Similarity based applications for data-driven concept and word models based on type-1 and type-2 fuzzy sets

In this paper we explore the practical application of the previously introduced approach [1] to generate fuzzy sets from interval-valued data. We demonstrate two specific example applications where we 1) generate type-1 fuzzy sets from interval-valued survey data for both words (e.g., neutral, excellent) and concepts (e.g., ambience, food) and 2) generate zSlices based general type-2 fuzzy set valued data from multiple iterations of a survey. We highlight the need for the simultaneous rating of both concepts and words in order to maintain context (including timeliness) of the resulting models. Further, in both example applications, we demonstrate using the Jaccard similarity measure how similarity measures can be employed to both relate and attribute word models to concept models (e.g., excellent food) and compare different concepts directly for different contexts (e.g., ambience in venue A vs. ambience in venue B). We provide interpretations for the resulting word/concept models and similarity values and highlight their utility, for example, for the data-driven generation of linguistic descriptions of venues. Finally, we highlight remaining questions and challenges both in technical terms and in application terms.