This book is divided into three parts. The first part, “Mathematical Tools and New Developments”, provides basic tools to treat fuzzy set theory, rough set theory, fuzzy control, fuzzy modelling, decision support systems, and related applications. The second part, “Intelligent Engineering Applications”, reports on engineering problems such as man-machine interface, risk analysis, image processing, robotics, knowledge-based engineering, expert systems, process control integration, diagnosis, measurements and interpretation by intelligent techniques and soft computing used for general engineering applications. The third part, “Nuclear Engineering Applications”, concentrates on nuclear applications and covers several topics such as nuclear energy, nuclear safety assessment, radioactive waste management, nuclear measurements, nuclear safeguards, nuclear reactor operation, reactor controller design, fuel reload pattern design, signal validation, nuclear power plants, and optimizations in nuclear applications.

This book is divided into three parts. The first part, ?Mathematical Tools and New Developments?, provides basic tools to treat fuzzy set theory, rough set theory, fuzzy control, fuzzy modelling, decision support systems, and related applications. The second part, ?Intelligent Engineering Applications?, reports on engineering problems such as man-machine interface, risk analysis, image processing, robotics, knowledge-based engineering, expert systems, process control integration, diagnosis, measurements and interpretation by intelligent techniques and soft computing used for general engineering applications. The third part, ?Nuclear Engineering Applications?, concentrates on nuclear applications and covers several topics such as nuclear energy, nuclear safety assessment, radioactive waste management, nuclear measurements, nuclear safeguards, nuclear reactor operation, reactor controller design, fuel reload pattern design, signal validation, nuclear power plants, and optimizations in nuclear applications.

Following FLINS '94, the 1st International workshop on fuzzy logic and intelligent technologies in nuclear science, FLINS '96 aimed to introduce the principles of intelligent systems and soft computing, such as fuzzy logic, neural networks, genetic algorithms (and any combination of these three), knowledge-based expert systems and complex problem-solving techniques, in nuclear science and industry and in related fields.This volume presents carefully selected papers drawn from more than 20 countries. It covers theoretical aspects of intelligent systems and soft computing, together with their applications in nuclear science and industry.

Fuzzy systems and soft computing are new computing techniques that are tolerant to imprecision, uncertainty and partial truths. Applications of these techniques in nuclear engineering present a tremendous challenge due to its strict nuclear safety regulation. The fields of nuclear engineering, fuzzy systems and soft computing have nevertheless matured considerably during the last decade. This book presents new application potentials for Fuzzy Systems and Soft Computing in Nuclear Engineering. The root of this book can be traced back to the series of the first, second and third international workshops on Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Technologies in Nuclear Science (FUNS), which were successfully held in Mol, September 14-16, 1994 (FLINS'94), in Mol, September 25-27, 1996 (FLINS'96), and in Antwerp, September 14-16, 1998 (FLINS'98). The conferences were organised by the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKeCEN) and aimed at bringing together scientists, researchers, and engineers from academia and industry, at introducing the principles of fuzzy logic, neural networks, genetic algorithms and other soft computing methodologies, to the field of nuclear engineering, and at applying these techniques to complex problem solving within nuclear industry and related research fields. This book, as its title suggests, consists of nuclear engineering applications of fuzzy systems (Chapters 1-10) and soft computing (Chapters 11-21). Nine pertinent chapters are based on the extended version of papers at FLINS'98 and the other 12 chapters are original contributions with up-to-date coverage of fuzzy and soft computing applications by leading researchers written exclusively for this book.

FLINS is an acronym for Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Technologies in Nuclear Science. FLINS 2002 is the fifth in a series of FLINS conferences and covers state-of-the-art research and development in computational intelligence for applied research in general and for nuclear science and engineering in particular. This book outlines the trends in computational intelligence in control, decision-making, and nuclear engineering, and presents the latest developments of computational intelligent systems in applied research and nuclear applications.

A vivid example of the growing need for frontier physics experiments to make use of frontier technology is in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related themes.By AI we are referring here to the use of computers to deal with complex objects in an environment based on specific rules (Symbolic Manipulation), to assist groups of developers in the design, coding and maintenance of large packages (Software Engineering), to mimic human reasoning and strategy with knowledge bases to make a diagnosis of equipment (Expert Systems) or to implement a model of the brain to solve pattern recognition problems (Neural Networks). These techniques, developed some time ago by AI researchers, are confronted by down-to-earth problems arising in high-energy and nuclear physics. However, similar situations exist in other 'big sciences' such as space research or plasma physics, and common solutions can be applied.The magnitude and complexity of the experiments on the horizon for the end of the century clearly call for the application of AI techniques. Solutions are sought through international collaboration between research and industry.

This volume is a tribute to Professor Dr Da Ruan, who passed away suddenly on July 31, 2011, aged 50. The flood of emails that spread throughout the fuzzy logic research community with the tragic news was testimony to the respect and liking felt for this remarkable man. Da was a hardworking , highly productive scientist who, during his short life, published 35 books and more than 250 research papers in highly ranked journals and conference proceedings. He established two successful conferences, FLINS and ISKE, as well as the international journal, JCIS. This book is a collection of contributions from 88 of Da's academic friends from 47 institutes, presented in 60 chapters and over 70 pictures. A Foreword by Lotfi Zadeh begins Da's story. Section 1 provides an overview of Da's funeral on August 6, 2011. Part II outlines Da’s scientific life, his education, scientific career, publications and keynote talks. Part III presents testimonials by Da's colleagues of academic activities, including guest professorships and his many visits to foreign institutes. Part IV contains thirty contributions from colleagues and friends across the world to describe their collaborative experience with Da. We hope this book will keep the memory of Da alive – great scientist, great friend, great humanitarian. He will remain in our hearts forever.

FLINS, originally an acronym for Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Technologies in Nuclear Science, is now extended to Computational Intelligence for applied research. The contributions to the 11th of FLINS conference cover state-of-the-art research, development, and technology for computational intelligence systems, both from the foundations and the applications points-of-view.