Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Part 1: Defining Artificial Intelligence

In this series, I am writing several blog articles about Artificial Intelligence. We finally have enough processing power and memory to accomplish great things. However, after 40 years of working in this field I am amazed at what some companies are trying to sell as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The purpose of these articles is to help the reader sift through the hype and discriminate real AI/ML from useless marketing that lacks real substance. This week’s articles concentrate on a simple but important aspect of the AI/ML problem….What is the REAL definition of AI and ML? Continue reading “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Part 1: Defining Artificial Intelligence”

More Hints for writing and winning Small Business Innovative Research Proposals

Last week I gave the top 10 pieces of advice I give my protégés concerning the small business innovative research (SBIR) program. There is a lot to this program and it can be very valuable to a small business but it can also be a large time-waster if not done correctly. I received several requests to say more so here are some additional things to think about as you prepare proposals. Continue reading “More Hints for writing and winning Small Business Innovative Research Proposals”

10 Tips For Winning Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Proposals

In the 27 years Bevilacqua Research Corporation has been in business I must have written over 100 SBIR proposals. I have won 16 (1 was never funded) and have gone to Phase II on 7 and Phase III on five. This may not seem like much but as competitive as the SBIR program is, this is a pretty good record. In fact the DOD Techlink office has written an article on our success that will be published as soon as the DOD public affairs office approves it. Although we are not considered a SBIR company (i.e. a small business that makes its living from responding to and winning SBIR’s) I conservatively estimate that ¾ of all of the revenue that we have made since we opened our doors in 1992 are a direct result of our participation in the SBIR program.  When I mentor small businesses I always give them a free SBIR proposal template and the following advice: Continue reading “10 Tips For Winning Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Proposals”

Testing Artificially Intelligent Systems…. Not just possible…Easy!

A senior manager in our test group down at Eglin Air Force Base forwarded me a white paper by SOGETI a company in Europe. The white paper was titled, “Testing of Artificial Intelligence, AI Quality Engineering Skills – An Introduction”. In general the white paper was well done however the authors based their conclusion that AI testers will need a plethora of new skills to be able to test AI on the following statement, “AI is not required to learn, it could be using pre-programmed rules to handle all possible outcomes. However, for systems with more than basic complexity, this has proved to be a task too large and too complex to handle (it has been tried and failed multiple times since the 1960s)”. What these authors apparently didn’t now is that BRC did solve this problem in 1996 under the Army’s small business innovation research (SBIR) program. In 1998 BRC was awarded the Tibbetts award from the small business administration for “excellence in innovation” for this breakthrough. Continue reading “Testing Artificially Intelligent Systems…. Not just possible…Easy!”

Do You Know Who WE Are?

27 years of quality, service and commitment to our employees and customers.

This weekend we had our two last Holiday Parties for our Panama City Beach and Niceville Office employees. I would like to thank all of those that came and especially those that were involved in planning and running the events. Each year these events get better and I think everyone has a nice relaxing time. Most of all I believe that seeing people in person strengthens relationships and builds trust. Continue reading “Do You Know Who WE Are?”

DoD Techlink Office to Release Article Highlighting BRC’s CORE Artificial Intelligence Tools

Yesterday I announced that we have started a promotional program to get the word out about our extensive experience over the past 27 years in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning. Today I would like to announce that the Department of Defense Techlink office has written a Techlink article about our CORE toolkit that will be published as soon as it is approved for public release by the DOD Public Relations office. The evaluator that interviewed me for the story made the following comments when he passed the information about CORE on to Techlink’s editing team, “Honestly I doubt we will see another story with such advanced capabilities in our lifetime…… Once you read both documents you will understand the impact this technology does or will have on artificial intelligence in the immediate future.” The reviewer was talking about how the CORE toolkit gives non-AI experts the capability to quickly and easily build advanced AI/ML algorithms for their live, virtual and constructive applications. Continue reading “DoD Techlink Office to Release Article Highlighting BRC’s CORE Artificial Intelligence Tools”