6 - Fuzzy logic fundamentals

Abstract

This chapter discusses that fuzzy logic-based control systems or simply fuzzy logic controllers (FLCs) are found in a growing number of products, from washing machines to speedboats, from air condition units to hand-held autofocus cameras. The success of fuzzy logic controllers is mainly due to their ability to cope with knowledge represented in a linguistic form instead of representation in the conventional mathematical framework. Control engineers have traditionally relied on mathematical models for their designs. However, the more complex a system, the less effective the mathematical model. This is the fundamental concept that provided the motivation for fuzzy logic and is formulated by Lofti Zadeh, the founder of fuzzy set theory, as the principle of incompatibility. The main advantage of fuzzy logic controllers is their ability to incorporate experience, intuition, and heuristics into the system instead of relying on mathematical models. This makes them more effective in applications where existing models are ill-defined and not reliable enough.