Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory and Intelligent Informatics
Introducing Our Society
The Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory and Intelligent Informatics is an academic society whose mission is to elucidate, realize and apply intelligence comprehensively from all directions, including fuzzy theory. The Society spans multiple academic disciplines, expanding beyond the natural sciences and technology to include the humanities and social sciences. We are involved in extensive interdisciplinary research domains, supported by a diverse array of researchers, technicians and other members with a variety of backgrounds.
The Society’s history can be traced back to 1972, with the inception of the Fuzzy Systems Research Group. Following the inception of the Fuzzy Sciences Research Group in 1980, and the Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory in 1989, we adopted our current name, The Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory and Intelligent Informatics in January 2003. During this time, we have striven to expand the horizons of fuzzy theory and its applications by actively tackling problems related to “fuzziness” in the broader sense of the word, in terms of a superset of the concept of fuzziness, as characterized by Professor Zadeh’s membership function. In addition, we have incorporated and augmented expert systems as a field of applied artificial intelligence, as well as done so for various intelligent informatics technologies that emerged in the late 20th century, such as genetic algorithms (GA), neural networks and chaos theory. In the process, we have pioneered a new academic discipline called “soft computing” that investigates fuzziness and flexibility from a comprehensive viewpoint.
In this manner, since its founding, The Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory and Intelligent Informatics has mainly approached interdisciplinary issues centered on uncertainty. This underscores our intent to actively explore human subjectivity and imprecision in broad terms as concepts related to uncertainty, which traditional science and technology have tended to exclude from consideration. At present, interdisciplinary themes that model human behavior and subjectivity are rapidly expanding and changing. We must chart a clear course through the complex array of entangled fields. For example, in addition to macro-level modeling of intelligence, advances in our understanding of how the brain operates and techniques for observing human expressions and gestures have now created the need for modeling intelligence from new perspectives. Meanwhile, the progress of our IT-driven society is significantly transforming the location of knowledge and intelligence and the nodes where they appear, as well as methods for using and obtaining knowledge and intelligence.
In the 21st century, innovation in information and telecommunications technology has been proceeding relentlessly. In this context, humanity faces the challenge of figuring out how to transcend physical and electronic connections to bridge people’s feelings and sensitivities across the boundaries between people and machines, people and people, and providers and recipients of technologies and services.
That is why we are currently focusing on the five core fields of soft computing, human coexistence systems, Web intelligence, perception science and decision-making in the near term, while covering a diverse spectrum of truly interdisciplinary areas of problem-solving. These areas involve methodologies such as diagnosis, pattern recognition, modeling, human interface, multimedia, decision-making systems theory, organizational theory, mathematical design, evaluation, business administration, statistics, and data analysis covering specific technologies such as control, robotics, medicine and welfare, finance, construction and civil engineering, education, safety and security, plant management, artificial life, socio-economic systems and natural systems, etc., and extend all the way to psychology, natural linguistics, logic, mathematics and philosophy. We have also set our sights on fields that have great potential for the future. The Society will anticipate various changes in research, technology and the environment that concern intelligence, and continue to explore relevant guidelines.
As an open, interdisciplinary academic organization, The Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory and Intelligent Informatics will host forums for providing information and holding discussions using Internet technologies, while organizing symposiums, study groups, international conferences and other events, and editing and issuing society and academic journals as well as running a publishing business. In these ways, the Society will communicate vital information from Japan to the rest of the world. We look forward to the dedicated support of our members and other contributors from many different fields as we endeavor to reach our goals.