Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems - Volume 36, issue 4

Authors: Koczy, Laszlo T. | Purvinis, Ojaras | Susniene, Dalia

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract:  To interpret and to process the answers to questionnaires with large amount of questions may be not easy task. They are multidimensional data, sometimes with high dimensionality (in the hundreds). Therefore, it is necessary that some data reduction approach should be employed. On the other hand, answers to specific questions in questionnaires are imprecise, and the type and degree of imprecision is determined by the kind of the questions. The authors of the paper consider the imprecise answers to management type questions using a numerical scale as fuzzy degrees, and based on the semantic connections among the individual questions, a …hierarchical structure is assumed. The paper suggests the use of factor analysis in order to determine this hierarchical structure, and thus the construction of fuzzy signatures from the tree graph representing the connections among the questions and answers, and the values normalized into membership degrees are assigned to the leaves of this tree. An interesting issue is how to determine the aggregations at the intermediate nodes. This may happen based on management science domain expert knowledge, and validated by the obtained results. Kohonen maps are used to demonstrate the clusters emerging among the overall fuzzy degrees representing the Fuzzy Signatures. The evaluation brings some results that partly confirm soft science based assumptions about employee behavior in the literature, and partly bring some interesting novel recognitions that may be brought in feedback to the original management science related problem, where the new method is illustrated. Show more

Keywords: Fuzzy signature, questionnaires, Kohonen maps, clustering, factor analysis

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-18548

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3739-3749, 2019

Authors: Liu, Zhicai | Alcantud, José Carlos R. | Qin, Keyun | Pei, Zheng

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract:  This paper reviews and compares theories of fuzzy sets and soft sets from the perspective of transformation, and we prove that every fuzzy set on a universe U can be considered as a soft set, and show that any soft set can be regarded as even a fuzzy set. This paper presents two mapping methods to implement the transformation, namely, the methods of the binary-coded genetic algorithm (BCGA) and the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operators. In practical applications, it can be used to establish the membership function of fuzzy sets, and it can also be applied to pattern recognition, …decision-making, etc. In general, it provides a new perspective to observe the relationship between soft sets and fuzzy sets, and it can be regarded as a general strategy to establish the membership function of fuzzy sets. Further, it reveals that the transformation method is similar to the process of building neurons, which opens a door to machine learning for soft set theory. Show more

Keywords: fuzzy sets, soft sets, binary-coded, IOWA operator, equivalent transformation

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-18559

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3751-3764, 2019

Authors: Megherbi, Hassina | Megherbi, Ahmed Chaouki | Benmahammed, Khier

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In this paper, we propose the accommodation of the semantic-based interpretability in evolutionary linguistic fuzzy controller through an overlap-based encoding strategy for the triangular membership function (MF) parameters. With this strategy, the coverage and the distinguishability aspect of the fuzzy partitions are guaranteed during the evolution. The idea behind this proposal is that the set of the membership functions forming the fuzzy partition are defined as overlapped functions instead of separate functions subjected to some constraints as the most previous works do. To test the design technique, simulations were performed to optimize direct-drive DC motor fuzzy controller. Simulation results show …that fuzzy partition interpretability is guaranteed and the evolved FLC exhibits high performances in slow and fast tracking, as compared with the conventional PD controller. Show more

Keywords: Evolutionary linguistic fuzzy controller, accuracy and interpretability trade-off, semantic-based interpretability, membership function parameter representation, coverage/distinguishability of the fuzzy partitions, overlap-based representation, direct-drive DC motor

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-18637

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3765-3778, 2019

Authors: Jithish, J. | Sankaran, Sriram

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract:  In recent years, networked control systems (NCS) have attracted considerable attention due to their potential in addressing the challenges of modern control problems in various domains. Developing NCS to automate and control physical processes in such scenarios are often met with a multitude of engineering challenges both at the networks and control aspects of the system design. Along with data security, securing NCS against possible adversarial activities is critical to ensure system stability and operator safety. In this work, we leverage a framework from evolutionary biology called the Lotka-Volterra (L-V) competition model to analyze the impact of time-delays in an …NCS compromised by an adversary. Our analysis reveals that the additional-time delays introduced by the adversary negatively impact NCS stability. We further propose a fuzzy logic based defense mechanism to compensate for the time-delays introduced by the adversary. Evaluation in MATLAB/Simulink based TRUETIME simulation test-bed demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach in securing the NCS against adversarial time delays. Show more

Keywords: Networked control systems, Lotka-Volterra, fuzzy logic, time-delays, stability, security, TRUETIME

