Optical fuzzy logic for low-power satellite controller

Power consumption is often a major advantage of optics. When access to power is limited, such as for a satellite in geosynchronous orbit, power is often not only important, but critically important. Satellites rely on power for motion control, controlling yaw, pitch, and roll. An optical Fuzzy controller would overcome the problem of limited power. This paper explores the possibility of optical implementation of fuzzy logic for low-power optical fuzzy controllers. Recent advances in optical logic have suggested ways to overcome the problems that have plagued that field for over 40 years. In this paper the authors overviews recent advances in the optical implementation of Boolean logic and explores whether these or similar technologies might feasibly be applied to optical implementation of fuzzy logic. Specifically, the authors examines whether fuzzy logic might be productively implemented in an interferometric network in which weighting is accomplished by optical phase shifting of mutually coherent beams of light. This paper produces a optical fuzzy OR and lays the foundation for other fuzzy operators based on an interferometric network.