Information engineering
Information engineering is the engineering discipline that deals with the generation, distribution, analysis, and use of information, data, and knowledge in electrical systems. The field first became identifiable in the early 21st century.
The components of information engineering include more theoretical fields such as electromagnetism, machine learning, artificial intelligence, control theory, signal processing, and microelectronics, and more applied fields such as computer vision, natural language processing, bioinformatics, image computing">image processing">image computing, cheminformatics, autonomous robotics, mobile robotics, and telecommunications. Many of these originate from computer engineering, as well as other branches of engineering such as electrical engineering, computer science and bioengineering.
The field of information engineering is based heavily on Engineering and mathematics, particularly probability, statistics, calculus, linear algebra, optimization, differential equations, variational calculus, and complex analysis.
Information engineers often hold a degree in information engineering or a related area, and are often part of a professional body such as the Institution of Engineering and Technology or Institute of Measurement and Control. They are employed in almost all industries due to the widespread use of information engineering.
History
In the 1980s and 1990s term information engineering referred to an area of software engineering which has come to be known as data engineering in the 2010s and 2020s.Elements
Machine learning and statistics
Machine learning is the field that involves the use of statistical and probabilistic methods to let computers "learn" from data without being explicitly programmed. Data science involves the application of machine learning to extract knowledge from data.Subfields of machine learning include deep learning, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, semi-supervised learning, and active learning.
Causal inference is another related component of information engineering.
Control theory
Control theory refers to the control of dynamical systems, with the aim being to avoid delays, overshoots, or instability. Information engineers tend to focus more on control theory rather than the physical design of control systems and circuits.Subfields of control theory include classical control, optimal control, and nonlinear control.