Copynght © IFAC ArtificIal Intelligence In Agnculture,

Makuhan , Chiba, Japan, 1998

AN INTELLIGENT CONTROL TECHNIQUE BASED ON FUZZY CONTROLS,

NEURAL NETWORKS AND GENETIC ALGORITHMS
FOR GREENHOUSE AUTOMATION

Tetsuo Morimoto and Yasushi Hashimoto

Dept ofBiomechanical Systems, Ehime University, Tarumi, Matsuy ama, 790, Japan

Abstract: To overcome the complexity and uncertainty of agricultural systems, a new

intelligent control technique, which mimics empirical human thinking and actions by
employing a fuzzy controller and two optimizers, is proposed. The control input is
environment (relative humidity) during storage and the control output is fruit responses
(water loss and skin color). The main controller is a fuzzy controller. Two optimizers I
and 11, consisting of neural networks and genetic algorithms, search for optimal I-steps
of setpoints of the environment and make an optimal tuning of a fuzzy controller
through simulations of the corresponding neural-network models. The complexities of
the measured data are first evaluated by the concept of chaos for identification. It is
found that this control technique was quite useful for the sophisticated controls of
agricultural systems such as agricultural robots. Copyrzght © 1998 1FAC

Keywords: Optimization, agricultural systems, chaos, fuzzy logic control, neural

networks, genetic algorithms

1. INTRODUCTION For identification, it is important to measure the

In recent years, due to the shortage of expert growers
and requests of higher quality of fruit in agriculture,
more effective control techniques are severely
required in greenhouses and plant factories. The
automation of plant production processes, including
storage process, makes up the labor shortage.
In general, however, it is difficult to realize the
optimization of plant production processes because
they can be defined as ill-defined processes
characterizing by nonlinearity and time-variation.
They also include many unknown factors in their
own systems. So, actual plant responses we can
measure look quite complex and uncertain. We can
indeed never observe the same responses as their
previous ones even under the same condition. These
uncertainties probably arise from their own
physiological nonlinerity, disturbances and noises.
complexity of the data. This one becomes possible by
introducing the concept of chaos (Crutchfield et aI. ,
1986; Ditto and Pecora, 1993). High complexity,
near random, of the data prevent their identification
(or modeling) performances (Matsuba, 1991). It has
been reported that plant responses such as a net
photosynthetic rate can be regarded as chaos
(Hirafuji and Kubota, 1994; Shabala et al. , 1997). If
plant (or fruit) responses are evaluated to be chaos,
they can be described by mathematical equations. It
looks, however, that actual plant (or fruit) responses
have two properties; chaos and randomness. Against
such systems, the use of neural networks seems to be
more effective than that of mathematical approaches.
Anyway, identification and prediction become
possible if the data can be defined as chaos, not
random. It is noted that uses of any scientific
approaches become impossible if they were evaluated
to be completely random.