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-18688

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3779-3790, 2019

Authors: Joulaei, Maryam | Mirbolouki, Mahnaz | Bagherzadeh-Valami, Hadi

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In classical models of data envelopment analysis, the identification of factors as input or output factors has been assumed. In the last decade, research on the impact of flexible factors on the assessment of the efficiency of decision-making units has been expanded. Flexible factors are factors that cannot be categorized precisely as input or output factors. In this paper, unlike former studies, the classification of fuzzy flexible measures is addressed. Here, two kinds of absolute and fuzzy classifications are introduced for fuzzy flexible factors. In fact, the proposed classifier fuzzy models, unlike the absolute input/output classifications in former models, …is such that part of the flexible measures can play input role for all DMUs and the rest are treated as output. The advantage of a fuzzy classification is the ability to make a unique decision on defining the type of each flexible measure. This feature prevents an inhomogeneous status of decision making units. Show more

Keywords: Data envelopment analysis, input and output factors, flexible measures, fuzzy numbers

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-18698

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3791-3800, 2019

Authors: Wang, Peng | Liu, Peide

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Schweizer-Sklar T-norm and T-conorm (SSTT), as an important class of the T-norm (TN) and T-conorm (TC), have greater flexibility in the information fusion process, and the Maclaurin symmetric mean (MSM) has a prominent advantage that it can take into account the interrelationships among the multi-input arguments, including multi-attributes or multi-experts in the multi-attribute group decision making (MAGDM), and it is also the generalization of many existing operators. In order to make full use of the advantages of both SSTT and MSM, we extend SSTT to intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs) and define Schweizer-Sklar operational rules of IFNs. Then, we combine the …MSM with Schweizer-Sklar operational rules, and propose the intuitionistic fuzzy Schweizer-Sklar Maclaurin symmetric mean (IFSSMSM) operator, the intuitionistic fuzzy Schweizer-Sklar weighted Maclaurin symmetric mean (IFSSWMSM) operator, respectively. Furthermore, we study some desirable characteristics of them and develop a new method based on these operators to deal with some MAGDM problems. Finally, some examples of practical applications are presented to show the availability and advantages of the proposed method by comparing with some existing methods. Show more

Keywords: Intuitionistic fuzzy set, Schweizer-Sklar T-norm and T-conorm, Maclaurin symmetric mean, Multi-attribute group decision making (MAGDM)

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-18801

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3801-3824, 2019

Authors: Rehmana, Atiq-ur | Ashraf, Samina | Qayyum, Madiha

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In this paper, we present some new results in the form of inequalities connecting transitivity of the given fuzzy preference relation with its consistent behaviour. The additive and multiplicative generators of t-norms and t-conorms play the key role in establishing these results.

Keywords: Fuzzy relation, Triangular norm, Triangular conorm, T-transitivity, S-transitivity, Implication

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-18850

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3825-3832, 2019

Authors: Xu, Yuan | Shang, Xiaopu | Wang, Jun | Zhang, Runtong | Li, Weizi | Xing, Yuping

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The recently proposed picture fuzzy set (PFS) is a powerful tool for handling fuzziness and uncertainty. PFS is characterized by a positive membership degree, a neutral membership degree, and a negative membership degree, making it more suitable and useful than the intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) when dealing with multi-attribute decision making (MADM). The aim of this paper is to develop some aggregation operators for fusing picture fuzzy information. Considering the Muirhead mean (MM) is an aggregation technology which can consider the interrelationship among all aggregated arguments, we extend MM to picture fuzzy context and propose a family of picture fuzzy …Muirhead mean operators. In addition, we investigate some properties and special cases of the proposed operators. Further, we develop a novel method to MADM in which the attribute values take the form of picture fuzzy numbers (PFNs). Finally, a numerical example is provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed method. Show more

Keywords: Picture fuzzy set, multi-attribute decision making, aggregation operators, Muirhead mean

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-172130

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3833-3849, 2019

Authors: Nie, Cuiping | Nie, Tao | Sun, Hongxia

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper proposes the H-average tree solution based on a graph game with fuzzy characteristic function. This solution is a generalization of the classical average tree solution, and is an imputation of a graph game with fuzzy characteristic function. When the game is cycle-free the H-average tree solution is the unique solution that satisfies component efficiency and component fairness. The interval average tree solution is introduced. Furthermore, we show the relationship between the H-average tree solution and the interval average tree solution. A practical application of the proposed model in outsource production is given.

Keywords: Graph game with fuzzy characteristic function, H-average tree solution, imputation, interval average tree solution

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-17502

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3851-3856, 2019

Authors: Markechová, Dagmar | Riečan, Beloslav

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In the paper, we define the Shannon-typeentropyof experiments in the intuitionistic fuzzy case and derive its basic properties. Subsequently, the results concerning the entropy are used to introduce the concept of mutual information of intuitionistic fuzzy experiments. In addition, we define the Kullback-Leibler divergenceand its conditional versionin the intuitionistic fuzzy caseand examine the algebraic properties of the proposed quantities. The results are explained with several examples to illustrate the developed theory.

Keywords: Intuitionistic fuzzy set, IF-partition, Shannon entropy, mutual information, Kullback-Leibler divergence

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-18053

Citation: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 3857-3867, 2019