This book aims to present results of investigations, both experimental and theoretical, into the effectiveness of fuzzy algorithms as classification tools in some problems concerned with the field of pattern recognition and image processing. Compares results to those obtained with statistical classification techniques.

The fuzzy set was conceived as a result of an attempt to come to grips with the problem of pattern recognition in the context of imprecisely defined categories. In such cases, the belonging of an object to a class is a matter of degree, as is the question of whether or not a group of objects form a cluster. A pioneering application of the theory of fuzzy sets to cluster analysis was made in 1969 by Ruspini. It was not until 1973, however, when the appearance of the work by Dunn and Bezdek on the Fuzzy ISODATA (or fuzzy c-means) algorithms became a landmark in the theory of cluster analysis, that the relevance of the theory of fuzzy sets to cluster analysis and pattern recognition became clearly established. Since then, the theory of fuzzy clustering has developed rapidly and fruitfully, with the author of the present monograph contributing a major share of what we know today. In their seminal work, Bezdek and Dunn have introduced the basic idea of determining the fuzzy clusters by minimizing an appropriately defined functional, and have derived iterative algorithms for computing the membership functions for the clusters in question. The important issue of convergence of such algorithms has become much better understood as a result of recent work which is described in the monograph.

Soft computing is the common name for a certain form of natural information processing that has its original form in biology, especially in the function of human brain. It is a discipline rooted in a group of technologies such as fuzzy logic, neural networks, chaos, genetic algorithms, probabilistic reasoning and learning algorithms. Today, soft computing has become an acknowledged concept; however, for a long time, such components of soft computing have been debated and individually developed.Since its beginning in 1990, the series of IIZUKA conferences has covered various kinds of technologies that constitute soft computing. This series has played a pioneering role in promoting the development of a symbiotic relationship between the various technologies of soft computing.At IIZUKA'98, the 5th International Conference on Soft Computing and Information/Intelligent Systems, new developments and results in this field were introduced and discussed by researchers from academic, governmental and industrial institutions around the world.This volume presents the opening lecture by Prof. Walter J Freeman, the keynote speech by Dr Gen Matsumoto, the plenary lectures by 5 eminent researchers and about 230 carefully selected papers drawn from more than 25 countries. It documents current research and in-depth studies on the fundamental aspects of soft computing and their practical applications.

Pattern recognition (PR) consists of three important tasks: feature analysis, clustering and classification. Image analysis can also be viewed as a PR task. Feature analysis is a very important step in designing any useful PR system because its effectiveness depends heavily on the set of features used to realise the system.A distinguishing feature of this volume is that it deals with all three aspects of PR, namely feature analysis, clustering and classifier design. It also encompasses image processing methodologies and image retrieval with subjective information. The other interesting aspect of the volume is that it covers all three major facets of soft computing: fuzzy logic, neural networks and evolutionary computing.

This volume provides a collection of sixteen articles containing review and new material. In a unified way, they describe the recent development of theories and methodologies in pattern recognition, image processing and vision using fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, rough sets and wavelets with significant real life applications. The book details the theory of granular computing and the role of a rough-neuro approach as a way of computing with words and designing intelligent recognition systems. It also demonstrates applications of the soft computing paradigm to case based reasoning, data mining and bio-informatics with a scope for future research. The contributors from around the world present a balanced mixture of current theory, algorithms and applications, making the book an extremely useful resource for students and researchers alike. Contents: Pattern Recognition: Multiple Classifier Systems; Building Decision Trees from the Fourier Spectrum of a Tree Ensemble; Clustering Large Data Sets; Multi-objective Variable String Genetic Classifier: Application to Remote Sensing Imagery; Image Processing and Vision: Dissimilarity Measures Between Fuzzy Sets or Fuzzy Structures; Early Vision: Concepts and Algorithms; Self-organizing Neural Network for Multi-level Image Segmentation; Geometric Transformation by Moment Method with Wavelet Matrix; New Computationally Efficient Algorithms for Video Coding; Soft Computing for Computational Media Aesthetics: Analyzing Video Content for Meaning; Granular Computing and Case Based Reasoning: Towards Granular Multi-agent Systems; Granular Computing and Pattern Recognition; Case Base Maintenance: A Soft Computing Perspective; Real Life Applications: Autoassociative Neural Network Models for Pattern Recognition Tasks in Speech and Image; Protein Structure Prediction Using Soft Computing; Pattern Classification for Biological Data Mining. Readership: Upper level undergraduates, graduates, researchers, academics and industrialists.

Provides a self-contained description of this important aspect of information processing and decision support technology. Presents basic definitions, principles, applications, and a detailed bibliography. Covers a range of real-world examples including control, data mining, and pattern recognition.

Introduces educational units with various trends in Computing and Information Sciences. This title offers information on different topics such as: Evoultion of Processor Architecture; Hybrid Systems; Support Vector Machines; Paritioning Techniques for Reconfigurable Computing; and more.

Today we live in an information age: information has become a commodity, and every second thousands of new records are created. This explosion of massive data sets created by businesses, science and governments necessitates intelligent and more powerful computing paradigms so that users can benefit from this data. This information needs to be summarized and synthesized to support effective problem solving and decision making. The papers in this book assume an interdisciplinary approach based on three major methodologies: first, hybridization, i.e., combining methods in order to harness their strengths and avoid their shortcomings; second, multiphase processing, i.e., the step-wise preparation, evaluation and refinement of data; and, third, multi-agent and distributed processing, i.e., using intelligent agents as well as Web or grid architectures. The final vision of the authors is an intelligent information technology, encompassing theories and applications from, for example, artificial intelligence, data mining, grid computing, and statistical learning. This monograph presents the current state of research and development in both theoretical and application aspects of intelligent information analysis. It is a source of reference and includes numerous examples for researchers, graduate students and advanced professionals working in areas such as electronic commerce, business intelligence, and knowledge grids.

Fuzzy sets, near sets, and rough sets are useful and important stepping stones in a variety of approaches to image analysis. These three types of sets and their various hybridizations provide powerful frameworks for image analysis. Emphasizing the utility of fuzzy, near, and rough sets in image analysis, Rough Fuzzy Image Analysis: Foundations and