This study aims to reveal the technological development trajectories within the fuzzy field, addressing the long-standing gap between the extensive application of fuzzy technologies and the lack of a comprehensive, data-driven understanding of their developmental logic and evolution.
An integrated methodological framework combining structural topic modeling (STM) and main path analysis (MPA) is developed. A total of 43,905 patents related to fuzzy technologies were collected from the Derwent Innovation Index. STM is applied to identify 12 representative topics within the fuzzy technology field, followed by the construction of topic-specific citation networks. MPA is then used to extract the core development paths across these topics, capturing structural dynamics and knowledge diffusion. This integration enables a multidimensional exploration of topic structures and technology trajectories, providing a frame of reference for analyzing other emerging technologies.
The combined STM-MPA approach effectively identifies the classification and developmental trajectories of fuzzy-related technologies. Results highlight topic-specific knowledge flows and inter-topic linkages, offering new insights into the internal evolution and external integration of fuzzy technologies. The study demonstrates how different subfields of fuzzy technologies have progressed and interacted over time.
This study is among the first to systematically explore the development of fuzzy technologies using large-scale patent data and a hybrid analytical framework. By integrating topic modeling with citation analysis, it captures both topic patterns and development paths. The approach enhances existing methods in technology analysis and offers new insights for innovation research, policy design and enterprise strategy.
