Application of Cluster Analysis with Fuzzy Logic Elements for Ground Environment Assessment of Robotic Group

Abstract

Emergency situations, that cause risks for human life and health, dictate elevated requirements to completeness and accuracy of the presentation of information about current ground environment. Modern robotic systems include sensors, that operate on different physical principles. This causes incrementation of information entering control system. Computing resources and technical capabilities of robotic systems are limited in range and detection probabilities of appearing objects. In case of insufficient performance of the on-board computer system and high uncertainties of ground environment, robotic systems are not able to perform without combining information from robotic group and producing a single view of ground environment. Complex information from a group of robotic systems occurs in real time and a non-deterministic environment. To solve the problem of identifying attribute vectors related to a single object, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of obtained solutions, is possible using known formulas of the theory of statistical hypothesis testing and probability theory only under the normal distribution law with the known mathematical expectation of an attribute vector and a correlation matrix. However, these conditions are usually not met in practice. Problems also arise when methods of nonparametric statistics are used with an unknown law of probability distribution. The new method of identifying attribute vectors is proposed, that does not rely on a statistical approach and, therefore, does not require knowledge of the type of distribution law and the values of its parameters. Proposed method is based on the idea of combining cluster analysis and fuzzy logic, and is relatively simple to the basic methods of multidimensional nonparametric statistics. The results of modeling information processes are presented. The advantages of proposed method are shown. The comparative values for the number of false recognitions are given. The recommendations are given for constructing fuzzy inference rules when creating an expert system knowledge base.