Using the notion of a vaguely defined object, we systematize and unify different existing approaches to vagueness and its mathematical representations, including fuzzy sets and derived concepts. Moreover, a new, approximative approach to vaguely defined objects will be introduced and investigated.

We compare alternative definitions of undirected graphical models for discrete, finite variables. Lauritzen [7] provides several definitions of such models and describes their relationships. He shows that the definitions agree only when joint distributions represented by the models are limited to strictly positive distributions. Heckerman et al. [6], in their paper on dependency networks, describe another definition of undirected graphical models for strictly positive distributions. They show that...

A visual system prototype that detects anomalies or defects in real time under normal lighting operating conditions was built for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The system prototype is basically a learning machine that integrates the three elements of soft computing, Fuzzy Logic (FL), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and Genetic Algorithm (GA) schemes to process the image, run the learning process, and finally detect the anomalies or defects. The system acquires the image, performs segmentation...