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AIList Digest Volume 3 Issue 004
AIList Digest Thursday, 17 Jan 1985 Volume 3 : Issue 4
Today's Topics:
Application - TeX Indexing Program,
Education - Micro LISP & AI Course,
Business - Xerox Rumor,
News - Recent Articles,
Opinion - Overblown Expectations for AI,
Psychology - Infantile Amnesia,
Conferences - Space Station Automation & Probability in AI
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Date: 9 January 1985 09:49-EST
From: Jon C. Haass <JONCH @ MIT-MC>
Subject: TeX indexing program
[Forwarded from the MIT bboard by Laws@SRI-AI.]
I am very interested in finding a program which will produce an index of
specified keywords in a (or several) TeX files. In order to know the page
numbers the input would be either a press (or dvi) file, the output
would preferably be the list of words with all pages on which they occur.
The environment of choice is UNIX 4.2 .
If you have information leading to the acquisition of such, I would be glad
to offer at least a free lunch! If you have a proof that one does not exist
that would also be of interest.
Thanks..
------------------------------
Date: 15 Jan 1985 20:52-EST
From: cross <cross@wpafb-afita>
Subject: micro LISP for short course?
I am setting up a short course in AI concepts and programming
techniques. The course will be five weeks long. I want the course to be
laboratory intensive and representative of development and
laboratory environments using LISP machines. Because of monetary
constraints I can only afford IBM XT's. It seems Golden Hill COMMON
LISP is a good piece of software to build the course around - fairly
compatable with Zeta-LISP (I even hear that someone has an interface
that enables programs to be transferred from an IBM machine to a 3600).
Any comments anyone has about this programming environment or
suggstions for a better one given the constraints would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks.
Steve Cross
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Date: Mon, 14 Jan 85 17:09:05 cst
From: neves@wisc-rsch.arpa (David Neves)
Subject: AI course suggestions?
I'm teaching an undergraduate AI course this semester and would like
to get/share some ideas with others in a similar situation. Part
of the course is Lisp programming projects. Last semester I had
3 projects. The first was the 8-puzzle (A*). I am thinking of
replacing it with a simple game (and alpha-beta search). Anyone have
any good ideas or experiences with a 2-person game that is easy to
represent and which doesn't have many rules? The second program was
a SIR-type program teaching about semantic nets. I'm not all that
happy with it and am thinking about a program on frames. Ideas
here? The last program was an ATN and I'm happy with that. I
am looking for an idea for one more program though.
For the course I used Rich (for the AI part) and Wilensky (for the
Lisp part). Rich is very comprehensive although some parts are
confusing to students. It is also used in the graduate course here.
The other alternative is Winston's AI book (the 2nd edition). Have
others had good experiences with it? It seems easier to understand
than Rich but doesn't cover nearly as much material. Another book
I like is Raphael's book (The thinking computer). It is somewhat
dated but might be appropriate for a lower level (or non computer
science) course.
I'm trying Winston&Horn (for Lisp) this semester because they seem to have more
examples and a somewhat better style (LET's and DO's).
-Thanks, David Neves
...!{allegra,heurikon,ihnp4,seismo,uwm-evax}!uwvax!neves
neves@uwvax
------------------------------
Date: 14 Jan 85 18:01 PST
From: Sheil.pa@XEROX.ARPA
Reply-to: Sheil.pa@XEROX.ARPA
Subject: Re: Xerox Rumor
Xerox moved most of its workstation manufacturing from Dallas, Texas to
El Segundo, California quite some time ago, so the changes at Dallas
will have no impact on 1108 (Dandelion) production. And, no, we're not
getting out of the Lisp machine business!
Beau Sheil
Xerox Artificial Intelligence Systems
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Jan 85 07:09:43 cst
From: Laurence Leff <leff%smu.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa>
Subject: Recent Articles
Computer Design: Volume 23, Number 13 November 84
Single-User Symbolic Processor Cuts AI Systems Cost by J. Bond
Datamation January 15, 1985 page 69 from their "Worldwide" section.
"TOKYO - Hot on the heels of the phantom fifth comes word of Japanese
efforts to go after Josephson Junction Lisp machines, and biological chips
that would fuel the sixth generation. Following the familiar form without
substance format are recommendations in a confidential report [of] Japan's
Science & Technology Agency that plant seeds for biocomputer research."
------------------------------
Date: Monday, 31 Dec 1984 10:18-EST
From: munck@Mitre-Bedford
Subject: Overblown Expectations for AI
[Forwarded from Human-Nets Digest by Laws@SRI-AI.]
Les Earnest's report that sanity still exists in the "real" AI
community, despite the fantastic pronouncements surrounding it, was
long overdue. However, I must quibble with his use of past tense in
describing the attempts at AI "Command and Control" systems by the Air
Force and others. They've changed focus slightly, but they're still
around.
Specifically, it's a widely-held belief in the DoD that our
problems with building large software systems will be solved - more
accurately, circumvented - within a decade by AI. They believe that
AI systems will be able to listen to an hour or so of verbal
description of, say, an air-defense system and then produce overnight
the million-odd lines of code to implement it. Normally, I'd classify
this belief as relatively harmless, like those in the Tooth Fairy, the
Star Wars initiative, and Santa Claus, but it has a chilling effect on
work on practical, people-writing-code methodologies. I have no doubt
that there is a great deal of the programming task that can be taken
over by computers using AI techniques, but the state of the art is
that many people are not convinced that compilers can be used to free
humans from doing register allocation.
