Pattern Recognition

Abstract

Pattern recognition is one of the oldest and most obvious application areas of fuzzy set theory. The term pattern recognition embraces a very large and diversified literature. It includes research in the area of artificial intelligence, interactive graphic computers, computer aided design, psychological and biological pattern recognition, linguistic and structural pattern recognition, and a variety of other research topics. One could possibly distinguish between mathematical pattern recognition (primarily cluster analysis) and nonmathematical pattern recognition. One of the major differences between these two areas is that the former is far more context dependent than the latter: a heuristic computer program that is able to select features of chromosomal abnormalities according to a physician’s experience will have little use for the selection of wheat fields from a photo-interpretation viewpoint. By contrast to this example, a well-designed cluster algorithm will be applicable to a large variety of problems from many different areas. The problems will again be different in structural pattern recognition, when, for instance, handwritten H’s shall be distinguished from handwritten A’s, and so on.