ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS.
Abstract
It removes the ambiguity of the phrase 'adaptive machine,' if one puts an adaptive machine into one of three categories according to whether or not the machine itself must be changed as it is being designed on the one hand, and as it is being operated, on the other. Adaptive machines are either unadaptively-designed and adaptively-operated, or adaptively-designed and unadaptively-operated, or adaptively-designed and adaptively-operated. A procedure is developed for identifying the possible causes of failure of adaptive machines (belonging to any of the three categories) to answer questions of interest to the Navy and to the scientific community--questions of target recognition, flight control, language translation, weather prediction, or robot construction. For each possible cause of failure, there is, of course, a research project which, if successful, would serve to eliminate that cause and would bring the Navy a step closer to the realization of practical, adaptive machines. It turns out that there are only five classes of causes of failure and five corresponding classes of research projects. These five classes are: question formulation; question reformulation; method feasibility; machine realizability and designability; machine practicality. This procedure provides a straightforward way of planning directed research programs to successful adaptive systems. A research program is recommended. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0640004
Entities
People
- Louis Fein