tlug: KPCA 1/21/98 Meeting

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***  Kansai Professional Computing Association News ***
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JANUARY PRESENTATION: Mobile Computing In Japan
Speaker: Masaki Wakano, Manager, NTT Kansai Business Communication Hqtrs.
1/21/98-Wed, 6:45-9:00pm. Club KARMA's event hall, 5 minutes from Osaka JR.
MEMBERS FREE!

As the Japanese government's deregulation of the communication industry continues, some expect an explosive growth in 1998 for the mobile computing industry. 

Laptops are getting thinner and lighter, specialized terminals such as PDA's and mobile phones are able to utilize various applications. The cost for terminals and communication has decreased drastically over the past 2 years. Well over 50%, some areas over an 80% reduction!  Although many corporations are being affected by the currency situation, none are backing away from the mobile computing market in Japan.

Mr. Wakano will discuss two trends and their key issues, which utilize mobile computing.
- Laptop
- specialized PDA with generalized application software

Costs, technological and implementation differences between these two trends will be discussed. Current solutions for sales force automation and increased factory efficiency will be discussed as well as future technologies.

Mr. Wakano is influencing opinion leaders and decision makers throughout the world.  He has spoken at GLOBECOM, INFOCOM, TINA, ICC, IEICE, Mobile Computing Forum and other conferences.
Masaki Wakano received a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from Kobe University before moving on to NTT-Labs to do system operation research.  In 1993 he worked with TINA-C (Telecommunications Information Networking Architecture Consortium) in New Jersey,USA, with 40 other researchers of telecommunication carriers and vendors to specify the future telecommunication architecture.  He is currently working in NTT's system development business unit to assist businesses to integrate telecommunication and information processing technologies.

PRICE: Through special arrangements with Club KARMA, the meeting fee is FREE for paid up annual members, others: 2000 yen(!). Drinks/food will be available starting at 300/600 yen.  Invite your friends!

DECEMBER PRESENTATION:
Last year IBM's "Deep Blue" computer defeated World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov in a widely-publicized 6-game match, raising again some important questions about the nature of intelligence.

Dr. Ian Frank, Research Fellow at the Tsukuba ETL Complex Games Lab, spoke at the December meeting of the Kansai Professional Computing Association on the topic of "Artificial Intelligence and Games".  Dr. Frank's talk covered the origin, present state, and future of computers that play games.

"What is intelligence?"  Artificial Intelligence (AI) research is based on the tenet that whatever produces intelligent behavior constitutes intelligence.  A machine that performs as well as a human in some intellectual field can therefore be called "intelligent", regardless of the means used to produce that performance.  This leaves the question of the nature of human intelligence to students of philosophy.

AI research has from the outset focused on the field of games.  Games such as chess or go represent an ideal micro-universe for computers to demonstrate decision-making based on the prediction of possible future events.  The first major computer victory occured in 1979, when a computer defeated the world champion in backgammon.  Computers have since then defeated world champions in checkers and othello, and last year, chess.  "Complete information" games that have yet to be conquered include "shogi" (Japanese chess) and "go".

Perhaps more interesting in terms of future research are "incomplete information" games, such as bridge, where some parts of the game (e.g. the opponents' cards) are hidden, and team games, such as soccer, which require the co-operation of independent individuals to produce a team victory.  Dr. Frank presented a fascinating video of a recent tournament where programs played simulated soccer matches, and small robots (in two "weight divisions") played miniature soccer.

Dr. Frank emphasized another relatively untouched area in AI games research, that of machine learning.  Deep Blue and its cohorts do not themselves learn from their experiences.  Their abilities do not improve without being reprogrammed.  Machines that learn will undoubtedly be an important milestone if AI research is to be successful outside the field of games.

Dr. Ian Frank earned his Ph.D. from Edinburgh University and is currently engaged in research on the games of bridge and soccer at the ETL Complex Games Laboratory in Tsukuba.

SPEAKERS SOUGHT! The KPCA is looking for speakers for future meetings. Come promote your pet project/product, your career. 

Email any/all response to:
Dennis Grass, KPCA-President

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RESPONSE PLEASE! FORM-med

__  I can probably attend on Wednesday, Jan. 21 (Mobile Computing)
__  Oops, I'm busy on the 21st. Please keep me informed of future events.
__  I can probably attend on Wednesday, Feb. 18
__  I can probably attend on Wednesday, March 18
__  I can probably attend on Wednesday, April 22

__  Yes!  I am interested in speaking at a KPCA meeting.
My proposed topic:







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