A survey of evidential clustering: Definitions, methods, and applications

In the realm of information fusion, clustering stands out as a common subject and is extensively applied across various fields. Evidential clustering, an increasingly popular method in the soft clustering family, derives its strength from the theory of belief functions, which enables it to effectively characterize the uncertainty and imprecision of data distributions. This survey provides a comprehensive overview of evidential clustering, detailing its theoretical foundations, methodologies, and applications. Specifically, we start by briefly recalling the theory of belief functions with its transformations into other uncertainty reasoning theories. Then, we introduce the concepts of soft data, partitions, and methods with an emphasis on data and partitioning within the theory of belief functions. Subsequently, we summarize the advancements and quantitative evaluations of existing evidential clustering methods and provide a roadmap to help in selecting an appropriate method based on specific application needs. Finally, we identify the major challenges faced in the development and application of evidential clustering, pointing out promising avenues for future research, including theoretical limitations, applicable datasets, and application domains. The survey offers a structured understanding of existing evidential clustering methods, highlighting their theoretical underpinnings, practical implementations, and future research directions. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers seeking to deepen their understanding of evidential clustering.