For generations, scientists have attempted to create a substitute that can perform the same tasks as a human. The arrival of the computer 50 years ago has helped scientists progress quickly towards this goal.
Rapidly advancing technology now makes it possible to create computer-based ‘human-like thought processes’ that can solve complex problems based on big data, says Professor Bhekisipho Twala, director of the new Institute for Intelligent Systems (UJ IIS) at the University of Johannesburg.
The Institute, which will open in January 2016, aims to partner with industry, government and communities to dismantle big data problems for the economic benefit of South Africa. “We’ll be partnering with industry and government to resolve challenges for the economic benefit of the country, as well as positive impact for business stakeholders and affected communities,” he says.
“For example, we may partner with an organisation to design intelligent systems to assist with financing decisions, detect fraud and identify unauthorised intrusions into IT systems. We may design systems to assist with medical diagnoses such as diabetes, with legal decisions, or architectural design optimisation.
Twala cites a good example of an intelligent system as one that determines if borrowers are likely to default on their loans from past experiences; this in turn affects whether the loans are approved or not. Intelligent systems are deployed at banks in South Africa to deal with the huge numbers of financial transactions generated every day and to determine credit risk.
“Such systems have also been used to make decisions when the available information is incomplete,” he explains. “Taking credit risk as an example, one should be able to assess an individual’s credit card application even when attributes such as income or proof of residence are missing.
“Intelligent systems can also be used to predict future wind turbine energy production using past production patterns and weather data; analyse road traffic accident information and develop precautionary measures; or to start understanding public health challenges such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS and malaria better.”
The UJ IIS will recruit a multi-disciplinary team of highly qualified scientists and engineers from UJ and industry, ranging from computer science through health sciences, management, accounting and more. It will recruit post graduate students for its initial intake in 2017, followed thereafter by undergraduates in disciplines such as intelligent systems, cloud computing, bio-informatics and computational biology.
The Institute will be hosted within the university’s Auckland Park Kings-way campus. In terms of research it will focus on systems intelligence and cognitive computing; big data analytics and deep learning; digital revolution and machine learning; and industrial application of intelligent systems and cognitive computing.
Currently Prof. Twala serves as Head of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Science at UJ. Prior to that he was Professor in Artificial Intelligence and Statistical Science in the same department from 2010 to 2013. He served at the CSIR as Advisor: Information Security Competence Area and Principal Research Scientist: Digital Intelligence Competence Area from 2008 to 2012.
His industry experience includes, among others, managing the methodology section for a labour force survey re-engineering project for Statistics South Africa; consulting on a project at London Imperial College addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on education systems in developing countries; and serving as Chief Technical Officer for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in Swaziland managing road transport statistics, technical aspects of vehicles, vehicle operating costs, road transport legislation and the enforcement of such legislation.
For more information contact Therese van Wyk, University of Johannesburg, +27 (0)11 559 6332, [email protected], www.uj.ac.za
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