BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : AUGUST 7, 2000 ISSUE
SPECIAL REPORT A Quick Primer EVOLUTIONARY COMPUTATION A catch-all term for biologically inspired AI technology, including genetic algorithms and neural networks. EXPERT SYSTEM A group of rules that prescribe a cause-and-effect reasoning process. Typically the rules cover some narrow specialty, such as operating a piece of industrial equipment. GENETIC ALGORITHM A formula for using Darwinian principles of mutation to breed solutions. The problem is divided into two or more segments, or genes, and these are linked together in different ways, breeding new ''child'' solutions. After many generations, GA may produce results superior to anything devised by humans. INTELLIGENT AGENT Autonomous software entities programmed to perform a specific task. Today's Webbots seek out prices or bid in Web auctions. Tomorrow, multiagent systems may handle most manufacturing-related chores. NEURAL NETWORK An electronic circuit, usually simulated, modeled on the massively parallel structure of neurons in the brain. It learns by looking at examples, such as images of labels or collections of operating data on factory equipment. It can spot relationships that have escaped human notice. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP					RELATED ITEMS Thinking Machines TABLE: Let There Be More Light TABLE: A Quick Primer Plant Manager in a Box Software That Plows through Possibilities Agents of Change on the Factory Floor A Global Think Tank Targets the Factory TABLE: Leading Lights in Intelligent Manufacturing Manufacturing Masters Its ABCs INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online

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