Vilém Novák, Dipl. Ing., D.Sc., Prof.

Education:

• Mining University, Ostrava, Dipl. Ing., 1969-1975
• Charles University, Prague, PhD in Mathematical logic, 1982-1988
• Institute for System Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, DSc (doctor of sciences), 1995
• Palacky University, Olomouc, Associate Professor, 1995
• Masaryk University, Brno, Full Professor, 2001

Author or co-author of more than 300 scientific works. Known over 7000 citations of his books and papers.

Books and edited volumes:

1. Novak, V.: Fuzzy Sets and Their Applications, SNTL Publishing House, Prague, 1986 and 1990 (in Czech), Adam-Hilger, Bristol 1989.
   Awarded a price of the Czech Literal Fund in Prague, 1987.
2. Novak, V.: The Alternative Mathematical Model of Linguistic Semantics and Pragmatics. Plenum Publishing Corporation, New York in 1992.
3. Novak, V., I. Perfilieva and J. Mockor: Mathematical Principles of Fuzzy Logic, Kluwer, Boston/Dordrecht 1999. Translated into Russian, Nauka, Moscow 2006.
4. Novak, V.: Foundations of Fuzzy Modeling, BEN, Prague 2000, (in Czech).
5. Novak, V., Ramik, J., Mares, M., Cerny, M., Nekola, J. (eds.): Fuzzy Approach to Reasoning and Decision-Making. Kluwer, Dordrecht 1992, Academia, Praha 1992.
6. Novak, V., Perfilieva, I.(eds.): Discovering the World With Fuzzy Logic. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg 2000, 555 pp. (Studies in Fuzziness and Soft Computing, Vol. 57)
7. Novak, V., Perfilieva, I. and Dvorak, A.: Insight into Fuzzy Modeling. Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, USA 2016.

Major scientific achievements

Theoretical research

He is the author of several formal theories. These became the foundation for the development of methodologies that are implemented and have practical impact.

His research activities in theory are focused on:

1. Mathematical fuzzy logic and approximate reasoning
He developed the formal theory of predicate fuzzy logic with evaluated syntax. The results are summarized in the book Novak, V., Perfilieva I. and J. Mockor: Mathematical Principles of Fuzzy Logic, Kluwer, Boston/Dordrecht 1999. Furthermore, he developed a theory of higher order fuzzy logic. The seminal paper is V. Novak: On fuzzy type theory. Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 149:235-273, 2005. He also introduced special algebras called EQ-algebras. The basic paper is V. Novak and B. de Baets: EQ-algebras. Fuzzy Sets and Systems,160:2956-2978, 2009.


2. Mathematical modeling of linguistic semantics and fuzzy natural logic
He developed the theory of semantics of evaluative linguistic expressions (for example, ''deep, very shallow, medium big, large'', etc.). The seminal paper is V. Novak. A comprehensive theory of trichotomous evaluative linguistic expressions. Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 159(22):2939-2969, 2008. He introduced the concept and theory of Fuzzy Natural Logic. The basic paper is V. Novak. Fuzzy Natural Logic: Towards Mathematical Logic of Human Reasoning. In R. Seising, E. Trillas, and J. Kacprzyk, editors, Fuzzy Logic:Towards the Future, pages 137-165. Springer, 2015.


3. Theory of fuzzy and intermediate quantifiers
He introduced the formal theory of intermediate quantifiers (linguistic expressions such as ''most, many, a few'', etc.) and generalized syllogisms using them. The seminal paper is V. Novak. A formal theory of intermediate quantifiers. Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 159(10):1229-1246, 2008.

Development of methodologies and applications

He developed the special inference method called Perception-based logical deduction (PbLD) which makes it possible to mimic the human way of reasoning on the basis of information in natural language. The theoretical justification is based on the results mentioned in a., b. above.
His research activities in applications are focused on:

1. Fuzzy/linguistic control
He has developed a methodology for process control on the basis of expert information (linguistic control). The principal method is PbLD. This methodology has many successful applications. The most advanced is control of 5 aluminium melting furnaces in the company AlInvest, Bridlicna, Czech Republic (see V. Novak and J. Kovar: Linguistic IF-THEN rules in large scale application of fuzzy control. In Ruan Da and E. E. Kerre, editors, Fuzzy If-Then Rules in Computational Intelligence: Theory and Applications, pages 223-241. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, 2000).


2. Decision-making
He developed decision-making methodology based on the application of PbLD and time series processing (see V. Novak, I. Perfilieva, and N. G. Jarushkina: A general methodology for managerial decision making using intelligent techniques. In E. Rakus-Anderson, R. R. Yager, N. Ichalkaranje, and L. C. Jain, editors, Recent Advances in Fuzzy Decision-Making, pages 103-120. Springer, Heidelberg, 2009). There are several applications of it.


3. Processing of time series
He has developed a methodology for analysis, forecasting and mining information from time series using methods of fuzzy modeling, that are based on the theories mentioned above.

All methodologies and applications a.-c. are summarized in the book Novak, V., Perfilieva, I. and A. Dvorak: Insight into Fuzzy Modeling. Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, USA 2016.

Software development

He developed a prototype software that implements original algorithms for dealing with evaluative linguistic expressions, fuzzy/linguistic IF-THEN rules and the PbLD method. The software has been further extended to implement fuzzy (linguistic) control and decision making. The software is originally written in Borland Pascal. It was later on used as a standard for a new software which implements all the algorithms in C++. The latter software was written by the workers of IRAFM of the University of Ostrava.

Main topics of interest:

• mathematical fuzzy logic,
• approximate reasoning,
• modeling of natural language semantics,
• fuzzy control and various kinds of applications of fuzzy logic.

Personal interests:

• Music
  Own compositions:
  Vilem Novak: Stereotypes, Six pieces for piano (download scores) recordings
  Vilem Novak: Sonata Quasi Impromptu for piano (download scores)
  Vilem Novak: Hrozba/Threat, Toccata for piano (download scores)
  Vilem Novak: Preludy/Visions, Two pieces for flute and piano (download scores)
  
  Vilem Novak plays:
  Lubos Fiser: Sonata No. IV for Piano
  J. S. Bach: Prelude No. 1 C-major from Well Tempered Clavier
  C. Frank: Choral
  L. van Beethoven: Sonata f-minor "Appassionata", 1st movement