System lets A.I. play chemist to save months of work - Futurity

You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.0 International license. A new system combines artificial neural networks with infrared thermal imaging to control and interpret chemical reactions with precision and speed that far outpace conventional methods. Machine learning algorithms can predict stock market fluctuations, control complex manufacturing processes, enable navigation for robots and driverless vehicles, and much more. Now, researchers are tapping a new set of capabilities in this field of artificial intelligence with their new technique. "This system can reduce the decision-making process about certain chemical manufacturing processes from one year to a matter of weeks…" The researchers developed and tested the new method on microreactors that allow chemical discoveries to take place quickly and with far less environmental waste than standard large-scale reactions.