What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Webopedia

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By Vangie Beal

Artificial intelligence is the branch of computer science concerned with making computers behave like humans. The term was coined in 1956 by John McCarthy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Artificial intelligence includes the following areas of specialization:

Currently, no computers exhibit full artificial intelligence (that is, are able to simulate human behavior). The greatest advances have occurred in the field of games playing. The best computer chess programs are now capable of beating humans. In May, 1997, an IBM super-computer called Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Gary Kasparov in a chess match.

In the area of robotics, computers are now widely used in assembly plants, but they are capable only of very limited tasks. Robots have great difficulty identifying objects based on appearance or feel, and they still move and handle objects clumsily.

Natural-language processing offers the greatest potential rewards because it would allow people to interact with computers without needing any specialized knowledge. You could simply walk up to a computer and talk to it. Unfortunately, programming computers to understand natural languages has proved to be more difficult than originally thought. Some rudimentary translation systems that translate from one human language to another are in existence, but they are not nearly as good as human translators. There are also voice recognition systems that can convert spoken sounds into written words, but they do not understandwhat they are writing; they simply take dictation. Even these systems are quite limited -- you must speak slowly and distinctly.

In the early 1980s, expert systems were believed to represent the future of artificial intelligence and of computers in general. To date, however, they have not lived up to expectations. Many expert systems help human experts in such fields as medicine and engineering, but they are very expensive to produce and are helpful only in special situations.

Today, the hottest area of artificial intelligence is neural networks, which are proving successful in a number of disciplines such as voice recognition and natural-language processing.

There are several programming languages that are known as AI languages because they are used almost exclusively for AI applications. The two most common are LISP and Prolog.

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What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Webopedia

What next for the future tech of 2014?

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The year gone by brought us more robots, worries about artificial intelligence, and difficult lessons on space travel. The big question: where's it all taking us?

NASA has a vision of sending astronauts to Mars aboard a rocket like this. In 2014, its Orion spacecraft took a small test-flight in that direction. NASA/MSFC

Every year, we capture a little bit more of the future -- and yet the future insists on staying ever out of reach.

Consider space travel. Humans have been traveling beyond the atmosphere for more than 50 years now -- but aside from a few overnights on the moon four decades ago, we have yet to venture beyond low Earth orbit.

Or robots. They help build our cars and clean our kitchen floors, but no one would mistake a Kuka or a Roomba for the replicants in "Blade Runner." Siri, Cortana and Alexa, meanwhile, are bringing some personality to the gadgets in our pockets and our houses. Still, that's a long way from HAL or that lad David from the movie "A.I. Artificial Intelligence."

Self-driving cars? Still in low gear, and carrying some bureaucratic baggage that prevents them from ditching certain technology of yesteryear, like steering wheels.

And even when these sci-fi things arrive, will we embrace them? A Pew study earlier this year found that Americans are decidedly undecided. Among the poll respondents, 48 percent said they would like to take a ride in a driverless car, but 50 percent would not. And only 3 percent said they would like to own one.

"Despite their general optimism about the long-term impact of technological change," Aaron Smith of the Pew Research Center wrote in the report, "Americans express significant reservations about some of these potentially short-term developments" such as US airspace being opened to personal drones, robot caregivers for the elderly or wearable or implantable computing devices that would feed them information.

Let's take a look at how much of the future we grasped in 2014 and what we could gain in 2015.

In 2014, earthlings scored an unprecedented achievement in space exploration when the European Space Agency landed a spacecraft on a speeding comet, with the potential to learn more about the origins of life. No, Bruce Willis wasn't aboard. Nobody was. But when the 220-pound Philae lander, carried to its destination by the Rosetta orbiter, touched down on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on November 12, some 300 million miles from Earth, the celebration was well-earned.

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What next for the future tech of 2014?

The biggest threat to humanity? The INTERNET: Experts raise concerns about the web's potential to incite violence …

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Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) project has been set up to monitor artificial intelligence and technological advances The web was cited as a catalyst in the Egyptian coup in 2011, for example Global cyber attacks have the potential to bring down governments They threaten businesses, which in turn could damage global economies Elsewhere, criminals and terrorists operate on the so-called Deep Web This could lead to global wars, which could culminate in World War III ArtificialIntelligence is fuelled byadvancements in web-enabled devices Professor Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk have previously voiced concerns that AI could threaten humanity

By Victoria Woollaston for MailOnline

Published: 04:49 EST, 31 December 2014 | Updated: 04:57 EST, 31 December 2014

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The web has democratised information and learning, brought families and loved ones together as well as helped businesses connect and compete in a global economy.

But the internet has a dark side - it hosts underhand dealings, has its very own criminal underbelly, not to mention a rising mob culture.

The threat such technological advances pose to society is so serious, there is now a team of Cambridge researchers studying the existential risks.

The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) project has been set up in Cambridge to monitor artificial intelligence and technological advances. The web was cited as a catalyst in the Egyptian coup in 2011, for example, while global cyber attacks have the potential to bring down governments

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The biggest threat to humanity? The INTERNET: Experts raise concerns about the web's potential to incite violence ...

