Relation-based neurofuzzy networks with evolutionary data granulation

In this study, we introduce a concept of self-organizing neurofuzzy networks (SONFN), a hybrid modeling architecture combining relation-based neurofuzzy networks (NFN) and self-organizing polynomial neural networks (PNN). For such networks we develop a comprehensive design methodology and carry out a series of numeric experiments using data coming from the area of software engineering. The construction of SONFNs exploits fundamental technologies of computational intelligence (CI), namely fuzzy sets, neural networks, and genetic algorithms. The architecture of the SONFN results from a synergistic usage of NFN and PNN. NFN contributes to the formation of the premise part of the rule-based structure of the SONFN. The consequence part of the SONFN is designed using PNNs. We discuss two types of SONFN architectures with the taxonomy based on the NFN scheme being applied to the premise part of SONFN and propose a comprehensive learning algorithm. It is shown that this network exhibits a dynamic structure as the number of its layers as well as the number of nodes in each layer of the SONFN are not predetermined (as this is usually the case for a popular topology of a multilayer perceptron). The experimental results deal with well-known software data such as the NASA dataset concerning software cost estimation and the one describing software modules of the medical imaging system (MIS). In comparison with the previously discussed approaches, the self-organizing networks are more accurate and exhibit superb generalization capabilities. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.