Convergence of technologies especially Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has
transformed the society over the last 30 years. Though the first computers accessible to a
common man happened only by 1971, the way of miniaturization of electronics devices have
evolved and have resulted in wired and wireless world communicating every second. The rise of
handheld devices like mobile phones, tablets etc have added more mobility to human beings in
span of a decade rather than transportation systems based mobility in centuries. All kinds of data
whether video, audio or sensor data are generated and communicated every second.
Computational science which is constantly evolving has made computing faster while innovating
the way computation is done. Applied computing has found its importance in every aspect of life
from modeling apparels to modeling space systems to modeling universe to even modeling life.
Intelligent computing has made design, operation and control of living & non-living things a
daily affair.
Computational capabilities of machines have reached the crescendo in establishing a platform for
Virtual world which has been imagined by human brain itself. The evolution of digital world
starting from transistors invented in 1947, has now reached a paradigm shift in how the humans
have created a new world for themselves. Self-learning, self-controlling and self-communicating
standalone intelligent systems have enabled an entirely different aspect of view point in recent
years.
Virtual reality uses the programming abilities to create totally new environment or replicate
existing environment. This is coupled with ability of the user to interact and interface virtual
objects and spaces in that environment. Graphics, games and simulations have fled open the
gates wherein each individual recreates his imagination in a virtual world. In the similar way
augmented reality has enabled users to directly or indirectly view real environment and at the
same time interact with it using computer generate audio, video or touch. Basically the computer
programs enable the user to supplement the real world environment with objects created through
computer. In a broader sense virtual reality, intelligent systems and automation will slowly
replace different aspects of industry, human interaction and transform the progress of the human
species at large.
In this context, India’s Information Technology (IT) and Information Technology Enabled
Service’s (ITeS) industry have transformed the landscape over the last three decades. The total
economy of India has been refreshed by IT service industry since economic liberalization in
1991. India has almost become a high-quality-but-low-cost-back-office of many multinational
corporations providing support and services. But in recent times automation, virtual reality and
intelligent systems are propelling the industry towards a work culture wherein developers,
programmers and hardware engineers have to work hand- in-hand. The ever-evolving mobile
communication technology, Internet of Things, automated & intelligent industry, digital
manufacturing, healthcare, entertainment, commerce and virtual reality based life have
necessitated a new kind of professionals who have understanding of certain programming
languages, maintain a database and also interact with computing, communicating and controlling
embedded platforms.
The current requirement in the industry is purely based on sound knowledge of Artificial
intelligence, so as to design intelligent systems, machine learning to support and aid divergent
thinking, automation to replace dependency on human factor, fast computing based powerful
handheld mobile platforms and robotics to perform 4D’s (4D: Dangerous, Dirty, Dull,
Difficult) tasks on behalf of humans. AI based systems provide the ability to human species to
perform 4A’s (Automation, Augmentation, Assistance, Autonomous) tasks.
Aritififcal intelligence is a broad name suggesting concepts developed over the years and which
are being implemented today due to ability of computing platforms like microprocessor,
graphical processors and microcontroller to compute large volume of data in short duration. AI
can be roguhly deifined as the ability of the man made of computing devices to replicate and
perfom cognitive functions of human brain. The basic goal of AI to relaize reasoning, inherent
knowledge, learning ,perception, language synthezie and the ability to manipulate materials
similar to human sensorsy-motor actions using forelimbs and hindlimbs. The ultimate goal of AI
is to achive complexity and flexibilty like human brains. The formal methods to achieve these
goals are statistical methods, computational intelligence and traidional AI tools. The traidional
AI tools include are symbolic approaches to computing problems. The most commonly used
symbolic approach has been expert systems. Whenever symbolic represetnations failed to
acheive the decision making ability modified representation using fuzzy logic and aritifical
neural networks were developed.
Todays IT service industry dogmated by emergcence of Aritificial intelligence especially
machine learning . Now what are these modern day tools of AI and why it is replacing IT and
software professional, and how to choose a career with long term prespective instead of being
just dependent on Service related jobs either in IT industry or manufacturing industry. How to be
the most demanded creative engineer in this context? Its better to understand the current aspect
of AI to get an overall idea and understanding where human research in AI gravitating.
