Technologies

Google Doodle honors father of fuzzy logic Lotfi Zadeh

The computer scientist and electrical engineer’s concept used mathematics to mimic how people see the world.

In 1964, while contemplating how to program software for handwriting recognition, a mathematician, computer scientist and electrical engineer named Lotfi Zadeh conceived of a new mathematical technique. His fuzzy logic theory offered an alternative to the rigid yes-no logic, in an attempt to mimic how people see the world.

To honor his controversial innovation, Google on Tuesday dedicated its Doodle to Zadeh on the 57th anniversary of the concept’s creation. The Doodle demonstrates his concept, showing that an alternative to the black-or-white Boolean logic, which determines the membership of a given class based on one (yes) or zero (no). His theory provided a means for calculating intermediate values between yes and no.

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Born on Feb. 4, 1921, in Azerbaijan, Zadeh moved with his family at the age of 10 to Iran, where he graduated with a science degree from the University of Tehran. He earned enough money selling goods to the US Army during World War II to move to continue his education in the US, earning a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1946 and a Ph.D. from Columbia in 1949.

While serving as an electrical engineer professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Zadeh proposed using imprecise data to solve problems that may have more than one solution. His 1965 paper Fuzzy Sets — Information and Control sought to use mathematics to define human concepts such as «slightly,» «tall» or «beautiful» and other concepts that have ambiguous meanings, thus creating a set theory where elements have a degree of membership.

Zadeh’s theory proved controversial, with many in academic circles ridiculing and attacking it, because it challenged other forms of mathematics and used unusual terminology.

«My paper was an object of indifference, skepticism and derision,» he wrote in 2015. «A prominent school of thought claimed that fuzzy set theory is probability theory in disguise.

«In part, many negative reactions to my papers reflected the fact that the word «fuzzy» has pejorative connotations,» he wrote.

Despite the criticism, fuzzy logic became popular with Japanese manufacturers and played a prominent role in everything from medicine to economic modelling to antilock braking and dishwashers, to name just a few.

In recognition of his achievement, Zadeh received dozens of engineering and academic awards, including 24 honorary doctorates.

Zadeh died in 2017 at the age of 96.

Technologies

The Most Exciting Video Game Rumors and Leaks Ahead of 2026

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Dec. 17

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 17.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Nod (off)
Answer: DOZE

5A clue: Naval submarine in W.W. II
Answer: UBOAT

7A clue: Tricky thing to do on a busy highway
Answer: MERGE

8A clue: Heat-resistant glassware for cooking
Answer: PYREX

9A clue: Put into groups
Answer: SORT

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Break up with
Answer: DUMP

2D clue: Falls in line, so to speak
Answer: OBEYS

3D clue: Legendary vigilante who cuts a «Z» with his sword
Answer: ZORRO

4D clue: Rarin’ to go
Answer: EAGER

6D clue: Common reminder for an upcoming appointment
Answer: TEXT

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

You Can Watch an Exclusive Avatar: Fire and Ash Scene on TikTok Right Now

Disney and TikTok partner on an immersive content hub for James Cameron’s latest movie about the alien Na’vi.

If you’re not quite ready to head to the theater to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash, an exclusive scene preview might sell you on the visual spectacle. As part of a new collaboration with the social media giant, Disney is posting snippets of its new movie to its TikTok account.

This scene isn’t part of any trailer and won’t be posted to other social media accounts, making TikTok the only place you can view it — unless you buy a movie ticket. A first look at the new movie’s scenes isn’t the only Avatar-related bonus on the social media platform right now, either. TikTok has partnered with the house of mouse to bring an entire «immersive content hub» to the app.

A special section of TikTok includes quizzes and educational videos that explore the alien world of Pandora shown off in the movies. On TikTok, you can take a personality quiz to find out what Na’vi clan you most closely align with and unlock a special profile picture border to use on your account.

Science and fiction blend together with a series of videos from real doctors who explain the basis for some of Avatar’s world-building. If you want to learn about exoplanets or how realistic the anatomy of the movie’s alien animals is, these videos will feed your brain while still providing entertainment value.

Perhaps the most enticing part of Disney’s latest social media collaboration is the opportunity for fans to win prizes and trips. TikTok creators who make edits with the #TikTokAvatarContest hashtag are entered into a competition to win Avatar merchandise. The biggest winners will be able to take a trip to visual effects studio Wētā Workshop in New Zealand or visit Avatar director James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment Studio in Los Angeles.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third installment in director Cameron’s cinematic passion project. While the first Avatar movie was released in 2009, Cameron didn’t release another entry in the franchise until 2022. In total, there is a five-movie arc planned for the indigo alien Na’vi on the moon of Pandora.

The Avatar movies are known for pushing the boundaries of CGI visual effects in cinema. They are also historically big winners at the box office: the original Avatar is the highest-grossing film of all time, earning $2.9 billion across its theatrical releases. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, is the third-highest-grossing film of all time, trailing Avengers: Endgame. You can stream those movies on Disney Plus.

It remains to be seen whether Avatar: Fire and Ash will financially live up to its predecessors. The film currently has mixed reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.