will apply?

A robot is ordered to blow up a populated village A robot is ordered to blow up a deserted building A large rock is about to fall and injure a person. The robot could prevent the injury if it put itself between the rock and the person but it could destroy the robot A robot ordered to detonate land mines but is at risk of being destroyed

What action does not comply with Asimovs Laws?

A robot obeys the order to launch a missile attack on another country A robot carries out orders to detonate a land mine in an unpopulated area A robot obeys an order to step in front of an armed robber to save a child A robot escapes from a burning building after taking all occupants to safety A robot does not attempt to stop the bank robber shooting the teller as its body is not bullet proof

What jobs do robots do well?

Repetitive jobs - assembly line Dangerous jobs - detonating bombs, nuclear waste Unpleasant jobs - cleaning toilets Boring jobs - dont need coffee breaks, sick days Jobs involving lots of computation - speed, reliability Jobs requiring precision eg medical operation Work 24 hours a day, no pay, no sick leave, no holidays Dont make errors eg due to fatigue

What are their shortcomings?

Lack emotion, feelings Programmed to do a certain task Limited areas of expertise

Machine Problems
Lack of understanding eg Out of sight, out of mind = Invisible idiot The hens were ready to eat Machines can store and recall but lack the knowledge information that incorporates relationships between facts Machines dont have years of human experience which gives common sense knowledge Machines do not display judgement

The role of the user

input processor output

storage Model 1 - people at input and output Model 2 - people at input only Model 3 - people at output only Model 4 - no human involvement

Which model is best?

Marking essays and writing reports Westpac maths competition Calculating debts and sending to jail Calculating water rates and sending a bill Garden watering system Temperature control in a room Deciding on a pay rise and sending the cheque

Which model is best?

Monitoring premature babies and delivering Oxygen Monitoring critically sick and deciding on treatment Monitoring dangerous gases and sounding the alarm Interviewing job applicants and choosing employee Testing job applicants and choosing employee Robot soldiers going to war Aircraft moon landing Administering pain relief drug (woman in Nevada)

Some considerations when introducing robots

De-skilling or up-skilling Unemployment

him. They replaced him with a tiny gadget this big that does everything that my father does only it does it much better. The depressing thing is that my mother went out and bought one.
Woody Allen

My father had worked for the same firm for 12 years. They fired

Who makes the decisions? Are expert systems the next stage in evolution?

Turing Test
A machine may be deemed intelligent when it can pass for a human in a blind test. Alan Turing

How do you define intelligence?

The ability to learn from experience The ability to choose goals & work out how to achieve them The power of thought The ability to reason The ability to perceive relations The power of insight The ability to use tools Intuition

Define Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is the study of ideas which enable
computers to do the things that make people seem intelligent Patrick Henry Winston
Artificial intelligence is the study of how to make computers do things at which, at the moment, people are better Elaine Rich Artificial intelligence is the study of the computations that make it possible to perceive, reason, and act. Winston

Artificial Intelligence 1956 John McCarthy

One branch tries to simulate human intelligence eg Cyc (Texas) $40 million has been spent on organising its reasoning engines and stuffing its knowledge base with half a million rules The other branch builds expert systems that exhibit intelligent behaviour eg Cog (MIT android wannabe) which is learning to discover the world on its own

Intelligent Robots

Robots are programmed to perform a particular task Intelligent robots use information about their environment to modify their actions eg if parts on the assembly line are not the exact size

Intelligent robots use Artificial Intelligence

IS A.I. a proper goal?

Are these systems necessary? Are some of the developments ethical? Are the costs justified? What about Star Wars? Is it ethical to duplicate human thought? What are the potential effects on society? Complete intelligence and subservience do not go together. Will computers become the masters and us the slaves?

Expert Systems
A software program designed to replicate the decisionmaking process of a human expert Beekman Expert systems have: A knowledge base derived from experts A human interface allowing the user to interact with it An inference engine which uses user input, knowledge base, applies logical principles -> expert advice eg MYCIN (Stanford Uni) aids in diagnosis

Expert Systems cf conventional database

Data in a conventional database is fixed Expert systems can extend their knowledge by amending or adding to the rules

Concerns with Expert Systems

When an expert system makes decisions who is responsible? (doctor, programmer, software company?) Lack flexibility and creativity Knowledge is in very specific areas Human intelligence is not entirely understood Can only do what they are programmed for No insight, cant synthesise results Rules sometimes hard to describe to the machine

Fuzzy Logic Rules

Generally computers work according to exact rules ie true or false.

Fuzzy Logic represents knowledge that is imprecise. This more closely resembles how people think. There are a set of rules and weight attached to each rule to reach a conclusion.

Neural Networks
try to represent the physical brain and thinking process through electronic circuits or software . (Laudon)

What are the moral rights of intelligent machines?

Ref Laudon page 357

Bibliography

Beekman, George Computer Confluence ch 12 Clarke, Arthur C 2001: a space odyssey Forester Tom Computer Ethics Laudon, Kenneth Information Technology:

concepts and issues

Negroponte, Nicholas Being Digital