Brought to you by EarthWeb
IT Library Logo

Click Here!
Click Here!

Search the site:
 
EXPERT SEARCH -----
Programming Languages
Databases
Security
Web Services
Network Services
Middleware
Components
Operating Systems
User Interfaces
Groupware & Collaboration
Content Management
Productivity Applications
Hardware
Fun & Games

EarthWeb Direct EarthWeb Direct Fatbrain Auctions Support Source Answers

EarthWeb sites
Crossnodes
Datamation
Developer.com
DICE
EarthWeb.com
EarthWeb Direct
ERP Hub
Gamelan
GoCertify.com
HTMLGoodies
Intranet Journal
IT Knowledge
IT Library
JavaGoodies
JARS
JavaScripts.com
open source IT
RoadCoders
Y2K Info

Previous Table of Contents Next


3. TECHNIQUES, PRACTICES, AND APPLICATIONS

In this section we will investigate each of primary areas in which intelligent agents are currently deployed.

3.1. INTERNET AGENTS

The use of intelligent agent technology on the Internet is growing rapidly. The explosive expansion of information on the Internet, particularly on the World Wide Web, and the lack of organization and quality control of that information has led to the urgent need for an intelligent and personalized way to find and use only the specific Internet information in which one is interested. Intelligent agents provide possibly the best solution for this growing problem.

There are several ways in which intelligent agents are being utilized on the Internet. These include:

  • Searching the Internet for information pertinent to the user
  • Retrieving information in a desired frequency and manner
  • Filtering information, selecting only the appropriate items of interest
  • Present information in a desired form
  • Alerting the user when information of interest is available
  • Alerting the user when specific events occur or when a parameter reaches a particular value
  • Speeding use of the Internet for the user
  • Aiding in the management of World Wide Web sites

Many additional types of agent applications are being developed and deployed as well, including applications in electronic commerce and business, which we discuss in later sections.

Personal information agents provide users a way to customize an Internet work search engine to search through large quantities of information that the users would not have time search through themselves. Documents are compared intelligently against user requirements to select only the most pertinent.

Users can create personalized search profiles. The desired information is described via keyword lists, menu selections, responses to simple queries, or natural language. Intelligent search engines can utilize such techniques as advanced search operators, concept search, fuzzy logic, proximity methods, and statistical methods.

Information can be retrieved in a manner and frequency suitable to the user, determined either by direct user specification or intelligent analysis of user actions. The information sources to be used might be user-specified or all available sources might be used, but a more intelligent agent could determine the best available information sources from an analysis of the content desired.

Retrieved information can be tightly filtered to present only the most relevant, or a broad amount of information can be presented. Documents can be analyzed and then prioritized for delivery based upon a ranking of their pertinence to the user's objectives. The intelligent agent can tailor the quantity of information and the level of detail presented.

The information can be presented to the user using various mechanisms, such as on a Web page, via e-mail, by Fax, in printed form, or using a paging device. The information can be delivered as soon as available or on a scheduled basis, or the agent can base delivery times upon an analysis of the quantity and importance of the information retrieved.

In addition to gathering information on a regular basis, intelligent Internet agents are also used to monitor information on the Internet and then to alert a user when a certain situation occurs or a certain condition is met. For example, a user might want to read only those articles in the Wall Street Journal that refer to his or her company, and an agent can monitor each issue of the Journal for this. Also, a user might want to know when a particular stock reaches a certain price or volume. An intelligent agent can be set up to monitor stock price information and alert the user when the desired price point or volume level is met or exceeded. Intelligent agent systems are being developed to use the many available financial information resources on the Internet (e.g., market data, financial reports, analysts' reports, etc.) to monitor and manage a user's financial portfolio taking into account such factors as uncertainty, timeliness of data, deadlines, etc.

In addition to aiding users in finding and using information on the Internet, intelligent agents are also being used to aid in the use and management of the Internet itself. While an Internet-surfing user is reading one Web page, intelligent agent software anticipates the next request by loading linked pages into the browser. Then, when the user selects a link, the new page loads as if it were already in cache. Furthermore, the intelligent agent can learn the user's favorite sites and pre-load these as well. Agents are also being used to aid in managing World Wide Web sites. For example, agents are being used to manage massive multiple-server Web sites -- collecting data, monitoring the site, ensuring standards, identifying problems (such as finding all broken hyperlinks), reporting why the problems occurred, and suggesting how to fix them.

3.2. ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AGENTS

Intelligent agents enable new and improved approaches to electronic commerce. Agents can aid a user in searching for a product or service of interest. For example, agents search online bookstores to find information and prices for a particular book, or to find a list of books on a particular topic. Also, agent systems have been developed to aid a user in the selection of recorded music. By explicit input from the user and by monitoring the user's selections over time, they learn the user's music preferences and then suggest for purchase CDs that likely would be of most interest to the user.

Agent systems can provide personalized shopping, aiding both the shopper and the vendor. Agent-enabled electronic shopping services have been developed to learn an Internet shopper's browsing and shopping habits. Then they can assist the user by allowing each vendor's display to be customized in a way that is most convenient to the shopper, while also aiding the vendor by allowing the vendor to individualize the marketing of its products.


Previous Table of Contents Next

footer nav
Use of this site is subject certain Terms & Conditions.
Copyright (c) 1996-1999 EarthWeb, Inc.. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of EarthWeb is prohibited. Please read our privacy policy for details.