EXPERT SYSTEMS

An expert system is a computer program that is designed to solve complex problems

and to provide decision-making ability like a human expert. It performs this by
extracting knowledge from its knowledge base using the reasoning and inference rules
according to the user queries.

The performance of an expert system is based on the expert's knowledge stored in its
knowledge base. The more knowledge stored in the KB, the more that system
improves its performance. One of the common examples of an ES is a suggestion of
spelling errors while typing in the Google search box.
Below is the block diagram that represents the working of an expert system:

some popular examples of the Expert System:

o DENDRAL: It was an artificial intelligence project that was made as a
chemical analysis expert system. It was used in organic chemistry to detect
unknown organic molecules with the help of their mass spectra and knowledge
base of chemistry.
o MYCIN: It was one of the earliest backward chaining expert systems that was
designed to find the bacteria causing infections like bacteraemia and
meningitis. It was also used for the recommendation of antibiotics and the
diagnosis of blood clotting diseases.
o PXDES: It is an expert system that is used to determine the type and level of
lung cancer. To determine the disease, it takes a picture from the upper body,
which looks like the shadow. This shadow identifies the type and degree of
harm.

Components of Expert System

An expert system mainly consists of three components:
o User Interface
o Inference Engine
o Knowledge Base
1. User Interface
With the help of a user interface, the expert system interacts with the user, takes
queries as an input in a readable format, and passes it to the inference engine. After
getting the response from the inference engine, it displays the output to the user. In
other words, it is an interface that helps a non-expert user to communicate with
the expert system to find a solution.
2. Inference Engine(Rules of Engine)
o The inference engine is known as the brain of the expert system as it is the
main processing unit of the system. It applies inference rules to the knowledge
base to derive a conclusion or deduce new information. It helps in deriving an
error-free solution of queries asked by the user.
o With the help of an inference engine, the system extracts the knowledge from
the knowledge base.
o There are two types of inference engine:
o Deterministic Inference engine: The conclusions drawn from this type of
inference engine are assumed to be true. It is based on facts and rules.
o Probabilistic Inference engine: This type of inference engine contains
uncertainty in conclusions, and based on the probability.

Inference engine uses the below modes to derive the solutions:

o Forward Chaining: It starts from the known facts and rules, and applies the
inference rules to add their conclusion to the known facts.
o Backward Chaining: It is a backward reasoning method that starts from the
goal and works backward to prove the known facts.

3. Knowledge Base
 o The knowledgebase is a type of storage that stores knowledge acquired from
the different experts of the particular domain. It is considered as big storage of
knowledge. The more the knowledge base, the more precise will be the Expert
System.
o It is similar to a database that contains information and rules of a particular
domain or subject.
o One can also view the knowledge base as collections of objects and their
attributes. Such as a Lion is an object and its attributes are it is a mammal, it is
not a domestic animal, etc.

Advantages of Expert System

o These systems are highly reproducible.
o They can be used for risky places where the human presence is not safe.
o Error possibilities are less if the KB contains correct knowledge.
o The performance of these systems remains steady as it is not affected by
emotions, tension, or fatigue.
o They provide a very high speed to respond to a particular query.

Limitations of Expert System

o The response of the expert system may get wrong if the knowledge base
contains the wrong information.
o Like a human being, it cannot produce a creative output for different
scenarios.
o Its maintenance and development costs are very high.
o Knowledge acquisition for designing is much difficult.
o For each domain, we require a specific ES, which is one of the big limitations.
o It cannot learn from itself and hence requires manual updates.

Applications of Expert System

o In designing and manufacturing domain
It can be broadly used for designing and manufacturing physical devices such
as camera lenses and automobiles.
o In the knowledge domain
These systems are primarily used for publishing the relevant knowledge to the
users. The two popular ES used for this domain is an advisor and a tax
advisor.
o In the finance domain
In the finance industries, it is used to detect any type of possible fraud,
suspicious activity, and advise bankers that if they should provide loans for
business or not.
o In the diagnosis and troubleshooting of devices
In medical diagnosis, the ES system is used, and it was the first area where
these systems were used.
o Planning and Scheduling
The expert systems can also be used for planning and scheduling some
particular tasks for achieving the goal of that task.

