On the Fundamental Differences Between Interval Type-2 and Type-1 Fuzzy Logic Controllers

Interval type-2 fuzzy logic controllers (IT2 FLCs) have recently been attracting a lot of research attention. Many reported results have shown that IT2 FLCs are better able to handle uncertainties than their type-1 (T1) counterparts. A challenging question is the following: What are the fundamental differences between IT2 and T1 FLCs? Once the fundamental differences are clear, we can better understand the advantages of IT2 FLCs and, hence, make better use of them. This paper explains two fundamental differences between IT2 and T1 FLCs: 1) Adaptiveness, meaning that the embedded T1 fuzzy sets used to compute the bounds of the type-reduced interval change as input changes; and 2) Novelty, meaning that the upper and lower membership functions of the same IT2 fuzzy set may be used simultaneously in computing each bound of the type-reduced interval. T1 FLCs do not have these properties; thus, a T1 FLC cannot implement the complex control surface of an IT2 FLC given the same rulebase. We also present several methods to visualize and analyze the effects of these two fundamental differences, including the control surface, the P-map, the equivalent generalized T1 fuzzy sets, and the equivalent PI gains. Finally, we examine five alternative type reducers for IT2 FLCs and explain why they do not capture the fundamentals of IT2 FLCs.