Logic based on the concept of fuzzy sets, in which membership is expressed in varying probabilities or degrees of truth
that is, as a continuum of values ranging from 0 (does not occur) to 1 (definitely occurs). As additional data are gathered, many fuzzy-logic systems are able to adjust the probability values assigned to different parameters. Because some such systems appear able to learn from their mistakes, they are often considered a crude form of artificial intelligence . The term and concept date from a 1965 paper by Lotfi A. Zadeh
born 1921
.
Fuzzy-logic systems achieved commercial application in the early 1990s. Advanced clothes-washing machines, for example, use fuzzy-logic systems to detect and adapt to patterns of water movement during a wash cycle, increasing efficiency and reducing water consumption. Other products using fuzzy logic include camcorders, microwave ovens, and dishwashers. Other applications include expert systems , self-regulating industrial controls, and computerized speech-and handwriting-recognition programs.