Theory 6 Automated and Emerging Technologies Flashcards
What is an automated system?
An automated system is a combination of sensors, microprocessor and monitoring system
It is designed to work automatically without human interaction
What are the advantages of Automated systems? (7)
1) Operations can be carried out faster than a human operator
2) Safer because an automated system is more likely to make timely interventions
3) Allows humans to keep away from hazardous environments
4) Processes are more likely to run under optimal conditions for longer
5) Long-term cost savings versus a large human workforce
6) Efficient use of materials and resources leads to increased productivity
7) More consistent and repeatable results
What are the disadvantages of Automated systems? (6)
1) Initially expensive to set up
2) Requires significant testing and calibration to ensure that it works as intended
3) Any computerised system is subject to cyber attacks
4) Requires highly specialised and ongoing maintenance
5) Only able to respond to specific situations within certain parameters - therefore not as flexible as trained humans able to use intuition and experience
Can result in significant job losses
What are the three characteristics of a robot? (3)
1) They have a mechanical structure or framework
2) They have electrical components, such as sensors, microprocessors and actuators
3) They are programmable
What is the difference between smart and dumb robots?
A smart robot is an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can learn from its environment and its experience and build on its capabilities based on that knowledge.
A dumb robot is a robot which repeats the actions that it is programmed to do and does not learn from previous experiences.
Advantages of using robots (4)
1) They are more accurate
2) They are able to work without breaks
3) They can work in hazardous environments
4) They can work faster
Disadvantages of using robots (6)
1) Cost of purchase and maintenance
2) Complexity of programming
3) Loss of jobs
4) Lack of flexibility to respond to unexpected situations
5) Dangers of working alongside humans and other machinery
6) Loss of contact with real people
What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence mimics one or natural intelligence abilities. For example, the ability to:
* Learn
* Understand meaning
* Cope with or try new situations
* Apply ideas you know to different situations
Think abstractly and discover patterns
What are the characteristics of AI?
There are a number of characteristics of AI including:
1) Collection of data
2) Determining rules for using the data - these rules may be programmed into a program, or the program may discover the rules
3) The ability to reason
4) The ability to learn or adapt
What is an expert system?
An expert system is a computer program that simulates a human expert. E.g.:
* A website that finds the right future career for you could ask a series of questions before suggesting suitable options.
What are expert system made up of?
- A knowledge base
- A rule base
- An inference engine
- An interface
What is a knowledge base?
The knowledge base and rule base are like a database that stores a set of facts or rules
These rules are IF-THEN statements.
What is the Inference engine?
The inference engine controls the steps taken to solve the problem.
It carries out a large number of IF-THEN type statements to reach a conclusion
There are two ways for an inference engine to work:
Forward chaining – give a number of facts to the system which the inference engine then uses to reach new facts
Backward chaining – give a goal and then determine the facts that are needed to reach a goal
What is interface?
The interface is the method in which users interact with the expert system
What is machine learning?
Machine learning is the process by which a computer system can develop or adapt its own processes
A large amount of data is collected and the computer system makes its own rules by finding groups and patterns.
