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Robotic arms have been widely used in industrial fields. However, researchers have seldom considered the factors affecting the actual factory environment. For example, when objects are conveyed in a factory, conveyor belts are often used to dynamically plan the overall production line. In addition, each object requires multiple checkpoints for repeated audits and inspections to ensure its quality. In this study, a vision-based robotic arm system equipped with multiple functionalities was developed. The development process consisted of three steps: detecting multiple dynamic objects, determining the size of each object, and identifying object defects. In the first step, You Only Look Once was used to detect multiple dynamic objects on a conveyor belt in real time. In the second step, the original image of the object was converted into a grayscale image, and the edge contour of the object was drawn using a Canny edge detection algorithm. Objects in the image were then rotated for vertical and horizontal projections, and then an artificial neural network (ANN) was used to calculate the size of each object. In the third step, a convolutional fuzzy neural network (CFNN) was used to identify object defects. This network was divided into an input layer, a convolution pooling layer, a feature fusion layer, a fuzzy layer, a regular layer, and a defuzzification layer. According to the experimental results, the standard error of the mean between the object size obtained by the ANN and the actual size was 0.009. In addition, the accuracy, recall, precision, and F1-score obtained by the CFNN in object defect detection were 0.9580, 0.9535, 0.9535, and 0.9535, respectively. Compared with other deep neural network models, such as AlexNet and LeNet, the proposed CFNN has fewer parameters and higher performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precision of the machining tool in computer numerical control (CNC) machining is affected by several factors. For example, cutting parameters considerably affect machining accuracy and tool wear. Tool wear results in the manufacture of substandard products. Therefore, predicting tool wear is crucial in CNC machining. In this study, we proposed a backpropagation neural network (BPNN) to predict tool wear. In machine learning, backpropagation is a widely used algorithm for training artificial neural networks. The proposed BPNN considered the variation of tool wear with different cutting parameters, such as the spindle speed, feed, cutting depth, and cutting time. The experimental results revealed that the root mean square error of the BPNN prediction model was less than that of the linear regression prediction model. Furthermore, the proposed model achieved a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9964, which indicated that the BPNN model can accurately predict tool wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning has accomplished huge success in computer vision applications such as self-driving vehicles, facial recognition, and controlling robots. A growing need for deploying systems on resource-limited or resource-constrained environments such as smart cameras, autonomous vehicles, robots, smartphones, and smart wearable devices drives one of the current mainstream developments of convolutional neural networks: reducing model complexity but maintaining fine accuracy. In this study, the proposed efficient light convolutional neural network (ELNet) comprises three convolutional modules which perform ELNet using fewer computations, which is able to be implemented in resource-constrained hardware equipment. The classification task using CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 datasets was used to verify the model performance. According to the experimental results, ELNet reached 92.3% and 69%, respectively, in CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 datasets; moreover, ELNet effectively lowered the computational complexity and parameters required in comparison with other CNN architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is one of the common causes of cancer deaths. Early detection and treatment of lung cancer is essential. However, the detection of lung cancer in patients produces many false positives. Therefore, increasing the accuracy of the classification of diagnosis or true detection by computed tomography (CT) is a difficult task. Solving this problem using intelligent and automated methods has become a hot research topic in recent years. Hence, we propose a 2D convolutional neural network (2D CNN) with Taguchi parametric optimization for automatically recognizing lung cancer from CT images. In the Taguchi method, 36 experiments and 8 control factors of mixed levels were selected to determine the optimum parameters of the 2D CNN architecture and improve the classification accuracy of lung cancer. The experimental results show that the average classification accuracy of the 2D CNN with Taguchi parameter optimization and the original 2D CNN in lung cancer recognition are 91.97% and 98.83% on the Lung Image Database Consortium and Image Database Resource Initiative (LIDC-IDRI) dataset, and 94.68% and 99.97% on the International Society for Optics and Photonics with the support of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (SPIE-AAPM) dataset, respectively. The proposed method is 6.86% and 5.29% more accurate than the original 2D CNN on the two datasets, respectively, proving the superiority of proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturers of printed circuit boards (PCBs) typically use automated optical inspection (AOI) machines to test their PCBs. However, AOI machines employ conventional image-processing methods. If the integrated circuit (IC) components are not identical to the golden samples, then the AOI machine registers those IC components as flaws. Conventional image-processing methods cause misjudgments and increase the cost of