Some reflections on soft computing, granular computing and their roles in the conception, design and utilization of information/intelligent systems

Abstract

We are living in a world which is undergoing profound changes brought about by rapid advances in science and technology. Among such changes, the most visible are those that relate to what is popularly referred to as the information revolution. The artifacts of this revolution are all around us: the e-mail, the world wide web, the cellular phone; the fax; and the desktop computer, among many others. Linked to the information revolution is another revolution — the intelligent systems revolution. The manifestations of this revolution are not as obvious as those of the information revolution because they involve, for the most part, not new products but higher MIQ (Machine IQ) of existing systems, products and devices. Among the familiar examples are smart appliances, smart cameras, smart robots and smart software for browsing, diagnosis, fraud detection and quality control. The information and intelligent systems revolutions are in a symbiotic relationship. Intelligence requires information and vice-versa. The confluence of intelligent systems and information systems leads to intelligent information systems. In this sense, the union of information systems, intelligent systems and intelligent information systems constitutes what might be referred to as information/intelligent systems, or I/IS for short. In my perception, in coming years, the design, construction and utilization of information/intelligent systems will become the primary focus of science and technology, and I/IS systems will become a dominant presence in our daily lives. When we take a closer look at information/intelligent systems what we see is the increasingly important role of soft computing (SC) in their conception, design and utilization. Basically, soft computing is an association of computing methodologies which includes as its principal members fuzzy