Publication detail

Algorithm 1017: fuzzyreg: An R Package for Fitting Fuzzy Regression Models

ŠKRABÁNEK, P. MARTÍNKOVÁ, N.

English title

Algorithm 1017: fuzzyreg: An R Package for Fitting Fuzzy Regression Models

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

en

Original abstract

Fuzzy regression provides an alternative to statistical regression when the model is indefinite, the relationships between model parameters are vague, the sample size is low, or the data are hierarchically structured. Such cases allow to consider the choice of a regression model based on the fuzzy set theory. In fuzzyreg, we implement fuzzy linear regression methods that differ in the expectations of observational data types, outlier handling, and parameter estimation method. We provide a wrapper function that prepares data for fitting fuzzy linear models with the respective methods from a syntax established in R for fitting regression models. The function fuzzylm thus provides a novel functionality for R through standardized operations with fuzzy numbers. Additional functions allow for conversion of real-value variables to be fuzzy numbers, printing, summarizing, model plotting, and calculation of model predictions from new data using supporting functions that perform arithmetic operations with triangular fuzzy numbers. Goodness of fit and total error of the fit measures allow model comparisons. The package contains a dataset named bats with measurements of temperatures of hibernating bats and the mean annual surface temperature reflecting the climate at the sampling sites. The predictions from fuzzy linear models fitted to this dataset correspond well to the observed biological phenomenon. Fuzzy linear regression has great potential in predictive modeling where the data structure prevents statistical analysis and the modeled process exhibits inherent fuzziness.

English abstract

Fuzzy regression provides an alternative to statistical regression when the model is indefinite, the relationships between model parameters are vague, the sample size is low, or the data are hierarchically structured. Such cases allow to consider the choice of a regression model based on the fuzzy set theory. In fuzzyreg, we implement fuzzy linear regression methods that differ in the expectations of observational data types, outlier handling, and parameter estimation method. We provide a wrapper function that prepares data for fitting fuzzy linear models with the respective methods from a syntax established in R for fitting regression models. The function fuzzylm thus provides a novel functionality for R through standardized operations with fuzzy numbers. Additional functions allow for conversion of real-value variables to be fuzzy numbers, printing, summarizing, model plotting, and calculation of model predictions from new data using supporting functions that perform arithmetic operations with triangular fuzzy numbers. Goodness of fit and total error of the fit measures allow model comparisons. The package contains a dataset named bats with measurements of temperatures of hibernating bats and the mean annual surface temperature reflecting the climate at the sampling sites. The predictions from fuzzy linear models fitted to this dataset correspond well to the observed biological phenomenon. Fuzzy linear regression has great potential in predictive modeling where the data structure prevents statistical analysis and the modeled process exhibits inherent fuzziness.

Keywords in English

Fuzzy regression; fuzzy set; possibilistic-based fuzzy regression; statistics-based fuzzy regression; R

Released

26.06.2021

Publisher

ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY

Location

NEW YORK

ISSN

0098-3500

Volume

47

Number

3

Pages from–to

1–18

Pages count

18

BIBTEX


@article{BUT171969,
  author="Pavel {Škrabánek} and Natália {Martínková},
  title="Algorithm 1017: fuzzyreg: An R Package for Fitting Fuzzy Regression Models",
  year="2021",
  volume="47",
  number="3",
  month="June",
  pages="1--18",
  publisher="ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY",
  address="NEW YORK",
  issn="0098-3500"
}