Optimization of Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Controller Design Using the GSO and FA Algorithms

This paper presents a comparative study between the firefly algorithm (FA) and the galactic swarm optimization (GSO) method, where the performance of both methods is observed and tested in the optimization of a fuzzy controller for path tracking of an autonomous mobile robot. The main contribution of this work is finding the best method that generates an optimal vector of values for the membership function optimization of the fuzzy controller. This with the goal of improving the performance of the controller and thus the trajectory generated by the autonomous robot is closer to the desired trajectory. It should be noted that the fuzzy controller that is optimized is an interval type-2 fuzzy controller, which has a greater capability for managing uncertainty than a type-1 fuzzy controller. In this case, the limiting membership functions in the interval type-2 fuzzy sets are themselves type-1 fuzzy sets that define the footprint of uncertainty. Type-2 fuzzy controllers have been shown in previous works to handle better the control of robotic systems under noisy and dynamic conditions and this is why their optimal design is very important. Simulation results show that GSO outperforms FA in the optimal design of interval type-2 fuzzy controllers.