Soft Computing

Soft Computing is the fusion/Combination of different

methodologies that were designed to give solutions to real world
problems, which are not modeled or too difficult to
model or solve mathematically or beyond the capacity of
conventional algorithms. It also provides flexible information
processing capability for handling real-life ambiguous situations.
Soft Computing (SC) is an emerging area in Computer Science that
is tolerant to imprecise and uncertain problems with partial truth
to achieve an approximate, robust and low-cost optimal solution.
The approach of Soft Computing techniques to solve complex
problems are adopting from the remarkable logical thinking power
of human and learn from mistakes in an imprecise or dynamic
scenario or in environment. SC solves tremendous number of
complex real-world problems in different sections such as stock
market predictions in business, computer aided diagnosis in
medical, handwriting recognition in fraud detection, image
retrieval, biometric application in image processing etc. and the
list go on.

The idea of soft computing was initiated in 1981 when Lotfi A.

Zadeh published his first paper on soft data analysis “What is Soft
Computing”.

As we already describe the aim of SC is, we design the approach

which is tolerant to imprecise and uncertain problems with partial
truth to achieve an approximate, robust and low-cost optimal
solution.

Soft Computing consists of numerous techniques that study the

biological processes such as reasoning, genetic evolution, survival
of the creatures and human nervous system. SC is an umbrella
term that thoroughly study the simulation of reasoning, human
nervous system and evolution in different fields. The Soft
Computing consists of several computing paradigms mainly :

1. Fuzzy Logic

2. Neural Network

3. Evolutionary Computation

Fuzzy Logic is a technique that understands the vagueness of a

solution and presents the solution with a degree of vagueness
which is practical to human decision. It is widely applied in several
applications of Artificial Intelligence for reasoning.

Neural Network is a network of artificial neurons, inspired by

biological network of neurons, that uses mathematical models as
information processing units to discover patterns in data which is
too complex to notice by human.

Evolutionary Computation is a family of optimization

algorithms that are inspired by biological evolution such as
Genetic Algorithm, survival of creatures such as Particle Swarm
Intelligence, Ant Colony Optimization, Artificial Bee Colony
optimization etc. or any biological processes

Hard Computing

The conventional algorithms, also called as Hard Computing use

to solve the different complex problem by standard mathematical
model or theory. But it also inefficient to solve real world problems
by taking more computation time. The conventional algorithms
require exact input data, use a precise methodology and generate a
precise output which make it a crisp system. If the input is not
exact then it fails. Examples of conventional algorithms are merge
sort, quick sort, binary search, greedy algorithm, dynamic
programming etc which are deterministic.

Soft Computing vs Hard Computing

1. The scientists are fascinated about the biological processes to
solve real world problems by simulating this processes to
robust algorithms and solve problems like a human mind in
uncertain environment with limited information whereas the
conventional algorithms ( hard computing) fail to solve due to
the strict principles. For example, conventional algorithms fail
when input is not known/exact whereas Soft Computing deals
with inexact information and generate a nearly optimal
solution for the problem.
2. The conventional algorithms strictly follow a specific set of
known steps to solve a problem whereas SC techniques are
heuristics.

3. Example: If we need to find out whether Bob is honest. A

hard computing algorithm would give an answer that is YES or
No. (1 or 0 in binary) whereas a SC technique (Fuzzy Logic)
would give an answer with membership degree such as
extremely honest (1), very honest (0.85), sometimes honest
(0.35), extremely dishonest (0.00), like a human.

4. Prediction Problem: Will tomorrow rain? Hard Computing

would solve the problem by using statistical techniques which
basically rely on user-driven hypothesis test that user defines
variables, functions and type of interaction. These type of
information can be manipulated and influence models.
Whereas the hypothesis of Soft Computing techniques would
scan all the predictor variables automatically and identify some
patterns in the data that help to come up with accurate
predictions. Such models have no chance to miss a notice of
unexpected and potentially important variables, thereby lead to
better accuracy.

By above discussion we see that the role model for soft computing
is the human mind. Soft Computing is basically optimization
technique to find solution of problems which are very hard to
answer. Optimization is the process of making something better.
Optimization is the process of adjusting the inputs to find the
minimum or maximum output or result. Optimization is the
mechanism by which one finds the maximum or minimum value of
a function or process. This mechanism is used in fields such as
physics,
chemistry, economics, and engineering where the goal is to
maximize efficiency, production or some other measure.
Optimization can refer to either minimization or maximization;

An engineer or scientist invent, or design new idea and optimization

improves that idea. Optimization consists in trying variations on initial
concept and using the information gained to improve on the idea. A
computer is the perfect tool for optimization as long as the idea or
variable influencing the idea can be input in electronic format. Feed the
computer some data and out comes the solution.

