Introduction to Expert Systems for Land Information Systems

Abstract

This paper introduces the surveying engineer to expert systems. Expert systems are computer systems that advise on or help solve real‐world problems requiring an expert's interpretation. They approach real‐world problems using a computer model of expert human reasoning. Facts and rules are part of what is known as the knowledge base. These can be represented using first‐order predicate logic, semantic nets, and frames. Exploitation of the knowledge base is controlled by the strategies of state space search and the use of pattern matching programs. Construction of expert systems is an expensive affair where knowledge acquisition plays a critical role. One of the major limitations in building expert systems is our current lack of understanding of expert human decision‐making. However, such systems provide a powerful vehicle for furthering our understanding of those processes and applying that understanding to the solving of engineering problems.