Leonard Uhr
Encyclopedia
Leonard Uhr was an American
computer scientist
and a pioneer in computer vision
, pattern recognition
, machine learning
and cognitive science
. He was an expert in many aspects of human neurophysiology
and perception
, and a central theme of his research was to design artificial intelligence
systems based on his understanding of how the human brain
works. He was one of the early proponents of incorporation into artificial intelligence algorithms of methods for dealing with uncertainty
.
Uhr published seven books (as author and/or editor) and nearly 150 journal and conference papers. His seminal work was an article written in 1963 with Charles Vossler, "A Pattern Recognition Program That Generates, Evaluates, and Adjusts Its Own Operators", reprinted in Computers and Thought — edited by Edward Feigenbaum
and J. Feldman — which showcases the work of the scientists who defined the field of artificial intelligence. He was a Ph.D. major professor for 20 students, many of whom have gone on to become in their own right important contributors to artificial intelligence.
Uhr graduated from Princeton University
in 1949 with a B.A. in psychology
. He received masters degrees in philosophy
from the University of Brussels and Johns Hopkins University
in 1951 before obtaining his Ph.D.
in psychology in 1957 from the University of Michigan
.
Uhr was a professor
of computer science
and of neuroscience
at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. He was also on the faculty of psychology at the University of Michigan.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
computer scientist
Computer scientist
A computer scientist is a scientist who has acquired knowledge of computer science, the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their application in computer systems....
and a pioneer in computer vision
Computer vision
Computer vision is a field that includes methods for acquiring, processing, analysing, and understanding images and, in general, high-dimensional data from the real world in order to produce numerical or symbolic information, e.g., in the forms of decisions...
, pattern recognition
Pattern recognition
In machine learning, pattern recognition is the assignment of some sort of output value to a given input value , according to some specific algorithm. An example of pattern recognition is classification, which attempts to assign each input value to one of a given set of classes...
, machine learning
Machine learning
Machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, is a scientific discipline concerned with the design and development of algorithms that allow computers to evolve behaviors based on empirical data, such as from sensor data or databases...
and cognitive science
Cognitive science
Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It includes research on how information is processed , represented, and transformed in behaviour, nervous system or machine...
. He was an expert in many aspects of human neurophysiology
Neurophysiology
Neurophysiology is a part of physiology. Neurophysiology is the study of nervous system function...
and perception
Perception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
, and a central theme of his research was to design artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
systems based on his understanding of how the human brain
Human brain
The human brain has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times larger than the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size. Estimates for the number of neurons in the human brain range from 80 to 120 billion...
works. He was one of the early proponents of incorporation into artificial intelligence algorithms of methods for dealing with uncertainty
Uncertainty
Uncertainty is a term used in subtly different ways in a number of fields, including physics, philosophy, statistics, economics, finance, insurance, psychology, sociology, engineering, and information science...
.
Uhr published seven books (as author and/or editor) and nearly 150 journal and conference papers. His seminal work was an article written in 1963 with Charles Vossler, "A Pattern Recognition Program That Generates, Evaluates, and Adjusts Its Own Operators", reprinted in Computers and Thought — edited by Edward Feigenbaum
Edward Feigenbaum
Edward Albert Feigenbaum is a computer scientist working in the field of artificial intelligence. He is often called the "father of expert systems."...
and J. Feldman — which showcases the work of the scientists who defined the field of artificial intelligence. He was a Ph.D. major professor for 20 students, many of whom have gone on to become in their own right important contributors to artificial intelligence.
Uhr graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1949 with a B.A. in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. He received masters degrees in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from the University of Brussels and Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 1951 before obtaining his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in psychology in 1957 from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
Uhr was a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
and of neuroscience
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. He was also on the faculty of psychology at the University of Michigan.
Major works
- Vasant HonavarVasant HonavarVasant G. Honavar is an Indian born computer scientist, and professor specializing in artificial intelligence at Iowa State University.He received his Ph.D. in 1990 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he worked with Leonard Uhr...
and Leonard Uhr. (Ed.) Artificial Intelligence and Neural Networks: Steps Toward Principled Integration. New York: Academic Press. 1994. ISBN 0-12-355055-6 - Leonard Uhr. Multi-Computer Architectures for Artificial Intelligence: Toward Fast, Robust, Parallel Systems. New York: Wiley. 1987. ISBN 0-471-84979-0
- Leonard Uhr (Ed.) Parallel Computer Vision. Boston: Academic Press. 1987. ISBN 0-12-706958-5
- Leonard Uhr. Algorithm Structured Computer Arrays and Networks: Architectures for Images, Percepts, Models, Information. Boston: Academic Press. 1984. ISBN 0-12-706960-7
- Leonard Uhr. Pattern Recognition, Learning, and Thought. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. 1973. ISBN 0-13-654095-3
- Leonard Uhr (Ed.) Pattern Recognition. New York: Wiley. 1966. ISBN 0-471-89600-4
- Leonard Uhr and James Miller (Ed.) Drugs and Behavior. New York: Wiley. 1960. ISBN 0-471-89595-4
- John C. Pollard, Leonard Uhr, Elizabeth Stern. Drugs and phantasy Boston: Little Brown and Company. 1965