Behavioral Neuroscience – American Psychological Association

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The primary mission of Behavioral Neuroscience is to publish original research articles as well as reviews in the broad field of the biological bases of behavior.

We seek empirical papers reporting novel results that provide insight into the mechanisms by which nervous systems produce and are affected by behavior. Experimental subjects may include human and non-human animals and may address any phase of the lifespan, from early development to senescence.

Studies employing brain-imaging techniques in normal and pathological human populations are encouraged, as are studies using non-traditional species (including invertebrates) and employing comparative analyses.

In addition to behavior, it is expected that some aspect of nervous system function will be manipulated or observed, ranging across molecular, cellular, neuroanatomical, neuroendocrinological, neuropharmacological, and neurophysiological levels of analysis. Behavioral studies are welcome so long as their implications for our understanding of the nervous system are clearly described in the paper.

We welcome reviews on any theoretical, empirical, or historical topic related to the role of the nervous system in the production of behavior. Inquiries about potential review topics can be addressed to the Editor.

In addition to full-length research papers, the journal also publishes Brief Communications, which must not exceed 3,250 words of text and contain no more than two figures and/or tables. When appropriate, Commentaries on research papers are invited by the editors.

Topic areas covered by the journal include:

Although Behavioral Neuroscience is published bi-monthly, papers are published online as soon as possible after acceptance. There are no submission or publication fees.

(handling all new submissions in 2014)

Rebecca D. Burwell Brown University

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Behavioral Neuroscience - American Psychological Association

Graduation at UHCL becomes a family affair

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PRESS RELEASE

While many families get excited when a loved one crosses the stage to get his/her college diploma, the Allen family doubled that enthusiasm by having two members of the family earn bachelors degrees on the same day during the two University of Houston-Clear Lake Commencement Ceremonies. Cindy and son, Scott, will never forget the day they received their diplomas.

Graduating at the same time was not a grand plan, says Cindy, who returned to UHCL at age 51 to complete her long-time dream of getting a bachelors degree. But, it sure is exciting that it happened this way.

Cindy crossed the stage at 5 p.m. during a ceremony that celebrated the graduates of the School of Human Sciences and Humanities and the School of Science and Computer Engineering. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences. Cindys youngest son Scott, 24, graduated at noon with a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration during the ceremony for the Schools of Business and Education.

Having received an associate degree in Spanish from San Jacinto College approximately 30 years ago, Cindy says that at that time, life was busy. Her initial goal was to receive a bachelors degree in Elementary Education, but as a young married mother of one with another on the way, and a full-time job, she found herself unable to meet that goal. Some circumstances in her life changed and the mother of three grown sons, with the encouragement of family and friends, decided to finally return to UHCL and finish that long-awaited goal of receiving a college education.

As a young adult, I wanted to assist children with their education and become a teacher explains Cindy. That dream never died and during these last 3 years, my determination of completing a bachelors degree in behavioral science has made me realize that I still can help students with their education, but in other ways.

She is already putting into practice her goal of working with young people, having accepted a job in August as a Site Coordinator at Park View Intermediate in Pasadena in the ACE 21st Century after-school program. This is a job that she is passionate about and one that aims to enrich the lives of the 180 students enrolled in the program.

Scott, meanwhile, always had an interest in health care and knew a career in the field would be in his future. But, when he made it to UHCL, he really found his niche and changed from his original plan for a biology degree to the healthcare administration program offered through the universitys School of Business.

My ultimate goal is to be a hospital CEO, says the ambitious Scott. I plan to go on for my combined Master of Business Administration/Master of Healthcare Administration degree, but want to take a little time off to work before launching into the graduate program.

As a young boy, Scott says he always knew he would attend college something that had been instilled in him his whole life. While in high school, he began working at a multi-specialty clinic through a co-op program. He eventually began full-time employment with the company working in medical records, which he continued throughout his college career.

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Friendswood Junior High has successful Science Fair

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PRESS RELEASE

We had so much support with Science Fair! The judges had very flattering things to say about the quality of the projects this year. Several said that many were high school level, and this is the best sampling of work they've seen from the junior high. Overall, it was a huge success! And great job to the 4 sixth graders who placed! Mrs. McAfoos has photos of the winners with their projects. I'll post a video of the awards on my website.

The annual Science Fair at Friendswood Junior High was held recently on campus and first through third places were awarded in several categories. The fair was under the direction of Jenny Dixon.

In the Behavioral and Social Sciences category, Neelesh Gupta won first place with Ellie Wilber in second and Alex Carbone-Larson in third place.

In Biochemistry and Microbiology, Milayla Weist won first place.

In Biology, Pradhitha Boppana won first place with Spence Wignall in second place.

In Chemistry, there was a tie for first place awarded to Keshay Ramchandran and Jason Thomas. In second place, Carson Collins won with Jake Burke taking third place.

In Computer Science, Xavier Carbone-Larson won first place.

Ryan Peplinski won first place in Earth, Space and Environmental category with Lucas Hopkins in second and Savannah West in third place.

In Energy and Transportation, Blake Propst received first place with Kai Wharton in second place and Lily Ellis in third place.

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Friendswood Junior High has successful Science Fair