Clustering fuzzy data using the fuzzy em algorithm

Abstract

In this article, we address the problem of clustering imprecise data using finite mixtures of Gaussians. We propose to estimate the parameters of the mixture model using the fuzzy EM algorithm. This extension of the EM algorithm allows us to handle imprecise data represented by fuzzy numbers. First, we briefly recall the principle of the fuzzy EM algorithm. Then, we provide the update equations for the parameters of a Gaussian mixture model for fuzzy data. Experiments carried out on synthetic and real data demonstrate the interest of our approach for clustering data that are only imprecisely known. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.