Artificial Intelligence, or A.I., has come a long way since 1949, when the first robot with artificial intelligence was built. Ever since computers were invented, it has been natural to wonder whether they might be able to learn. Imagine a computer that learns from medical records to discover emerging trends in the spread and treatment of new diseases, a house that learns from experience to optimize energy costs based on the particular usage patterns of its occupants, or a personal software assistant that recognizes the evolving interests of its boss to highlight especially relevant stories from the online morning newspaper.

Associate Professor Russell Stonier has delivered an Artificial Intelligence seminar to students from local high schools, allowing them to get 'up close up and personal' with a number of robots powered by artificial intelligence.

The star attractions of the day were micro-robotic soccer players, who are frequently 'called upon' to play in Microsoft tournaments. The competition game rules are typical of those used in human soccer and the game is played on a specifically prepared ground and lighting for the vision system to detect each robot's position for computer control.

"Robot soccer not only provides an experimental test bed for artificial intelligence techniques, intelligent system design and applications, it also provides a sound educational, integrated project to progress students to real-world problem solving," Associate Professor Russell Stonier said.

Students involved in studies of autonomous robotics systems worldwide come from a broad base of computer, control and electrical engineering and computer science backgrounds.

Central Queensland University has mid-year entry places available for anyone who wants to learn more about artificial intelligence, computer science, information technology, informatics, and multimedia degrees. Call 1300 360 444 or visit our website at www.infocom.cqu.edu.au -- ENDS -- A high res image is available at www.affairs.cqu.edu.au/cqutoday/