| Introduction | | | | The software which converts speech to text |
| The term AI cannot be explained in a few words | | | | essentially relies on the repository which stores |
| or sentences. It is an amalgamation of logic, | | | | commonly used words and its pronunciation. This |
| philosophy and computer technology. Even though | | | | process is intricate in the sense that the accent |
| man has been included under the category | | | | may vary from person to person. Hence before |
| mammals, his status is an elevated one. This is | | | | the software can be used, it must be trained with |
| primarily due to the fact that human beings are | | | | the user's way of talking. Once this is done, the |
| blessed with intelligence. It can be seen that only | | | | user can talk on a microphone connected to the |
| few animals like the ape have been endowed with | | | | computer which translates his words into text. In |
| a small percentage of intelligence. A human being | | | | fact this software can function as an assistant |
| on the other hand has a personality, habits, traits, | | | | when the user wants to dictate some text. |
| memory etc, which could be horned to a higher | | | | Dragon software has emerged as a complete |
| degree. This is where humans differ from other | | | | solution in this area. Dragon 'Naturally Speaking' |
| creatures. For example, we may be able to | | | | software from 'Nuance' is used by millions of |
| recognize a person even after twenty years. This | | | | people.It can be used in office, at home, at school, |
| is because an image of the person, his | | | | on road, or even in the operating room. It allows |
| mannerisms, voice etc may have been recorded | | | | the user to get more done faster by voice. With |
| in our brain and lay dormant for years. The | | | | Dragon, people can write documents and emails, |
| memory can be triggered which produces brain | | | | search the Web, and even control their PC |
| waves to bring forth the image or thoughts that | | | | entirely by voice, saving time and boosting |
| may have been stored for over a long period of | | | | productivity. In their latest review, the editors of |
| time. This is an extremely complex process which | | | | PC Magazine noted: "Dragon retains its lead in the |
| happens in the brain. All the events that follow | | | | speech recognition field, with surprising accuracy in |
| have not been completely understood. This | | | | dictation, even with little or no training." |
| explains why advances in the area of artificial | | | | 3. Understanding Natural Language |
| intelligence are yet to produce a machine which | | | | Natural language understanding is an area where |
| can simulate the human brain. | | | | lot of ambiguity still exists. This involves |
| It may be an easy task for a three year old to | | | | recognising the whole text and interpreting its |
| move among toys strewn across a room without | | | | meaning The computer has to be provided with |
| touching it. A robot may not be able to do this | | | | an understanding of the domain the text is about, |
| with the same ease and effectiveness. A human | | | | and this is presently possible only for very limited |
| being has sense organs, which recognize sights, | | | | domains. Natural language processing (NLP) is an |
| sounds, smells etc that are transmitted through | | | | area of computational linguistics concerned with |
| neurons to the brain at the speed of light. This is | | | | the processing of naturally occurring (human) |
| the reason why we react to sensations. The | | | | language by computer. Natural-language-generation |
| muscles of the leg may be activated which result | | | | systems convert information from computer |
| in more blood being pumped so that the person | | | | databases into normal-sounding human language. |
| can escape from a dangerous situation such a fire | | | | Natural-language-understanding systems convert |
| or from the scene of a bomb blast. These actions | | | | samples of human language into more formal |
| take place due to stimulus sent from the brain | | | | representations that are easier for computer |
| which activates the leg muscles. Simulation of | | | | programs to manipulate. Natural language |
| such an action requires a lot of sophisticated | | | | processing by computers is still in its infancy and a |
| hardware and software. This is the area where | | | | lot of work remains to be done. |
| robotics and artificial intelligence play their role. We | | | | 4. Computer Vision |
| can recognize a person by sight, sound etc. This is | | | | The world is composed of three-dimensional |
| done by images sent by the optic and olfactory | | | | objects, but the inputs to the human eye and |
| nerves to the brain. A robot on the other hand | | | | computers' TV cameras are two dimensional. |
| uses a pair of cameras in place of the eyes and | | | | Some useful programs can work solely in two |
| software coupled with moving parts like an | | | | dimensions. A full computer vision requires partial |
| artificial limb. | | | | three-dimensional information that is not just a set |
| Areas of application | | | | of two-dimensional views. At present there are |
| 1. Chess playing | | | | only limited ways of representing |