manual reviews. Character-verification and image-classification systems are proposed in this paper for detecting misplaced, missing, and reversed-polarity parts. The regions of IC components can be identified on PCBs by using the contour border-detection method. Through the proposed convolutional neural network (CNN) structure and refinement mechanism, the characters can be successfully recognized. The image-classification system was applied only to images with blurry characters. Different CNN learning structures were used in both systems, and the refinement mechanism was used in both systems to improve the results. The proposed character-verification and image-classification methods achieved 98.84% and 99.48% passing rates, and the amount of required training time was less than that of other methods, demonstrating the proposed methods' greater effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a two-stage algorithm for automatic text detection and recognition. In the first stage, using a stroke width transform and an improved connected component, an edge analysis method detects a candidate character region. Subsequently, a text region is located by filtering and linking characters with similar font sizes and colors. For the second stage, a histogram of oriented gradient is employed as a feature descriptor, and a neural network classifier is built with dynamic-group-based hybrid particle swarm optimization (DGHPSO) for character recognition. In DGHPSO, each group's threshold value of similarity depends on the threshold values of fitness and distance. In addition, a local search algorithm is used to improve the search for a global optimum. The proposed algorithm was experimentally validated; it outperformed a number of recently published studies in terms of the text recognition rate when tested on the ICDAR 2003 database and the Street View Text database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When photographs are being taken in an outdoor environment, the medium in air will cause light attenuation and further reduce image quality, and this impact is especially obvious in a hazy environment. Reduction of image quality results in the loss of information, which renders an image recognition system unable to identify objects in the image. In order to eliminate the hazy effect on images and improve the visual quality, this paper presents an efficient method combining the fuzzy inference system and the neural network filter to solve image dehazing. During dehazing, the fuzzy inference system is adopted to estimate the variations in light attenuation, and the erosion of morphological operation and the neural network filter are used to eliminate the halation and achieve optimization in transmission map refinement. Finally, the brightest 1% of the atmospheric light is utilized to calculate the color vector of atmospheric light to eliminate color cast. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method is superior to other dehazing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to distinguish the vehicle detection and count the class number in each classification from the inputs. We proposed the use of Fuzzy Guided Scale Choice (FGSC)-based SSD deep neural network architecture for vehicle detection and class counting with parameter optimization. The 'FGSC' blocks are integrated into the convolutional layers of the model, which emphasize essential features while ignoring less important ones that are not significant for the operation. We created the passing detection lines and class counting windows and connected them with the proposed FGSC-SSD deep neural network model. The 'FGSC' blocks in the convolution layer emphasize essential features and find out unnecessary features by using the scale choice method at the training stage and eliminate that significant speedup of the model. In addition, FGSC blocks avoided many unusable parameters in the saturation interval and improved the performance efficiency. In addition, the Fuzzy Sigmoid Function (FSF) increases the activation interval through fuzzy logic. While performing operations, the FGSC-SSD model reduces the computational complexity of convolutional layers and their parameters. As a result, the model tested Frames Per Second (FPS) on edge artificial intelligence (AI) and reached a real-time processing speed of 38.4 and an accuracy rate of more than 94%. Therefore, this work might be considered an improvement to the traffic monitoring approach by using edge AI applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study presents a reinforcement evolutionary learning algorithm (REL) for the self-evolving neural fuzzy inference networks (SENFIN). By applying functional link neural networks (FLNN) as the consequent part of the fuzzy rules, the proposed SENFIN model combines orthogonal polynomials and linearly independent functions in a functional expansion of the FLNN. The SENFIN model can generate the consequent part of a nonlinear combination of the input variables. An efficient reinforcement evolutionary learning algorithm (REL), which consists of structure learning and parameter learning, is also presented. The structure learning is to determine the number of fuzzy rules. It adopts a subgroup symbiotic evolution to yield several variable fuzzy systems and uses an elite-based structure strategy to find the suitable number of fuzzy rules for solving a specific problem. The parameter learning is to adjust parameters of the SENFIN. It is a hybrid evolutionary algorithm, i.e., combining the cooperative particle swarm optimization and the cultural algorithm, called the cultural cooperative particle swarm optimization (CCPSO). As the result, the CCPSO approach can increase the global search capacity by using the belief space. In this paper the proposed NFIN with an efficient reinforcement evolutionary learning algorithm had been evaluated by two reinforcement learning applications, i.e., to balance the cart–pole system and the ball and beam system. Experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed approach performs well in reinforcement learning problems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study proposes a Rule-Based Symbiotic MOdified Differential Evolution (RSMODE) for Self-Organizing Neuro-Fuzzy Systems (SONFS). The RSMODE adopts a multi-subpopulation scheme that uses each individual represents a single fuzzy rule and each individual in each subpopulation evolves separately. The proposed RSMODE learning algorithm consists of structure learning and parameter learning for the SONFS model. The structure learning can determine whether or not to generate a new rule-based subpopulation which satisfies the fuzzy partition of input variables using the entropy measure. The parameter learning combines two strategies including a subpopulation symbiotic evolution and a modified differential evolution. The RSMODE can automatically generate initial subpopulation and each individual in each subpopulation evolves separately using a modified differential evolution. Finally, the proposed method is applied in various simulations. Results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed RSMODE learning algorithm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study presents a functional neural fuzzy network (FNFN) for classification applications. The proposed FNFN model adopts a functional neural network (FLNN) to the consequent part of the fuzzy rules. Orthogonal polynomials and linearly independent functions are used for a functional expansion of the FLNN. Thus, the consequent part of the proposed FNFN model is a nonlinear combination of input variables. The FNFN model can construct its structure and adapt its free parameters with online learning algorithms, which consist of structure learning algorithm and parameter learning algorithm. The structure learning algorithm is based on the entropy measure to determine the number of fuzzy rules. The parameter learning algorithm, based on the gradient descent method, can adjust the shapes of the membership functions and the corresponding weights of the FLNN. Finally, the FNFN model is applied to various simulations. The simulation results for the Iris, Wisconsin breast cancer, and wine classifications show that FNFN model has superior performance than other models for classification applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Kernel-based nonlinear characteristic extraction and classification algorithms are popular new research directions in machine learning. In this paper, we propose an improved photometric stereo scheme based on improved kernel-independent component analysis method to reconstruct 3D human faces. Next, we fetch the information of 3D faces for facial face recognition. For reconstruction, we obtain the correct normal vector’s sequence to form the surface, and use a method for enforcing integrability to reconstruct 3D objects. We test our algorithm on a number of real images captured from the Yale Face Database B, and use three kinds of methods to fetch characteristic values. Those methods are called contour-based, circle-based, and feature-based methods. Then, a three-layer, feed-forward neural network trained by a back-propagation algorithm is used to realize a classifier. All the experimental results were compared to those of the existing human face reconstruction and recognition approaches tested on the same images. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed improved kernel independent component analysis (IKICA) method is efficient in reconstruction and face recognition applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The implementation of adaptive neural fuzzy networks (NFNs) using field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) is proposed in this study. Hardware implementation of NFNs with learning ability is very difficult. The backpropagation (BP) method in the learning algorithm is widely used in NFNs, making it difficult to implement NFNs in hardware because calculating the backpropagation error of all parameters in a system is very complex. However, we use the simultaneous perturbation method as a learning scheme for the NFN hardware implementation. In order to reduce the chip area, we utilize the traditional non-linear activation function to implement the Gaussian function. We can confirm the reasonableness of NFN performance through some examples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper introduces a recurrent neural-fuzzy network (RNFN) based on improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) for pattern recognition applications. The proposed IPSO method consists of the modified evolutionary direction operator (MEDO) and the traditional PSO. A novel MEDO combining the evolutionary direction operator (EDO) and the migration operation is also proposed. Hence, the proposed IPSO method can improve the ability of searching global solution. Experimental results have shown that the proposed IPSO method has a better performance than the traditional PSO in the human body classification and the skin color detection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, we proposed a new technique to compensate the backlight images. Two processing stages, called the backlight level detection and the backlight image compensation, are proposed. In the backlight level detection stage, we first transferred the color space to gray space by feature weighting, then obtain two backlight factors. We apply these two backlight factors to the proposed functional-link-based neuro-fuzzy network (FNFN) with immune particle swarm optimization (IPSO) for detecting compensation degree. In the backlight image compensation stage, we also proposed the adaptive cubic curve method to compensate and enhance the brightness of backlight images according to the compensation degree of each image. The backlight degree is indicated by histograms of the luminance distribution in the backlight level detection stage. The experiment results showed that the backlight images can be compensated effectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes a self-constructing wavelet network (SCWN) controller for nonlinear systems control. The proposed SCWN controller has a four-layer structure. We adopt the orthogonal wavelet functions as its node functions. An online learning algorithm, structure learning and parameter learning, allows the dynamic determining of the number of wavelet bases, and adjusting the shape of the wavelet bases and the connection weights. The SCWN controller is a highly autonomous system. Initially, there are no hidden nodes. They are created and begin to grow as learning proceeds. Computer simulations have been conducted to illustrate the performance and applicability of the proposed learning scheme. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper introduces implementation of a wavelet neural network (WNN) with learning ability on field programmable gate array (FPGA). A learning algorithm using gradient descent method is not easy to implement in an electronic circuit and has local minimum. A more suitable method is the particle swarm optimization (PSO) that is a population-based optimization algorithm. The PSO is similar to the GA, but it has no evolution operators such as crossover and mutation. In the approximation of a nonlinear activation function, we use a Taylor series and a look-up table (LUT) to achieve a more accurate approximation. The results of the two experiments demonstrate the successful hardware implementation of the wavelet neural networks with the PSO algorithm using FPGA. From the results of the experiment, it can be seen that the performance of the PSO is better than that of the simultaneous perturbation algorithm at sufficient particle sizes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A recurrent wavelet-based neuro fuzzy network (RWNFN) is proposed in this paper. The proposed RWNFN integrates wavelet transforms with fuzzy rules. Temporal relations are embedded in the network by adding feedback connections from memory units in the third layer of a feedforward wavelet-based neuro fuzzy network (WNFN). The RWNFN augments the basic ability of the WNFN to overcome temporal problems. Moreover, an online learning algorithm is proposed to automatically construct the RWNFN. Computer simulations were conducted to illustrate the performance and applicability of the proposed system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a wavelet-based recurrent fuzzy neural network (WRFNN) for prediction and identification of nonlinear dynamic systems. The proposed WRFNN model combines the traditional Thkagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) fuzzy model and the wavelet neural networks (WNN). This paper adopts the nonorthogonal and compactly supported functions as wavelet neural network bases. Temporal relations embedded in the network are caused by adding some feedback connections representing the memory units into the second layer of the feedforward wavelet-based fuzzy neural networks (WFNN). An online learning algorithm, which consists of structure learning and parameter learning, is also presented. The structure learning depends on the degree measure to obtain the number of fuzzy rules and wavelet functions. Meanwhile, the parameter learning is based on the gradient descent method for adjusting the shape of the membership function and the connection weights of WNN. Finally, computer simulations have demonstrated that the proposed WRFNN model requires fewer adjustable parameters and obtains a smaller rms error than other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A manufacturer's fabric first undergoes an abrasion test and manual visual inspection to grade the fabric prior to shipment to ensure that there are no defects present. Manual visual classification consumes a considerable amount of human resources. Furthermore, extended use of the eyes during visual inspection often causes occupational injuries, resulting in a decrease in the efficiency of the entire operation. In order to overcome and avoid such situations, this study proposed the use of deep principal components analysis-based neural networks (DPCANNs) for fabric pilling identification. In the proposed DPCANN, the characteristics of the hairball were automatically captured using deep principal components analysis (DPCA), and the hairball class was identified using the neural network and the support vector machine (SVM). The experimental results showed that the proposed DPCANN has an average accuracy of 99.7% at the hairball level, which is in line with the needs of the industry. The results also confirmed that the proposed hairball classification method is superior to other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to implement a functional neuro-fuzzy network (FNFN) for solving nonlinear control problems. A functional link neural network (FLNN) was used as the consequent part of the proposed FNFN model. This study adopted the linear independent functions and the orthogonal polynomials in a functional expansion of the FLNN. Thus, the design of the FNFN model could improve the control accuracy. The learning algorithm of the FNFN model was divided into structure learning and parameter learning. The entropy measurement was adopted in the structure learning to determine the generated new fuzzy rule, whereas the gradient descent method in the parameter learning was used to adjust the parameters of the membership functions and the weights of the FLNN. In order to obtain high speed operation and real-time application, a very high speed integrated circuit hardware description language (VHDL) was used to design the FNFN controller and was implemented on FPGA. Finally, the experimental results demonstrated that the proposed hardware implementation of the FNFN model confirmed the viability in the temperature control of a water bath and the backing control of a car. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]