61

In order to realize the optimization of complex
systems, it might be essential to mimic expert
grower's skills and thinking because they can treat
complex systems such as plant and fruit successfully
based on their own intuition and experience without
any priori information.
It is well known that intelligent approaches such as
neural networks, genetic algorithms and fuzzy
controls are effective tools for imitating the skilled
grower's actions and strategy. We have developed
several types of optimization techniques for
cultivation and storage processes using intelligent
approaches (Morimoto et al., 1996 and 1997a).
This paper presents a new intelligent control
technique to achieve optimization of agricultural
systems with the sophisticated actions. In the method,
fuzzy control, neural networks and genetic
algorithms are successfully employed for mimicking
the learning, decision and actions of a skilled grower.
Then, it was applied to two optimization problems.
One is an optimization of relative humidity during
the fruit storage process and the other is an
optimization of a fuzzy controller to optimally
control the relative humidity.
2. INTELLIGENT CONTROL TECHNIQUE
2.1 Chaos and fractal dimension
Plant responses measured by sensors contain noise
and disturbance and, furthermore, have their own
physiological uncertainties. Before implementing
identification (modeling), therefore, it is important to
investigate the complexities of such data and
possibilities for identification. In this study, the
concept of chaos is introduced to evaluate the
complexities of the measured data, aiming at better
identification (modeling) (Crutchfield et al. , 1986;
Ditto and Pecora, 1993). If the data were evaluated to
be chaos, they can be successfully identified using
scientific approaches such as neural networks. If they
are evaluated to be random, in contrary, their
identification are impossible.
Let {y(l), y(2), ... , y(N)} be the time series of the
data. Attractor is a geometric form ploUed in the
topological space of (y(m) , y(m+t), y(m+2-c), ... ,
y(m+[(N-m)l"t] -c) (m : initial time, -c: time lag). On the
other hand, the fractal dimension, D, was calculated
according to Higuchi's method (Higuchi, 1988) as
follows.
D = - log L(-c) / log -c
Mn
L(-c) cc -c- D , L(-c) = II"t l: Lm(-c)
I= J
62
le
L.n(-c) = l: { Iy(m +i-c) - y(m +(i-I)-c) I' Norm I"t }
m=J
Norm = (iV-I)! [(iV-m)/-c] . -c
Mn = [(iV-m)I"t], [ ]: Gauss' notation
2.2 An Intelligent control technique
Figure 1 shows an intelligent control system which
consists of a fuzzy controller and two optirnizers I
and IT comprising neural networks and genetic
algorithms. An optimizer I determines optimal
setpoints of the environment based on fruit (or plant)
responses and an optimizer 11 optimizes parameters
of a fuzzy controller, such as membership functions
and control rules. Comparing the control perform-
ances in various types of membership functions and
control rules, their optimal patterns are selected from
among them (Morimoto et 01. , 1997b).
The feature of this algorithm is to mimic human
thinking processes in decision and actions through
three steps: identification using neural networks
(="learning"), search for an optimal value using
genetic algorithms (="decision") and actions using a
fuzzy controller ("action"), in order to realize
optimization.
(1) Fuzzy controller
Fuzzy control techniques seem to be effective for
controlling complex ill-defined systems, in which a
skilled human operator plays an important role,
because they can quantitatively treat the expert
knowledge of a skilled grower by using membership
functions and linguistic control rules (Lee, 1990a). A
main controller is a fuzzy logic controller which
performs sophisticated controls of the environment in
the storage chamber, based on the optimal setpoints
determined by an optimizer I.
10,_ _ 1
1
"Decwon"
Sean:h for optimal setpoUlts
of envu-onment
(GeMIc: Illcorf11ua)
Fig. I. An intelligent control system consisting of a
fuzzy controller and two optimizers, I and 11,
which are both composed of neural networks
and genetic algorithms.
Fuzzy reasoning and defuzzification: A fuzzy
reasoning was conducted based on Mamdani' s
minimum operation rule. A center of area method
which calculates the center of gravity of the
possibility distribution of a control action was used
for defuzzification (Lee, 1990b).
(2) Optimizers I and 11
Optimizers I and IT, consisting of neural networks
and genetic algorithms, respectively find optimal
setpoints of environment and tune a fuzzy controller
optimally through simulation of their identified
neural-network models using genetic algorithms
(Morimoto et al., 1996, 1997a and 1997b).
(3) Neural networks
Neural networks are shown to be effective to perform
nonlinear mappings in patterns of information. They
mimic the biological human learning process and
can identify nonlinear relationships between inputs
and outputs of a system with their own high learning
abilities (Hunt, et al. , 1992). In an optimizer I, the
neural network is used for identifying fruit responses,
as affected by environment, during storage. In an
optimizer 11, on the other hand, it is used for
identifying the storage environment, as affected by
manipulated variables (e.g., ventilation), aiming at
the model simulation for controller alternation. The
learning algorithm of the neural networks is error
backpropagation (Rumelhart et aI. , 1986).
Model structure: The system parameter number, n,
and the hidden neuron number of the neural network,
nh, were determined through cross-validation and,
also, based on AlC (Ljung and Glad, 1994).
AlC = - 2In (maximum likelihood) + 2n
The data sampled were divided into two data sets:
training data set for training the neural network and
the test data set for evaluating the model accuracy.
(4) Genetic algorithms
Genetic algorithms are effective tools for finding an
optimal value in complex optimization problems.
They mimic the biological evolutionary process and
searches for an optimal value in parallel with a
multi-point search procedure, based on crossover and
mutation in genetics (Goldberg, 1989; Holland,
1992). Here, optimal setpoints of the environment
during storage (problem I) and optimal membership
