Neuro Fuzzy And Soft Computing

Neuro-Fuzzy and Soft Computing provides the first comprehensive treatment of the constituent methodologies underlying neuro-fuzzy and soft computing, an evolving branch of computational intelligence. The constituent methodologies include fuzzy set theory, neural networks, data clustering techniques, and several stochastic optimization methods that do not require gradient information. In particular, the authors put equal emphasis on theoretical aspects of covered methodologies, as well as empirical observations and verifications of various applications in practice. The book is well suited for use as a text for courses on computational intelligence and as a single reference source for this emerging field. To help readers understand the material the presentation includes more than 50 examples, more than 150 exercises, over 300 illustrations, and more than 150 Matlab scripts. In addition, Matlab is utilized to visualize the processes of fuzzy reasoning, neural-network learning, neuro-fuzzy integration and training, and gradient-free optimization (such as genetic algorithms, simulated annealing, random search, and downhill Simplex method). The presentation also makes use of SIMULINK for neuro-fuzzy control system simulations. All Matlab scripts used in the book are available on the free companion software disk that may be ordered by using the enclosed reply card. The book also contains an "Internet Resource Page" to point the reader to on-line neuro-fuzzy and soft computing home pages, publications, public-domain software, research institutes, news groups, etc. All the HTTP and FTP addresses are available as a bookmark file on the companion software disk.

Fuzzy sets were introduced by Zadeh (1965) as a means of representing and manipulating data that was not precise, but rather fuzzy. Fuzzy logic pro vides an inference morphology that enables approximate human reasoning capabilities to be applied to knowledge-based systems. The theory of fuzzy logic provides a mathematical strength to capture the uncertainties associ ated with human cognitive processes, such as thinking and reasoning. The conventional approaches to knowledge representation lack the means for rep resentating the meaning of fuzzy concepts. As a consequence, the approaches based on first order logic and classical probablity theory do not provide an appropriate conceptual framework for dealing with the representation of com monsense knowledge, since such knowledge is by its nature both lexically imprecise and noncategorical. The developement of fuzzy logic was motivated in large measure by the need for a conceptual framework which can address the issue of uncertainty and lexical imprecision. Some of the essential characteristics of fuzzy logic relate to the following [242]. • In fuzzy logic, exact reasoning is viewed as a limiting case of ap proximate reasoning. • In fuzzy logic, everything is a matter of degree. • In fuzzy logic, knowledge is interpreted a collection of elastic or, equivalently, fuzzy constraint on a collection of variables. • Inference is viewed as a process of propagation of elastic con straints. • Any logical system can be fuzzified. There are two main characteristics of fuzzy systems that give them better performance für specific applications.

The neuro-fuzzy approach to pattern recognition-a unique overview Recent years have seen a surge of interest in neuro-fuzzy computing, which combines fuzzy logic, neural networks, and soft computing techniques. This book focuses on the application of this new tool to the rapidly evolving area of pattern recognition. Written by two leaders in neural networks and soft computing research, this landmark work presents a unified, comprehensive treatment of the state of the art in the field. The authors consolidate a wealth of information previously cattered in disparate articles, journals, and edited volumes, explaining both the theory of neuro-fuzzy computing and the latest methodologies for performing different pattern recognition tasks in the neuro-fuzzy network-classification, feature evaluation, rule generation, knowledge extraction, and hybridization. Special emphasis is given to the integration of neuro-fuzzy methods with rough sets and genetic algorithms (GAs) to ensure more efficient recognition systems. Clear, concise, and fully referenced, Neuro-Fuzzy Pattern Recognition features extensive examples and highlights key applications in speech, machine learning, medicine, and forensic science. It is an extremely useful resource for scientists and engineers in laboratories and industry as well as for anyone seeking up-to-date information on the advantages of neuro-fuzzy pattern recognition in new computer technologies.

Soft computing is a consortium of computing methodologies that provide a foundation for the conception, design, and deployment of intelligent systems and aims to formalize the human ability to make rational decisions in an environment of uncertainty and imprecision. This book is based on a NATO Advanced Study Institute held in 1996 on soft computing and its applications. The distinguished contributors consider the principal constituents of soft computing, namely fuzzy logic, neurocomputing, genetic computing, and probabilistic reasoning, the relations between them, and their fusion in industrial applications. Two areas emphasized in the book are how to achieve a synergistic combination of the main constituents of soft computing and how the combination can be used to achieve a high Machine Intelligence Quotient.

Traditional Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems adopted symbolic processing as their main paradigm. Symbolic AI systems have proved effective in handling problems characterized by exact and complete knowledge representation. Unfortunately, these systems have very little power in dealing with imprecise, uncertain and incomplete data and information which significantly contribute to the description of many real world problems, both physical systems and processes as well as mechanisms of decision making. Moreover, there are many situations where the expert domain knowledge (the basis for many symbolic AI systems) is not sufficient for the design of intelligent systems, due to incompleteness of the existing knowledge, problems caused by different biases of human experts, difficulties in forming rules, etc. In general, problem knowledge for solving a given problem can consist of an explicit knowledge (e.g., heuristic rules provided by a domain an implicit, hidden knowledge "buried" in past-experience expert) and numerical data. A study of huge amounts of these data (collected in databases) and the synthesizing of the knowledge "encoded" in them (also referred to as knowledge discovery in data or data mining), can significantly improve the performance of the intelligent systems designed.

The concept of soft computing is still in its initial stages of crystallization. Presently available books on soft computing are merely collections of chapters or articles about different aspects of the field. This book is the first to provide a systematic account of the major concepts and methodologies of soft computing, presenting a unified framework that makes the subject more accessible to students and practitioners. Particularly worthy of note is the inclusion of a wealth of information about neuro-fuzzy, neuro-genetic, fuzzy-genetic and neuro-fuzzy-genetic systems, with many illuminating applications and examples.

This volume comprises selected chapters that cover contemporary issues of the development and the application of neuro-fuzzy techniques. Developing and using neural networks, fuzzy logic systems, genetic algorithms and statistical methods as separate techniques, or in their combination, have been research topics in several areas such as mathematics, engineering, computer science, physics, economics and finance. Here the latest results in the fields are presented from both theoretical and practical point of view. The volume has four main parts. Part one presents generic techniques and theoretical issues while part two, three and four deal with practically oriented models, systems and implementations.

The advent of the computer age has set in motion a profound shift in our perception of science -its structure, its aims and its evolution. Traditionally, the principal domains of science were, and are, considered to be mathe matics, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy and related disciplines. But today, and to an increasing extent, scientific progress is being driven by a quest for machine intelligence - for systems which possess a high MIQ (Machine IQ) and can perform a wide variety of physical and mental tasks with minimal human intervention. The role model for intelligent systems is the human mind. The influ ence of the human mind as a role model is clearly visible in the methodolo gies which have emerged, mainly during the past two decades, for the con ception, design and utilization of intelligent systems. At the center of these methodologies are fuzzy logic (FL); neurocomputing (NC); evolutionary computing (EC); probabilistic computing (PC); chaotic computing (CC); and machine learning (ML). Collectively, these methodologies constitute what is called soft computing (SC). In this perspective, soft computing is basically a coalition of methodologies which collectively provide a body of concepts and techniques for automation of reasoning and decision-making in an environment of imprecision, uncertainty and partial truth.