How we can use search algorithms in AI systems

In Chapter 2, we indicated that search techniques are a powerful tool for building some types of AI systems. Here are two example applications of search techniques:

Scheduling deliveries - You own a local flower shop, with two delivery drivers. You receive about 50 orders a day, and you want to minimize the cost (in time and fuel) for making these deliveries. You decide to write a program that accepts as input a list of street addresses, and prints out a suggested route. Your program contains a network (like the two example applets on the table of contents page) representing the major streets in your small town. The "links" in the network represent streets, and the "nodes" represent intersections. "Links" might also include average travel speed.

Computer game - you are writing a computer game that involves a "dungeon" made up of caves (the "nodes" in a network) and tunnels (the "links" in a network). You want "AI" characters to be able to move in reasonable paths, so you use a simple search (like the breadth first example applet) to calculate paths for the "AI" characters to move along. You have a general game engine that moves the "AI" characters a specified distance along a path each "game turn".

There are many other possible uses for the search, but I think that one of these examples would be a good way for you to apply what you learn in this "book".

Next : A Java Framework for Search Engines

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