functions and control rules in a fuzzy controller
(problem 11) are sought through simulation of the
identified models.
Definition of individual: The first step in the GA
application is to define an "individual" for genetic
63
evolution. Each individual represents a candidate for
an optimal solution (one possible solution to the
problem). If the solution consists of mth decision
variables {x), X2, ... , x.n}, then the individual can be
defined as {XI , X2, ... , xm}. A set of individuals is
called a "population".
Cording: The second step is to code all individuals as
finite-length binary strings to promote efficiency of
genetic operations.
Fitness: Fitness is an indicator for measuring
individual's quality for survival. Its concept is
similar to that of an objective function in
conventional optimization problems. Relatively good
individuals with higher fitness reproduce, and
relatively bad individuals with lower fitness die
during evolution. An individual with maximum
fitness means an optimal solution (Holland, 1992).
Procedure : Figure 2 shows a procedure of the genetic
algorithm. Step 1: The initial population consisting
of Ni types of individuals is generated at random.
Step 2: No types of individuals are added to the
original population from another population. Step 3:
Genetic operations, crossover and mutation, are
applied to those individuals. Through the crossover,
Ne sorts of individuals are newly created according to
the crossover rate Pe and, then, Nm sorts of
individuals are newly generated according to the
mutation rate Pm. From these operations, N (=Ni
+No+Ne +Nm ) types of individuals are obtained. Step
4: The fitness of all individuals is calculated using
the identified neural-network model. Step 5: Nr
individuals with higher fitness are selected and
retained for next generation. An optimal value can be
obtained by repeating these procedures.
...
' .. ...
--... ,.
AaolMr .
'
•• • ••
No
Fig. 2 Search algorithm by genetic algorithm.
 h(k) ~ Output
Input . expressed with 7-bit binary strings as follows:
[
h(k-n)
\'.b(k-I)
Time delay
Time delay
Fig. 3. A three-layer neural network for identifying
dynamic responses of the water loss Wh(k) and
the fungal development Dh(k) of fruit, as
affected by relative humidity h.
3. OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS AND
OPTIMIZERSTRUCTURES
An intelligent approach proposed here is applied to
two optimization problems in the fruit-storage
process.
3.1 Optimization of storage environment
Problem I: The most severe disorder during storage
seems to be the wilting of fruit. A higher humidity
prevents the evapotranspiration of fruit. However, a
continuously high humidity induces putrefaction
caused by fungi . So, it is found that an optimal value
of relative humidity does exist for the storage. From
these findings, an objective function FI(h) (h=h(k):
relative humidity, k=l , 2, ..., N: sampling time, N:
data number) was defined as follows:
N the error (E) between the desired value and the real
FI(h) = 1 / ~ (u'Wh (k) + f3'D h (k»)
k=l
where Wh(k) and Dh(k) are dynamic responses in the
water loss and the fungal development of the fruit, as
affected by relative humidity h (u, f3 : coefficients).
Thus, an optimization problem I is to determine
optimal I-step setpoints of relative humidity whi~h
maximize FI (h). The FI (h) is also used for fitness m
the genetic algorithm application.
Neural network architecture: Figure 3 shows a 3-
layer neural network in the case of identifying the
dynamic responses of Wh(k) and Dh(k). The current
outputs, Wh(k) and Dh(k), are estimated from the
(n+ 1)th historical input data {h(k), ..., h(k-n)} and
the two nth past historical output data {Wh(k-l), ... ,
Wh(k-n)} and {Oh (k-l), ..., Oh (k-n)} .
Genetic algorithm architecture: Since an optimal
value is given by I-step setpoints of relative humidity
64
(hI, .. ., hi), each parameter in an individual is
, . . ., hi = 0000101 . . . . 111000 1
Individual= hI'
3.2 Optimization of a fuzzy controller
Problem II: The optimization problem 11 is to select
optimal membership functions and control rules of a
fuzzy controller to optimally maintain the optimum
setpoints of the storage environment determined by
an optimizer I. Comparing the control performances,
the optimal patterns of membership functions and
control rules are selected. In this study, the control
input is the on-off operations of ventilation. An
objective function, F2 , representing the control
performance, is the error between the desired value
and the response of the relative humidity as follows :
N
F = L: ( h(k) - 85 )2
k=l
where h(k) is the dynamic response of the relative
humidity, as affected by the on-off of ventilation. The
aim in problem 11 is to select optimal membership
functions and control rules which minimize the
objective function. The control input (on-offtimes of
ventilation) are determined through fuzzy reasoning.
The on-off control, which means a control based on
the on-off of input, seems to be the simplest control
technique.
Figure 4 shows the membership functions to be tuned.
These functions have very simple and common
shapes. In this fuzzy reasoning, the operational time
(=on-time) of the ventilation (T) is estimated from
response of the relative humidity and its change rate
(Iill) . E: {AI= "low (L)" , A2="medium (M)" and
A3="high (H)"} , Iill: {BI= "negative high (NH)",
B2="zero (ZERO)" and B3= "positive high (PH)"} ,
T : {CI="zero (ZERO)", C2= "short (S)", C3=
"medium (M)" and C4= "slightly long (SL)" Cs=
"long (L)"}. Parameters on the x-axis (a, b and c) are
respectively basic values for shaping the three types
of membership functions. We assumed that the
membership functions on E, Iill and T are
respectively shaped by the multiples of the
corresponding basic values a, b and c.
Figure 5 shows the matrix for control rules. Here,
only three output fuzzy sets, XI , X2 and X3, in the
row, A2 , are objects for the tuning. Optimal values of
the three basic parameters (a, b and c) in the
membership functions and three fuzzy sets (XI , X 2
and X3) are determined so that the objective function
becomes minimum. Hence, the decision variable is
given by six parameters (a, b, c, XI, X2 , X3).
 Grade ofmemberslup Grade of memberslup 4. CONTROL PERFORMANCES

