Expert Systems and Their Uses

Easydiagnosis.com offers an excellent example of expert systems and their use in modern technology. The site utilizes a list of the most commonly reported medical illnesses and their symptoms. When a user logs in and describes the ailments online the expert system uses forward chain logic to eliminate possible alternatives to what the problem may be. Once enough symptoms have been described the system will make a decision based on the information the user provided. While this system isn't one hundred percent accurate the inference model used by the computer provides a logical, professional conclusion based on medical opinions currently in use today. This enables users who may be in a geographically isolated location to have access to professional medical help. Other uses, such as providing medical advice to those who can't afford it, are also considered but fall behind the far-reaching scope of international access and web connectivity. The ease with which a person can access potentially life saving information is an excellent use of modern technology and a humanitarian use if expert systems as opposed to military applications which are designed to take life.

The basic idea behind this system is to compile as much medical thought into one database as possible. Then using chain logic the computer will filter through the symptoms the user provides, creating if: then statements to further isolate the nature of the illness. Example: if your throat is sore then you have strep throat. If you have strep throat then you have an infection, which requires a medical visit. Obviously the diagnosis is never that simple but the idea is to apply all the knowledge gathered on said symptom and evaluate it into a working diagnosis. Rather than having a doctor on call twenty-four hours a day patients and users can make their way to a computer and seek the advice they need through a confidential and speedy method. While this is not a substitute for one on one professional attention the database allows enough information to pooled that the user can be given an informed opinion without a visit. This may help the patient understand their symptoms better or it may help them decide whether a doctor's visit is necessary.

As mentioned this system is not perfect but measures are taken to provide accuracy as close to a medical professionals as possible. Fuzzy logic is used to allow the computer to decide how accurate its diagnosis is. While a human can make up it's mind and pay attention to many details a computer can't look for a computer can say that it's diagnosis is .85 percent accurate. These readings are constantly a battle for expert systems in an attempt to replace human thought processes. Helpful and interesting, Easydiagnosis.com is a good example of expert systems being used today.