Knowledge-based systems and applied artificial intelligence specialist group
British Computer Society (BCS) Specialist Group
Cyberneticians and Systemists, particularly those based in the United Kingdom) will be familiar with the work of the Specialist Group of the BCS. Orginally known as the BCS Expert Systems Specialist Group this Specialist Group was founded in 1980 and covered rule-based expert systems. Research and development in this area has moved on in over two decades and to reflect the expansion of its coverage, it is now called: The Knowledge-based Systems and Applied Artificial Intelligence Specialist Group.
An account in the Computer Bulletin (Sept. 2001), a publication of the BCS,explains its new role, and coverage. It informs us:
That coverage now ranges from intelligent agents to natural language processing, knowledge management, knowledge representation, inference,reasoning, artificial intelligence languages and machine learning –including neural networks, genetic algorithms and data mining."A substantial proportion of the membership is from industry, and the group provides a valuable forum in which the academic and industrial communities can meet," says chairman Max Bramer. "The group covers technical advances and shows how this advanced technology is applied to business problems."As part of its leading role in the field over the last two decades it has organised an annual series of international conferences since 1981, and since 1992 it has been a member of the European Co-ordinating Committee for Artificial intelligence, which represents societies in over 25 countries.In line with its membership balance the group launched a series of workshops last year looking at applications of knowledge-based and intelligent systems in the new millennium."Given the large industry membership the workshops are a valuable forum for discussion, review and identifying new opportunities," Max Bramer says. "They can have a technology or applications emphasis. Members are encouraged to submit workshop proposals, including the aims and scope, names of potential participants and location suggestions." Successful proposals get funding to minimise the cost to participants, plus help with publicity and the opportunity to print selected submissions in the group's quarterly journal, Expert Update. These are interesting times for the group. it is bidding to host a major world conference, the international Joint Conference on Artificial intelligence, in Edinburgh in 2005. The significance of the bid is reflected in the fact that the conference was last held in the U K in the late 1960s.Another big departure for the group is the launch of a new annual competition,the BCS Prize for Progress Towards Machine intelligence."We feel that this has the potential to grow into a high profile international showcase for some of the most exciting software and hardware developments in the world," Max Bramer says.
Further Information About the Group
The Knowledge-Based Systems and Applied Artificial intelligence Specialist Group is at http://www.bcs-sges.org , and can also be contacted via Max.Bramer@bcs.org.uk. Details of the new competition are at http://www.bcs-sges.org/miprize/ . Workshop proposals can be submitted to Alun Preece at apreece@csd.abdn.ac.uk .