The optimal setpoints of the relative humidity are

determined using an optimizer I. Figure 6 shows the
time series of the optimal setpoints of the relative
humidity and the corresponding control
performances (simulation results) of the water loss

~
Wh(k) and the development of lesion ~(k) under
different division number, 1(/=1, 2, 3 and 4), of the
control process. Figure 7 shows comparison of the
values of the objective function. From the figure,
°0 t le le .(C: "'x
optimal setpoints in the 2-, 3- and 4-step divisions
Operal1OnaI time of ventilation, T have a same tendency, which have a slightly low
humidity during the first few days after storage and
Fig. 4. Membership functions of the error E, the then higher humidity. Also, the values of fitness were
change rate !lE, and the operational time T of the larger in the 2-, 3- and 4-step division than in the 1-
ventilation. step division. This shows that, for storage
optimization, a flexible control is more effective than
a constant control for realizing the qualitative
~ Low Med High
improvement of fruit.
Negative M
High
ZERO Xl
Next, a fuzzy controller, optimally tuned by an
ZERO ZERO X2 SL optimizer 11, controls the relative humidity at the
Possitive S L
High X3
0.8 r--------------,
......... I ....tep division
- - - 2....tep division
Fig. 5. A matrix representing the control rules. lO.6 - f t - 3 ....tep division

- - 4....tep division ......

] 0.4
Thus, an optimization problem 11 is to determine Is
optimal fuzzy parameters of (a, b, c, XI, X2, X3) ~ 0.2
which maximize F2 (h). The F2(h) is also used for the
fitness in the genetic algorithm application.
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Days after storage
Neural network architecture: A three-layer neural
network was used for identifying the dynamic ~
N
1500
......... l-stcp division
responses of the relative humidity h(k), as affected by
ventilation (single input and single output system). !ii 1000
- - - 2-s!cp
- f t - 3-stcp
division
division
e - - 4-stcp division
j
Definition of individual: In the optimization 11,
since the decision variable is given by three basic ~
;;
500

parameters (a, b and c) in three membership function 00

and three parameters (XI, X2 and X3) in the control ~ 0

0 2 3 4 S 6 7 8
rules, an individual is defined as follows . Days after storage

~ lOO .............. ./,y..............................

