Inference engine - Definition and Overview

An inference engine tries to derive answers from a knowledge base. It is the brain of the expert systems that provides a methodology for reasoning about the information in the knowledge base, and for formulating conclusions.

Inference engine has three main elements. They are:

1. An interpreter. It executes the chosen agenda items by applying the corresponding base rules.

2. A scheduler. It maintains control over the agenda by estimating the effects of applying inference rules in light of item priorities or other criteria on the agenda.

3. A consistency enforcer. It attempts to maintain a consistent representation of the emerging solution.

External links

• SIE (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/peterhi/sie.html) (written in Ruby)
• Structural Modeling, Inference, and Learning Engine (http://www2.sis.pitt.edu/~genie/smile/smile.htm)
• AI Directory (http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Artificial_Intelligence)