Roles of Expert systems

. Decision Support
 Provide suggestions or recommendations based on a set of predefined rules
and data analysis.
 Example: In medical diagnosis, systems like MYCIN assist doctors by
recommending treatments based on symptoms.

2. Problem-Solving
 Solve complex problems within specific domains by following logical
reasoning.
 Example: Identifying faults in machinery using systems like XCON (used for
configuring computer systems).

3. Knowledge Management
 Act as repositories of domain-specific knowledge, preserving and making
expert knowledge accessible.
 Example: Retaining industrial processes or troubleshooting techniques when
experts retire.

4. Training and Education

 Serve as educational tools for training individuals in complex fields by
simulating real-world scenarios.
 Example: In military or aviation, expert systems are used for simulating
battlefield conditions or pilot training.

5. Diagnostics
 Identify issues or malfunctions in systems or processes by analyzing input
conditions.
 Example: Expert systems in car maintenance help mechanics pinpoint engine
problems.

6. Monitoring and Control

 Continuously monitor systems and take corrective actions when deviations
occur.
 Example: In industrial automation, expert systems oversee manufacturing
processes to maintain quality and efficiency.

7. Planning and Scheduling

 Optimize planning and resource allocation in industries.
  Example: In project management, expert systems suggest task prioritization
and resource distribution.

8. Prediction and Forecasting

 Analyze historical data to predict future trends or events.
 Example: Weather forecasting systems or stock market prediction tools.

9. Customer Support
 Provide automated assistance to users by addressing frequently asked
questions or troubleshooting problems.
 Example: Chatbots in tech support or customer service roles.

Key Steps in Knowledge Acquisition

Identification of Domain
1. Determine the specific problem area or domain for which the expert
system will be developed.
2. Example: Medical diagnosis, financial analysis, or mechanical
troubleshooting.

Selection of Experts
1. Identify domain experts who can provide reliable and comprehensive
knowledge.
2. These experts might be professionals, researchers, or practitioners with
deep experience.

Knowledge Collection
1. Extract knowledge from experts through:
1. Interviews
2. Questionnaires
3. Observations
4. Case studies
5. Review of documents and databases

Knowledge Representation
1. Convert the acquired knowledge into a format that the system can
understand and process.
2. Common formats:
1. Rule-based representation: "If-then" statements.
2. Semantic networks: Relationships between concepts.
3. Decision trees: Hierarchical decision structures.
4. Frames: Data structures for storing attributes and values.
 Validation of Knowledge
1. Ensure the accuracy, consistency, and completeness of the knowledge.
2. Collaborate with experts to review and refine the knowledge base.

Encoding into Knowledge Base

1. Program the structured knowledge into the system’s knowledge base
using specialized languages like Prolog or CLIPS.

Testing and Refinement

1. Test the system’s performance and output using real-world scenarios.
2. Refine the knowledge base based on feedback and performance
evaluation.

Challenges in Knowledge Acquisition

Tacit Knowledge
1. Experts may have implicit or intuitive knowledge that is difficult to
articulate.
2. Example: A doctor’s "gut feeling" about a rare condition.

Knowledge Elicitation Complexity

1. Extracting knowledge is time-consuming and may involve lengthy
discussions with experts.

Inconsistencies
1. Different experts may provide conflicting information.

Volume of Knowledge
1. Managing and structuring large amounts of knowledge can be
overwhelming.

Dynamic Knowledge
1. Domains evolve, requiring continuous updates to keep the knowledge
base relevant.

Methods of Knowledge Acquisition

Manual Methods
1. Direct interaction with experts through interviews, surveys, or
brainstorming sessions.

