Introducing Fuzziness in Existing Orthogonal Persistence Interfaces and Systems

Abstract

Previous research has resulted in generalizations of the capabilities of OODB models and query languages to cope with imprecise and uncertain information in several ways, informed by previous research in fuzzy relational databases. As a result, a number of models and techniques to integrate fuzziness in its various facets in object data stores are available for researchers and practitioners, and even extensions to commercial systems have been implemented. Nonetheless, for those models and techniques to become widespread in industrial contexts, more attention should be paid to their integration with current database design and programming practices, so that the benefits of fuzzy extensions could be easily adopted and seamlessly integrated in current applications. This chapter attempts to provide some criteria to select the fuzzy extensions that more seamlessly integrate in the current object storage paradigm known as orthogonal persistence, in which programming-language object models are directly stored, so that database design becomes mainly a matter of object design. Concrete examples and case studies are provided as practical illustrations of the introduction of fuzziness both at the conceptual and the physical levels of this kind of persistent system.