Modern AI tools have become more human like tools with progressive integration of higher level
intellgence aspects of human brains’s cognitive abilities. These abilities include slow and steady
progress towards myth emotions,creativity, imagnation, dreams, higher philosophy and ultimate
consiousness. But though these utopian abilities are long term ,currently the progresses are being
made toward acheiveing these goals. The methodlogies include cybernetics & brain simualtion,
symbolic intellgience, mahcine learning , cognitive simualtions, logic programming, knowledge
based computing, embodies computing, computational intelligence, machine learning or self
learning systems and other forms of intelligent computing. Now the question arieses how to
acheive these ultimate goals. The complex process cognition can be acheived only through
integrating different methodologies . The two most common appraoches are agent architecture
and cognitive architecture. Describing each and every aspect of AI beyond the scope of this
article. But its better to stand the tools required to implement these methodologies. The tools
include machine intelligence to search large database and optimize a solution ( search algorithm,
mathematical optimization, evolutionary algorithm) , logic based programming ( automated
reasoning, logic based decisions), probablisitic tools (bayesian networks, kalmann filtering,
decision theory, utility theory), classifiers (classical mathematics, machine learning, statisical
classification), neural networks ( Aritifical Neural Networks (ANN), connectionism), Deep
feedforward neural networks ( deep learning, image processing, computer vision, speech
processing, natural language processing), Deep recurrent neural networks and intelligent control
system based hierachy based approach.
It‘s imperative to understand the applications of AI in day to day life. These include healthcare
(Intelligent Operating Theatre, Automated surgical tools), automotive industry( self driving
vehicles, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, self guiding missiles), Finance ( stock market
predictions,evalauting sustainance of trading mechanism ,financial engineering), gaming (virtual
reality, augumented reality, brain machine interface) , Interenet of Things , Space robotics,
Biorootics and many other applications.
For an aspiring engineer its imperative to have a solid foundation in mathematics and logics.
Having basic degree in Computer Engineering, Information Technology or electronics
engineering is a must. But what makes the difference is the mindset to think and work towards
the solutions. Just knowing basic skills of programming lanaguages like C, C++ or Java is not
sufficient . Real computing and creative thought process is the minimum requirement in the
current scenario. A basic degree should be followed up with a specialization in particular areas of
AI at Masters level and finally a PhD could give you the space to explore; especially for those
who are interested in research.
For more details please do visit us at www.ppcrc.in
Author Name
Prof. Rabinder Henry
Director
Pralhad P Chhabria Research Centre, Pune
www.ppcrc.in
www.isquareit.edu.in
www.famt.ac.in
Prof. Rabinder. Henry is currently the Director at Pralhad P.Chhabria Research Center, Pune (A Project of Finolex). His thrust
areas of work have been in transforming the education system specifically in Engineering Higher Education by making it more
applied intelligence oriented. Formerly been Director for Engineering Colleges and also been CTO in the industry. He has a
Master of Science Degrees in RF & Microwave Engineering (1) and Photonics (2) from Technical University Dresden and
Master of Science in Medical Systems Engineering (3) form University of Magdeburg, Germany. He has worked with Fraunhofer
Institute for Photonics Microsystems, Institute for Mikrosystemtechnik, Magdbeurg and Helmholtz Zentrum Rossendorf,
Germany. His areas of interest include Microwave Engineering, Microfabrication, Bio implants, Photonics, Nanotechnology and
convergence of technology. Professional member of many bodies IEEE, VLSI Society of India, ISTE, and ISC etc. Established
Institutes at Meerut, Jaipur and Pune.
His profile has been published by Marquis Publications in Who’s Who in World 2009. Global Young Leader by UNDP (United
Nations Development Program) for Peace Initiative in 2008. Awarded by Society for Reliability Engineering, Quality and
Operations Management (SREQOM) for Innovative Applications of Information Technology in Interdisciplinary areas in Science
and Technology, December 2009.