ABSTRACT
Knowledge-based systems are usually considered as a subset of artificial intelligence, the ‘clever tricks department of computer science’ (Forsyth & Nayor 1986). They may sometimes emulate human thought in that they can deal with uncertain or incomplete information, or deal with other aspects not usually considered the domain of the computer. The concept of knowledge-based systems is not new, having gained some acceptance in the nineteen-seventies. One of the best known expert systems is MYCIN, a system designed to diagnose and then prescribe treatment for an infectious disease, particularly a bacterial infection of the blood. Application of these systems to forensic science problems, however, is relatively new.