| Chess is a game which has been using artificial | | | | three-dimensional information directly, and they |
| intelligence to produce better systems in game | | | | are not as good as what human eye employs. In |
| playing. Computer is basically an electronic device | | | | case of robots, cameras convert images into |
| which accepts instructions from the user and | | | | digital format, which are then processed. |
| works on data to produce outputs. In traditional | | | | 5. Expert Systems |
| computing databases are used to store chunks of | | | | One of the largest areas of applications of artificial |
| data which ultimately give useful information. In | | | | intelligence is in expert systems, or knowledge |
| AI, knowledge bases are used, which can store | | | | based systems as they are often known. This |
| information through inferences and dialogues with | | | | area has been fairly well developed and has |
| the user and also update themselves. Chess is a | | | | proved useful for real time applications. This type |
| game where moves and positions are of great | | | | of system seeks to exploit the specialised skills or |
| importance. When a human chess player is in | | | | information held by of a group of people on |
| action, he will make the moves based on previous | | | | specific areas. It can be thought of as a |
| knowledge acquired or by intuition. Where as in | | | | computerised consulting service. It can also be |
| computer simulated games, thousands of moves | | | | called an information guidance system. Such |
| are calculated by the computer using brute force | | | | systems are used for medical diagnosis or as |
| method where the most appropriate move is | | | | educational aids. The skills and knowledge of an |
| chosen. When a human plays chess, it is based on | | | | expert is simulated in a computerised environment |
| expertise and skills, where as in computer | | | | to provide the effective solutions to a problem. |
| simulated chess environment, the computer plays | | | | The areas where expert systems are used range |
| based on calculations. For instance the most | | | | from disaster warning systems to medical |
| famous of man versus computer chess matches | | | | diagnostics. The earliest expert system was |
| were played between Deep Blue, developed by | | | | MYCIN which was used for treating blood related |
| IBM in 1997 and grandmaster Garry Kasparov. | | | | diseases as early as 1974. When creating an |
| The computer won the series 2-1, with three | | | | expert system, a 'knowledge engineer' interviews |
| matches being drawn. This spawned a great deal | | | | experts in a certain domain and tries to embody |
| of interest in this area and other machines | | | | their knowledge in a computer program for |
| followed. Deep Blue, with its capability of | | | | carrying out some tasks. |
| evaluating 200 million positions per second, was | | | | 6. Heuristics classification |
| the strongest computer that ever faced a world | | | | This is an area where information and knowledge |
| chess champion. Today, in computer chess | | | | from various sources are classified and focused |
| research and matches of world class players | | | | to provide results in a particular area. For example |
| against computers, the focus of play has often | | | | in the modern world economic crisis is rampant. |
| shifted to software controlled chess programs, | | | | One of the major reasons why several banks in |
| rather than using dedicated chess hardware. | | | | U.S have collapsed is due to excessive credit |
| Modern chess programs such as Rybka, Deep | | | | payments. Expert systems have been used in a |
| Fritz or Deep Junior are more efficient than the | | | | limited way to arrive at a consensus whether a |
| programs during Deep Blue's era. | | | | particular person may be issued a credit card or |
| 2. Speech Recognition | | | | not. His traits and habits are to be studied and |
| In the 1990s, computer speech recognition | | | | recorded so that it may be concluded whether he |
| reached a practical level for limited purposes. | | | | is capable of repayment. Expert systems using |
| United Airlines has replaced its keyboard tree for | | | | such heuristics in banking areas could have |
| flight information by a system using speech | | | | provided a solution to this global crisis. Other areas |
| recognition of flight numbers and city names | | | | include decision support systems, public |
| during this time which proved very convenient. | | | | information systems etc. |
| Speech Recognition is an area where intense | | | | Conclusion |
| research is going on. During earlier days of | | | | On the whole it can be concluded that Artificial |
| computing, speech recognition was considered a | | | | Intelligence applications will play a decisive role in |
| stiff challenge. Now with advent of new hardware | | | | providing real time solutions to various problems |
| and software this process has been simplified. | | | | humans face. A humane touch along with a |
| Even the commonly used MS-OFFICE suite has | | | | technological interface will play a major role in |
| built-in features that support speech recognition. | | | | shaping the future. |