Fuzzy logic applications in technology assessment studies

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ludwig, Bjørn

Affiliations: Institute for Applied Mechanics, Technical University of Clausthal, Graupenstraße 3, D-38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany. Tel.: +49 5323 723126; Fax: +9 5323 722203; E-mail: Bjoern.Ludwig@tu-clausthal.de

Abstract: Discussions about Technology Assessment (TA) have increased in the last years. The aim is to provide entire knowledge about the consequences of recent and future applications of technologies. In this paper the problems of entire studies are treated. To ensure sustainability of technical applications it is necessary to consider unintentioned impacts and interactions. Performing such sustainable feasibility studies is characterized by modelling of the interactions between a technical system and its system environment. This is complicated by highly aggregated entities which resist a description with classical mathematics, like a formulation by a few elementary and measurable quantities. So the application of classic-analytical tools is restricted. However, these entities can be modeled with the methods of soft computing. It is possible to identify and estimate consequences of technical applications by examining dynamic systems verbally. Even differential equations can be solved by computing with words using fuzzy logic, as shown in case of the recycling of waste paper and glas in Germany.

Journal: Journal of Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 375-388, 1998