A Survey on the Utilization of Fuzzy Logic–Based Technologies in Medicine and Healthcare

In this chapter, current published knowledge about fuzzy logic in medicine and healthcare is reviewed. The achievements of frontier research in this particular field within medical engineering are described. The justification of such a technology, embedded within the theme of soft computing (terminology first used by Professor L. A. Zadeh), lies in the fact that biological systems are so complex that the development of computerized systems within such environments is not always a straightforward exercise. In practice, a precise model may not exist for such systems, and these may prove very difficult to model. In most cases fuzzy systems are considered to be ideal tools, as human minds work from approximate data, extract meaningful information and produce crisp answers to complex problems. This chapter surveys the utilization of fuzzy logic based control and monitoring techniques in medical sciences with an analysis of its possible future penetration into the discipline.