Fusion research uses the criterion of "break-even," the point at
which a reactor produces more power than is needed to run it, as a
goal. I suggest that a similar measure could be applied to AI systems
and the field as a whole. What AI systems have saved more human effort
than was needed to produce them?
-- Bob Munck
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 85 12:52:32 EST
From: Morton A Hirschberg <mort@BRL-BMD.ARPA>
Subject: Re: PBS Series on the Brain
I am glad that Dana has brought up the series on the brain. When I was
studying psychology with an emphasis on personality, some 15 years ago, the
very subject of infantile amnesia arose. We, the professors and students in
the seminar, felt that it was a true phenomena. Indeed we also felt it was
very unusual for people to have no memories until well into grade school. It
does seem that there is the likelihood of either/or suppression or repression
at work in these cases.
Often the early memories are of a traumatic nature and are of a single
incident rather than recurring events. Although basically a Freudian, I am
not convinced that a single incident is responsible for latter behavior. I am
more of the mind that several events or the entire gestalt or ambiance of the
environment are responsible. Serious traumatic events lead to the phenomena
of multiple personalities. Here we see that various personalities have no
recollection for long periods of time, although I am not suggesting that
everyone who has no childhood memories is a multiple.
I also recall that some myelination occurs about the time that language
skills develop so there seems to be a correlation between lack of language
skills and early memory.
If you had early conceptual memories more power to you. I would agree
with visual/olfactory which seems to make us reminisce, have feelings of
deja vu, and when we get older feel maudlin.
Remember there are great individual differences so that a wide range can be
expected. Don't feel that you are bonkers if you have no early childhood
memories (unless supported by other evidence.)
Is there no personologist who can shed some further light here?
Side issues such as multiple personalities are so fascinating.
Mort
------------------------------
Date: 14 Jan 85 1236 PST
From: William K. Erickson <WKE@SU-AI.ARPA>
Subject: Conference Announcement / Call for Papers
Call For Papers
******************************************************************
SPACE STATION AUTOMATION
to be held in conjunction with the International Conference on
INTELLIGENT ROBOTS AND COMPUTER VISION II
******************************************************************
Part of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers' (SPIE)
1985 Cambridge Symposium on Optical and Electro-Optical Engineering
15-20 September 1985
Hyatt Regency Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Chairman: Wun C. Chiou, Sr., NASA/Ames Research Center
In the next decade an increasing amount of research will be
devoted to the applications of artificial intelligence and
robotics technology to space station automation. The purpose
of the conference is to bring together researchers in the areas
of artificial intelligence, image science and robotics who are
working on various aspects of space station automation. Papers
on the following and related topics as applied to this unique
microgravity, high vacuum, high radiation environment are invited.
Topics of interest include:
* Space automation and tele-science
* Image understanding and scene analysis
* Machine/computer vision
* Autonomous/self-organizing systems
* Hardware architecture designs
* Knowledge-based expert systems
If you are interested in participating in this conference, please
leave your name and address at the SPIE Registration Desk, or
contact:
Cambridge 1985
SPIE
P.O. Box 10
Bellingham WA.
telephone: (206)676-3290
Abstract Due Date: April 15, 1985
Manuscript Due Date: August 19, 1985
------------------------------
Date: Tue 15 Jan 85 14:13:55-PST
From: P. Cheeseman <cheeseman@SRI-AI.ARPA>
Subject: Workshop - Probability in AI
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
"Workshop on Uncertainty and Probability in Artificial Intelligence"
Sponsored by: AAAI and IEEE
University of California, Los Angeles, California
August 14 through August 16, 1985
The workshop will explore the use of probabilities for decision
making in AI systems. In particular, topics such as the induction of
"theories" from uncertain data, coupling to decision theory, the
accuracy of probability values, and computerized "subjective"
probability estimation will be examined. Participants are encouraged to
submit papers or join the discussions on the following topics:
* Probabilistic Induction and Machine Learning
* Higher Order Probabilities (or accuracy of probabilities)
* Probabilities and "Subjective" Estimates (people and
machines)
* Techniques for Probability Evaluation
* Foundations of Probability Theory for AI
This workshop has been designed to provide an atmosphere which will
foster not only the exchange of information, but also extensive
discussion and participation by all involved.
Paper Submission Details
Authors should submit two copies of an extended abstract to the
program chairman by April 6 for consideration by the review committee.
Each copy should include a title, the names and addresses of all
authors, as well as a primary topic from the above list. One of the
authors should be identified as the principal contact. Acceptance will
be based on originality as well as significance of research
(Notification by April 27). Complete papers should be sent to the
general chairman by June 1 for distribution at the workshop.
Program Committee: Lotfi Zadeh Judea Pearl Laveen Kanal
Peter Cheeseman John Lemmer
Program Chairman: General Chairman: Arrangements Chairman:
John Lemmer Peter Cheeseman Rob Suritis
PAR Technology Corp. SRI International Par Technology Corp.
220 Seneca Turnpike 333 Ravenswood Ave. 220 Seneca Turnpike
New Hartford, NY 13413 Menlo Park, CA 94025 New Hartford, NY 13413
(315) 738-0600 x322 (415) 859-6469 (315) 738-0600 x233
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End of AIList Digest
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