All parameters to be determined were coded as 6-bit
~ 80
binary strings. Co ......... I steps
:.;:;
.~ 60 --0-- 2 steps
---0-- 3 steps
3.3 Experimental condition ::c - 4 steps
Apples (Golden Delicious) and oranges (Iyokan) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
were used for the experiment. A storage chamber Days after storage
used here is a thermo-hygrostat (Tabai-espec, LHU-
Fig. 6. Optimal setpoints of relative humidity and the
112M) where air temperature and relative humidity
corresponding control performances of the
are controlled at the accuracy of 0.1°Cand 2O/oRH,
water loss and the fungal development of fruits
respectively.
under different division number.

65
 3~---------------------, 95
8
--Optimal fuzzy on-otf control
] 2.8
...... ... Simple on-otf control
.i 2.6
• .• .• . Desired value

:s'2.4
'Cl
g 2 .2

:; 2
1 ltepo 2 atepo 3 ltepo 4 atepo
Division number
80
o 30 60 90 120
Time (min)
Fig. 7. Comparison of the values of the objective
function under different division number of the
control process.

optimal setpoints. Figure 8 shows a comparison of

the control performances of the relative humidity in
the fruit storage house between an optimal fuzzy on-
off control and a simple on-off control which means
a conventional on-off feedback control with relay
operation. The control aim is to reduce the relative
humidity and then maintain it at the optimal value
(85 o/oRH). It is found that the performance of a fuzzy
on-off control is superior to that of a simple on-off
control. The control accuracy of the relative humidity
was significantly improved by using this control
technique.
5. CONCLUSION
An intelligent control technique proposed here was
shown to be effective on the optimization of
unknown nonlinear systems in agriculture with
elaborate and sophisticated matters.
REFERENCES
Crutchfield, J.P., 1.D. Farmer, N.H. Packard and RS.
Shaw (1986). Chaos. Scientific American,
December, 38-51.
Ditto, W.L. and L.M. Pecora (1993). Mastering
chaos. SCientific American, August, 62-68.
Goldberg, D. (1989). Genetic algorithms in search,
optimization and machine learning, Addison-
Wesley.
Higuchi, T. (1988). Approach to an irregular time
series on the basis of the fractal theory. Physica,
D31 , 277-283 .
Hirafuji, M. and T. Kubota (1994). Chaos of plant
growth under changing environment. Environ-
ment Control in Biology, 32(1), 31-39.
Holland, 1. H. (1992) Genetic algorithms.
Scientific American, July, 44-50.
Hunt K.1., Sbarbaro, D., Zbikowski, R and
Gawthrop, PJ. (1992). Neural networks for
control systems - Survey. Automatica, 28(6):
1083-1112.
30 60 90 120
Time (min)
Fig. 8. Optimal fuzzy control performance of the
relative humidity in the storage chamber as
affected by ventilation.
Lee, C.C. (1990a). Fuzzy logic in control systems:
fuzzy logic controller - part I. IEEE Trans. Sys.,
Man , Cyber., 20(2), 404-418.
Lee, C.C. (1990b). Fuzzy logic in control systems:
fuzzy logic controller - part 11. IEEE Trans. Sys.,
Man, Cyber. , 20(2),419-435.
Ljung, L. and T. Glad (1994). Modeling of dynamic
systems. PTR Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey.
Matsuba, I. (1991). Application of neural sequential
associator to long-term stock price prediction.
Proc, ofInternational Joint Conference of Neural
Networks, 1196-1201.
Morimoto, T., Hatou, K., and Hashimoto, Y. (1996).
Intelligent control for plant production system.
Control Engineering Practice, 4(6) : 773-784.
Morimoto, T. , W. Purwanto, 1. Suzuki and Y.
Hashimoto (1997a). Optimization of heat
treatment for fruit during storage using neural
networks and genetic algorithms. Computers and
Electronics in Agriculture, 19, 87-101.
Morimoto, T., 1. Suzuki and Y. Hashimoto (1997b).
Optimization of a fuzzy controller for fruit storage
using neural networks and genetic algorithms.
Engineering Applications ofArtifiCial Intelligence ,
10(5), 453-461.
Rumelhart, D.E., G.E. Hinton and RJ. Williams
(1986). Learning representation by back-
propagation error. Nature, 323(9), 533-536.
Shabala, S., R Delbourgo and I. Newman (1997).
Observations of bifurcation and chaos in plant
physiological responses to light. Aust. J. Plant
Physiol., 24, 91-96.

66