Page 256 - DCAP208_Management Support Systems

Unit 14: Knowledge-based Decision Support

Rule-based systems are fairly simplistic, consisting of little more than a set of if-then Notes
statements, but provide the basis for so-called “expert systems” which are widely used in
many fields.
The knowledge base is the store in which the knowledge in the particular domain is kept.
The working memory is a temporal store that hold the fact produced during processing
and possibly awaiting further processing produced by the Inference engine during its
activities.

An inference engine consists of search and reasoning procedures to enable the system to
find solutions, and, if necessary, provide justifications for its answers.
There are two broad kinds of direction of searching in a rule-based system: forward
chaining systems, and backward chaining systems.

14.4 Keywords

Artificial Intelligence: AI is a field of study that encompasses computational techniques for
performing tasks that apparently require intelligence when performed by humans.
BFS: In the breath first search technique, the fact selected in the working memory for processing
are selected in the order in which they were added in the working memory.

Condition-action Rules: Rules in the system represent possible actions to take when specified
conditions hold on items in the working memory – they are sometimes called condition-action
rules.

DFS: In depth first search technique, the most recently fact added to the working memory is first
selected for processing.
Expert System: Expert system is programs that attempt to perform the duty of an expert in the
problem domain in which it is defined.
Inference Engine: An inference engine consists of search and reasoning procedures to enable the
system to find solutions, and, if necessary, provide justifications for its answers.
Knowledge Base: The knowledge base is the store in which the knowledge in the particular
domain is kept.
Working Memory: The working memory is a temporal store that hold the fact produced during
processing and possibly awaiting further processing produced by the Inference engine during
its activities.

14.5 Review Questions

1. Explain the concept of artificial intelligence.
2. Discuss the use of Turing Test in defining intelligent behavior.

3. Describe various applications areas of artificial intelligence.
4. What is an expert system? Discuss with example.
5. Explain the components of expert system.
6. Discuss the different strategies used in rule-based systems.
7. What are the different types of direction of searching in a rule-based system? Discuss.

8. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of expert system.

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