INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS MODELING WITH REUSABLE FUZZY OBJECTS

In this article, we present a formalism for embedding fuzzy logic into object-oriented methodology in order to deal with the uncertainty and vagueness that pervade knowledge and object descriptions in the real world. We show how fuzzy logic can be used to represent knowledge in c onventional objects, while still preserving the essential features of object-oriented methodology. Fuzzy object attributes and relationships are defined and the framework for obtaining fuzzy generalizations and aggregations are formulated. Object's attributes in this formalism ar e viewed as hybrids of crisp and fuzzy characterizations. Attributes w ith vague descriptions are fuzzified and manipulated with fuzzy rules and fuzzy set operations, while others are treated as crisp sets. In a ddition to the fuzzification of the object's attributes, each object i s provided with a fuzzy knowledge base and an inference engine. The fu zzy knowledge base consists of a set of fuzzy rules and fuzzy set oper ators. Objects with a knowledge base and an inference engine are refer red to as intelligent objects. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.