Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model using Intuitionistic Fuzzy Entropy and Variable Weight Theory

The aim of this research is to develop a new multi-criteria decision-making method that integrates an intuitionistic fuzzy entropy measure and variable weight theory to be implemented in different fields to provide a solution for MCDM problems when the available information is incomplete. A limited number of studies have considered determining decision maker’s weights by performing objective techniques, and almost all of these researches detected a constant weights for the decision makers. In addition, most of the MCDM studies were not formulated to perform sensitivity analysis. The new method is based on the TOPSIS model with an intuitionistic fuzzy entropy measure in the exponential-related function form and the engagement of the variable weight theory to determine weights for the decision-makers that vary as per attibutes. Lastly, a mathematical model was developed in this research to be as an input for developing the mobile-aplication based method in future for virtual use of the new MCDM method

Advances and Applications of Dezert-Smarandache Theory (DSmT) for Information Fusion (Collected Works), Vol. 4

The fourth volume on Advances and Applications of Dezert-Smarandache Theory (DSmT) for information fusion collects theoretical and applied contributions of researchers working in different fields of applications and in mathematics. The contributions (see List of Articles published in this book, at the end of the volume) have been published or presented after disseminating the third volume (2009, http://fs.unm.edu/DSmT-book3.pdf) in international conferences, seminars, workshops and journals. First Part of this book presents the theoretical advancement of DSmT, dealing with Belief functions, conditioning and deconditioning, Analytic Hierarchy Process, Decision Making, Multi-Criteria, evidence theory, combination rule, evidence distance, conflicting belief, sources of evidences with different importance and reliabilities, importance of sources, pignistic probability transformation, Qualitative reasoning under uncertainty, Imprecise belief structures, 2-Tuple linguistic label, Electre Tri Method, hierarchical proportional redistribution, basic belief assignment, subjective probability measure, Smarandache codification, neutrosophic logic, Evidence theory, outranking methods, Dempster-Shafer Theory, Bayes fusion rule, frequentist probability, mean square error, controlling factor, optimal assignment solution, data association, Transferable Belief Model, and others. More applications of DSmT have emerged in the past years since the apparition of the third book of DSmT 2009. Subsequently, the second part of this volume is about applications of DSmT in correlation with Electronic Support Measures, belief function, sensor networks, Ground Moving Target and Multiple target tracking, Vehicle-Born Improvised Explosive Device, Belief Interacting Multiple Model filter, seismic and acoustic sensor, Support Vector Machines, Alarm classification, ability of human visual system, Uncertainty Representation and Reasoning Evaluation Framework, Threat Assessment, Handwritten Signature Verification, Automatic Aircraft Recognition, Dynamic Data-Driven Application System, adjustment of secure communication trust analysis, and so on. Finally, the third part presents a List of References related with DSmT published or presented along the years since its inception in 2004, chronologically ordered

Development of Decision Making Techniques for Analysing the Designation of the Northern Sea Route (NSR)

The prospect of being able to shorten the route between Europe and the Far East using the NSR as a permanent shipping lane is attracting increasing interest. This is why the use of the NSR is now a major topic, especially in financial circles, amongst politicians, and shipping operators. Numerous assessments to determine the potential cost advantage of using the NSR as a transit route have been conducted throughout recent years. These are, however conflicting in their conclusions and a final answer to the question is therefore lacking. The primary aim of this research is the application of decision-making tools to analyse the current routes of the NSR. Accordingly, this will lead to the development of decision-making techniques that will formulate a tool for shipping companies to select the most cost-effective route(s) for travelling between the Far East and European regions

The PSEIKI Report—Version 2. Evidence Accumulation and Flow of Control in a Hierarchical Spatial Reasoning System

A fundamental goal of computer vision is the development of systems capable of carrying out scene interpretation while taking into account all the available knowledge. In this report, we have focused on how the interpretation task may be aided by expected-scene information which, in most cases, would not be in registration with the perceived scene. In this report, we describe PSEIKI, a framework for expectation-driven interpretation of image data. PSEIKI builds abstraction hierarchies in image data using, for cues, supplied abstraction hierarchies in a scene expectation map. Hypothesized abstractions in the image data are geometrically compared with the known abstractions in the expected scene; the metrics used for these comparisons translate into belief values. The Dempster-Shafer formalism is used to accumulate beliefs for the synthesized abstractions in the image data. For accumulating belief values, a computationally efficient variation of Dempster’s rule of combination is developed to enable the system to deal with the overwhelming amount of information present in most images. This variation of Dempster’s rule allows the reasoning process to be embedded into the abstraction hierarchy by allowing for the propagation of belief values between elements at different levels of abstraction. The system has been implemented as a 2- panel, 5-level blackboard in OPS 83. This report also discusses the control aspects of the blackboard, achieved via a distributed monitor using the OPS83 demons and a scheduler. Various knowledge sources for forming groupings in the image data and for labeling such groupings with abstractions from the scene expectation map are also discussed

Dynamics under Uncertainty: Modeling Simulation and Complexity

The dynamics of systems have proven to be very powerful tools in understanding the behavior of different natural phenomena throughout the last two centuries. However, the attributes of natural systems are observed to deviate from their classical states due to the effect of different types of uncertainties. Actually, randomness and impreciseness are the two major sources of uncertainties in natural systems. Randomness is modeled by different stochastic processes and impreciseness could be modeled by fuzzy sets, rough sets, Dempster–Shafer theory, etc

Fuzzy expert systems in civil engineering

Imperial Users onl

Compatibility matters: Assessing the risks of built heritage cleaning

Today, heritage conservation is a discipline torn between the objectivity of its material questions and the subjectivity of its stakeholders and practitioners, inherent to the fact that conservation is, first and foremost, a cultural act. Most current conservation perspectives advise for (conservation) decisions to be based on the significance of the heritage object. Following this approach, different management tools have emerged to assist conservation at site, local, national and international levels. Quite the opposite, in what concerns interventions, conservation is still largely viewed as an objective material problem, and decision-support tools at this level are still mainly focused on performance assessments. An exception to this rule is the Eight-step Planning Model, complemented by the (In)compatibility Assessment Procedure, proposed by Delgado Rodrigues & Grossi, which attempts to bridge the gap between the macro and micro levels of heritage conservation planning. Compatibility has been gathering momentum as a conservation principle, but it has been mostly dealt with from a purely material perspective and is still insufficiently defined, especially in scopes beyond product testing. Borrowing from the aforementioned (In)compatibility Assessment, the research presented herein argues that compatibility is an adequate operative concept to assist decision making and guide conservation interventions. The key for using the principle of compatibility at this level of heritage conservation is to link it to the significance of the (conservation) object. This is demonstrated by proposing a procedure for the planning of built heritage cleaning based on the assessment of its risks towards significance; using risk analysis as a development tool, this procedure intends to frame the subjectivity of decision making in heritage cleaning. From this research, it follows that the principle of compatibility may constitute a valuable bridge between the objectivity and the subjectivity of heritage conservation