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Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 23:16:18 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Interesting tid bits
From: jewen@comporium.net
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
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IMO AI (artificial inelegance) is the latest fad among consultants and top
manufacturing executives. Remember 'synergy', a company had to be
synergistic with the right mission statement to be effective and
competitive.  Not wanting to knock a profession, but I can not say I have
seen too many consultants that have actually made a company more
profitable.  Many of their pitches sound good, but many do not have the
ability for practical application (kind of like those who can't ...
teach.)  This is just my experience.

I had a meeting this week with some of our corporate executives to pitch
standardizing control platforms, data acquisition in our main plant.  I
presented concepts of real time process, productivity and yield monitoring
of course I was asked if AI could be used.  When examples of AI were given
it was apparent that the term AI was being used where the term Automation
has been used for the last couple of decades.  So it looks like we are
moving to use the term AI, rather than automation.  After all isn't AI
more impressive.

In my aircraft installation, I may use the term automation because I have
built in a P4 computer.  An example of what I refer to as automation is
monitoring temperatures, pressures, flight data, etc.  If a parameter
exceeds a predefined limit, an alarm is issued.  IMO this can be helpful
to see problems earlier - an example might be an alternator failure, by
monitor the bus voltage, I might see the failure before my radios (or
worse EC2) goes dead.

IMO, while true AI (ability to make cognitive decisions and self learning)
is being experimented with in industry, it still remains primarily a tool
for SciFi writers.  At the end of the day AI is one of the latest fad
terms and we experimental AC builders still need to practice saying 'Pilot
In Command.'

I will call it a night by saying "This is just one man's (hopefully
humble) option"
Joe

On Thu, May 17, 2007 9:54 pm, John Downing wrote:
> Joe, being a Northern Michigan Farmer, ones sees some interesting items
> posted here IMHO.  One being artificial intelligence in cockpit!.  What
> the H#@* is that supposed to mean?  JohnD