This book is about Granular Computing (GC) - an emerging conceptual and
of information processing. As the name suggests, GC concerns computing
paradigm processing of complex information entities - information
granules. In essence, information granules arise in the process of
abstraction of data and derivation of knowledge from information.
Information granules are everywhere. We commonly use granules of time
(seconds, months, years). We granulate images; millions of pixels
manipulated individually by computers appear to us as granules
representing physical objects. In natural language, we operate on the
basis of word-granules that become crucial entities used to realize
interaction and communication between humans. Intuitively, we sense that
information granules are at the heart of all our perceptual activities.
In the past, several formal frameworks and tools, geared for processing
specific information granules, have been proposed. Interval analysis,
rough sets, fuzzy sets have all played important role in knowledge
representation and processing. Subsequently, information granulation and
information granules arose in numerous application domains. Well-known
ideas of rule-based systems dwell inherently on information granules.
Qualitative modeling, being one of the leading threads of AI, operates
on a level of information granules. Multi-tier architectures and
hierarchical systems (such as those encountered in control engineering),
planning and scheduling systems all exploit information granularity. We
also utilize information granules when it comes to functionality
granulation, reusability of information and efficient ways of developing
underlying information infrastructures.
