Reasoning about computational resource allocation

Abstract

Anytime Algorithms are algorithms that exchange execution time for quality of results. Since many computational tasks are too complicated to be completed at real-time speeds, anytime algorithms allow systems to intelligently allocate computational time resources in the most effective way, depending on the current environment and the system's goals. This article briefly covers the motivations for creating anytime algorithms, the history of their development, a definition of anytime algorithms, and current research involving anytime algorithms.