Automated Methods
1. Extracting knowledge from databases, machine learning models, or
historical data.
 2. Example: Data mining tools that identify patterns in large datasets.

Observation-Based Methods
1. Analyzing how experts make decisions in real-time.
2. Example: Recording and studying expert behavior during complex
problem-solving.

Self-Learning Systems
1. Advanced expert systems may incorporate machine learning to
autonomously acquire new knowledge.

Tools for Knowledge Acquisition

 Knowledge acquisition tools include:
o Decision tables: For structuring decisions.
o Flowcharts: For visualizing processes.
o Expert System Shells: Software like CLIPS or MYCIN used for
developing expert systems.

META KNOWLEDGE HEURISTICS:

Meta-knowledge refers to knowledge about knowledge—it involves understanding
how to represent, organize, and use knowledge effectively in an expert system.
Heuristics, on the other hand, are practical rules or strategies derived from experience
to simplify problem-solving. In the context of expert systems, meta-knowledge
heuristics combine these ideas, focusing on rules or strategies that guide the system
in managing its own knowledge.

Roles of Meta-Knowledge Heuristics in Expert Systems

Control Knowledge
1. Guides the system on when and how to apply domain-specific rules.
2. Example: Prioritizing rules to improve efficiency or avoid unnecessary
computations.

Conflict Resolution
1. Helps decide which rule to apply when multiple rules are applicable.
2. Example: A heuristic that selects the most specific rule over general
ones.

Knowledge Organization
 1. Structures knowledge in a way that facilitates efficient access and
retrieval.
2. Example: Organizing rules hierarchically based on their importance or
frequency of use.

Error Handling and Learning

1. Enables the system to recognize and adapt to errors or missing
knowledge.
2. Example: A heuristic to log unresolved issues for future refinement.

Examples of Meta-Knowledge Heuristics

Rule Selection Heuristics
1. "If two rules conflict, use the one with higher reliability or
confidence."
2. Example: In medical diagnosis, favor a rule with strong clinical
evidence.

Prioritization Heuristics
1. "Focus on the most likely cause first based on past data or
probabilities."
2. Example: Troubleshooting an electronic device by checking the power
source before deeper issues.

Search Strategy Heuristics

1. "Breadth-first search is better for shallow trees; depth-first search is
better for deep trees."
2. Example: Choosing the appropriate search algorithm based on problem
characteristics.

Abstraction Heuristics
1. "Solve the problem at a high level of abstraction before diving into
details."
2. Example: In a design system, define general requirements before
optimizing specifics.

Applications of Meta-Knowledge Heuristics

Optimization of Rule Application
1. Ensures that only relevant rules are applied, improving system
efficiency.

Dynamic Knowledge Base Management

1. Helps decide when and how to update or reorganize the knowledge
base as new information becomes available.

Uncertainty Handling
 1. Addresses situations where knowledge is incomplete or ambiguous.
2. Example: Using probabilistic reasoning or fuzzy logic heuristics.

User Interaction
1. Guides how the system interacts with users, such as clarifying queries
or presenting results.

Advantages of Meta-Knowledge Heuristics

Improved Decision-Making
1. Makes the system smarter by leveraging higher-level reasoning about
knowledge.

Efficiency
1. Reduces computation time by prioritizing critical operations or
avoiding redundant ones.

Adaptability
1. Allows systems to adjust their behavior based on changing contexts or
user feedback.

Transparency
1. Enhances system explainability by providing insights into why certain
decisions are made.

Challenges
Complexity
1. Designing meta-knowledge heuristics requires deep understanding and
adds another layer of complexity to the system.

Reliance on Expertise
1. Developing effective heuristics depends heavily on the quality of
expert input.

Limited Generalizability
1. Heuristics designed for one domain may not apply effectively to
another.
Meta-knowledge heuristics empower expert systems to be more efficient,
robust, and user-friendly by improving how they manage and apply their
own knowledge. They are crucial in systems requiring adaptability,
efficiency, and reasoning in uncertain conditions.