Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1993

Fuzzy Logic and Soft Computing: P r i n c i p l e s , Applications and Perspectives The seventh lecture was presented by the Faculty of Engineering on 26th October. Prof. Lotfi A. Zadeh, creator of the theory of fuzzy logic in 1965, was invited to give a public lecture on 'Fuzzy Logic and Soft Computing: Principles, Applications and Perspectives'. Now Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences and director of the Berkeley Initiative on Soft Computing at the University of California at Berkeley, Prof. Zadeh is still active in research on fuzzy logic and neural network theory. Fuzzy logic describes human activities, which are by nature imprecise, i n a mathematical and structured way. It recognizes the fact that there are many situations where an exact, quantitative or measurable description is unnecessary, and where imperfect (or 'fuzzy') information is sufficient to guide human decisions. Present- day applications o f fuzzy logic ranges from the guidance of spacecraft and robotics to the control of domestic appliances such as ricecookers and washing machines. In his lecture, Prof. Zadeh described soft computing as a collection of computing methodologies which were effective i n dealing w i t h problems havin g approximate solutions. Its principal aim is to exploit the tolerance for imprecision and uncertainty t o achieve tractability, robustness and low solution cost. The major constituents of soft computing are fuzzy logic, neural networks, and probabilistic reasoning. Computers armed w i t h these elements may imitate the decision-making processes of human minds, which have the ability to summarize data and focus on decision-relevant information. Prof. Zadeh also examined recent advances in fuzzy logic and soft computing and discussed their potential applications. 30th Anniversity Celebrations 3