A. Kidd – författare

Building an expert system involves eliciting, analyzing, and interpreting the knowledge that a human expert uses when solving problems. Expe­ rience has shown that this process of "knowledge acquisition" is both difficult and time consuming and is often a major bottleneck in the production of expert systems. Unfortunately, an adequate theoretical basis for knowledge acquisition has not yet been established. This re­ quires a classification of knowledge domains and problem-solving tasks and an improved understanding of the relationship between knowledge structures in human and machine. In the meantime, expert system builders need access to information about the techniques currently being employed and their effectiveness in different applications. The aim of this book, therefore, is to draw on the experience of AI scientists, cognitive psychologists, and knowledge engineers in discussing particular acquisition techniques and providing practical advice on their application. Each chapter provides a detailed description of a particular technique or methodology applied within a selected task domain. The relative strengths and weaknesses of the tech­ nique are summarized at the end of each chapter with some suggested guidelines for its use. We hope that this book will not only serve as a practical handbook for expert system builders, but also be of interest to AI and cognitive scientists who are seeking to develop a theory of knowledge acquisition for expert systems.

Building an expert system involves eliciting, analyzing, and interpreting the knowledge that a human expert uses when solving problems. Expe­ rience has shown that this process of "knowledge acquisition" is both difficult and time consuming and is often a major bottleneck in the production of expert systems. Unfortunately, an adequate theoretical basis for knowledge acquisition has not yet been established. This re­ quires a classification of knowledge domains and problem-solving tasks and an improved understanding of the relationship between knowledge structures in human and machine. In the meantime, expert system builders need access to information about the techniques currently being employed and their effectiveness in different applications. The aim of this book, therefore, is to draw on the experience of AI scientists, cognitive psychologists, and knowledge engineers in discussing particular acquisition techniques and providing practical advice on their application. Each chapter provides a detailed description of a particular technique or methodology applied within a selected task domain. The relative strengths and weaknesses of the tech­ nique are summarized at the end of each chapter with some suggested guidelines for its use. We hope that this book will not only serve as a practical handbook for expert system builders, but also be of interest to AI and cognitive scientists who are seeking to develop a theory of knowledge acquisition for expert systems.

Stars with healing powers are falling from the sky.Feisty fourth-grader Julia's best friend in the entire universe is her grandmother. Julia and Grammu share secrets while cooking soup together, stay up late eating junk food and watching scary movies, and go stargazing on Blackberry Hill. They even wish on the same star every night.But everything changes when Grammu catches the disappearing disease: little by little, she's turning invisible. If Julia can catch a falling star, then her wish to save Grammu will come true. All Julia needs to do now is find the legendary ladder to the stars…Advance Praise for The Healing Star"e;Julia's fantastical adventure will make your eyes twinkle. Readers will root for Julia on every step of her journey."e; –Kristin Bartley Lenz, author of The Art of Holding On and Letting Go"e;This magical tale of the love between a girl and her grandmother will draw you in and warm your heart."e; –Jill Webb, Children's Librarian, Farmington Community Library"e;An outstanding debut novel. Julia is a spunky heroine who will capture your attention as she embarks on a star-catching mission to save her grandmother."e; –Susan Dion, Library Specialist, Youth Services, Baldwin Public Library"e;A. Kidd cultivates a special sense of magic in following Julia's struggles against the odds."e; –D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review