Soft Computing is a new multidisciplinary field, to construct new generation of

Artificial Intelligence, known as Computational Intelligence.

The main goal of Soft Computing is to develop intelligent machines to provide

solutions to real world problems, which are not modeled, or too difficult to model
mathematically.

Its aim is to exploit the tolerance for Approximation, Uncertainty, Imprecision,

and Partial Truth in order to achieve close resemblance with human like decision
making.
Soft computing is not a mixture, or combination, rather,
Soft computing is a partnership in which each of the partners

contributes a distinct methodology for addressing problems in its

domain. As we already describe t he four fields that constitute Soft
Computing (SC) are : Fuzzy Computing (FC), Evolutionary Computing (EC),

Neural computing (NC), and Probabilistic Computing (PC).

In principal the constituent methodologies in Soft computing are

complementary rather than competitive. Soft computing may be
viewed as a foundation component for the emerging field of
Conceptual Intelligence.

Soft Computing is still growing and developing . More new sciences are still
merging into Soft Computing.

Why soft computing approach?

Mathematical model & analysis can be done for relatively simple systems. More complex

systems arising in biology, medicine and management systems remain intractable to

conventional mathematical and analytical methods. Soft computing deals with imprecision,

uncertainty, partial truth and approximation to achieve tractability, robustness and low

solution cost. It extends its application to various disciplines of Engg. and science. Typically

human can:

1. Take decisions

2. Inference from previous situations experienced

3. Expertise in an area
4. Adapt to changing environment

5. Learn to do better

6. Social behaviour of collective intelligence

Intelligent control strategies have emerged from the above mentioned characteristics of

human/ animals. The first two characteristics have given rise to Fuzzy logic;2nd , 3rd and 4th

have led to Neural Networks; 4th , 5th and 6th have been used in evolutionary algorithms.

Computers are used in almost all disciplines that include science,

technology and medical science etc. Computing techniques are used to
find exact solutions of scientific problems. The solutions are attempted
on the basis of two valued logic and classical mathematics. However, all
real life problems cannot be handled by conventional methods. Zadeh,
who is known as the father of Fuzzy Logic has mentioned that humans
are able to resolve tasks of high complexity without measurement or
computation. Hence the need arose for developing systems that work on
Artificial Intelligence.

During the year 1955 John McCarthy organised Summer Research

Project on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to initiate research programmes in
AI.

AI became a field of research to build models and systems that act

intelligently without human intervention. In mid 1980s Zadeh focused
on building systems or making computers which can be think like
humans. For this purpose, the Machines’ ability to compute with
numbers which is named as hard computing has to be supplemented or
added by an
additional ability more similar to human thinking which is named as soft
computing.

The idea of soft computing was evolved in 1981 when Zadeh published his
paper on soft data analysis. Soft computing is a term coined by
Zadeh , combing a collection of computing techniques, spanning many fields that
fall under various categories in computational intelligence. Soft computing has
three
main branches, Fuzzy system, Evolutionary computation, Artificial Neural
computing which sub-sums Machine Learning (ML), Probabilistic Reasoning
(PR),
Belief Network, Chaos Theory, parts of Learning Theory and Wisdom Expert
System(WES).

Soft computing according to professor Zadeh is ‘an emerging approach to

computing which parallels the remarkable ability of the human mind to reason and
learn in an environment of uncertainty and imprecision’[Seising, 2000]. In general
it is a collection of computing tools and techniques shared by closely related
disciplines. Fuzzy logic is used to mimic the ability of the human mind to
effectively
employ modes of reasoning that are approximate rather than exact. Later Neural
network technique combined with fuzzy logic was employed in a wide variety to
adapt and learn from experience.
Characteristics of Neuro-Fuzzy & Soft Computing:

1. Human Expertise

2. Biologically inspired computing models

3. New Optimization Techniques

4. Numerical Computation

5. New Application domains

6. Model-free learning

7. Intensive computation

8. Fault tolerance

9. Goal driven characteristics

10. Real world applications