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From: smith@sctc.com (Rick Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.realtime,comp.ai,comp.lang.lisp,comp.lang.c++,comp.robotics
Subject: Re: "Easy" way to put "AI" in realtime embedded systems?
Keywords: realtime, ai, c++, lisp, embedded
Message-ID: <1991Mar27.195127.3156@sctc.com>
Date: 27 Mar 91 19:51:27 GMT
Article-I.D.: sctc.1991Mar27.195127.3156
References: <1991Mar26.163917.14641@unhd.unh.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: SCTC
Lines: 32

sgc@msel.unh.edu (Steven G. Chappell) writes:

>By what methods can "AI" algorithms be installed in an embedded system?

The same way as any other algorithm...

Once you know how you want the system to operate there's nothing to
prevent you from porting your ideas from LISP to a conventional
embedded programming language. It's the approach I used when I did
thesis research in robotics.

On the other hand, if you don't know what '"AI" algorithms' you
want to use, you'll produce at best illusory progress pouring effort
into developing a platform with an "embedded LISP" environment.

When I think of '"AI" algorithms' I think of things like rule based
systems, constraint systems, heuristic search strategies, frame
systems, etc. Any or all of these can be implemented just fine
in non-LISP environments. Personally, I believe that it's better
not to use LISP since LISP can mask some resource issues (i.e.
memory usage) that you should be sure to solve if you're applying
such algorithms to an embedded system problem.

A potential weakness to my arguments is that '"AI" algorithms' are
most often described using LISP, so you need to know how to see
"under" the LISP in order to implement them in a non-LISP environment.
Still, I encourage this since it forces you to understand what
you're doing... and believe me, you _can_ do AI work even if you do
understand what you're doing!

Rick.
smith@sctc.com    Arden Hills, Minnesota