Neural Networks

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Neural Network

Neural Network, highly interconnected network of information-processing elements that mimics the connectivity and functioning of the human brain.

Neural networks are a form of multiprocessor computer system, with

· Simple processing elements

· A high degree of interconnection

· Simple scalar messages

· Adaptive interaction between elements

Where can neural network systems help?

· Where we can't formulate an algorithmic solution.

· Where we can get lots of examples of the behavior we require.

· Where we need to pick out the structure from existing data.

Neural networks address problems that are often difficult for traditional computers to solve, such as speech and pattern recognition. They also provide some insight into the way the human brain works. One of the most significant strengths of neural networks is their ability to learn from a limited set of examples Neural networks have been applied to many problems since they were first introduced, including pattern recognition, handwritten character recognition, speech recognition, financial and economic modeling, and next-generation computing models.

HOW A NEURAL NETWORK WORKS ?

Neural networks fall into two categories: artificial neural networks and biological neural networks. Artificial neural networks are modeled on the structure and functioning of biological neural networks. The most familiar biological neural network is the human brain. The human brain is composed of approximately 100 billion nerve cells called neurons that are massively interconnected. Typical neurons in the human brain are connected to on the order of 10,000 other neurons, with some types of neurons having more than 200,000 connections. The extensive number of neurons and their high degree of interconnectedness are part of the reason that the brains of living creatures are capable of making a vast number of calculations in a short amount of time. See also Neurophysiology.

Artificial Neural Network Architecture

The architecture of a neural network is the specific arrangement and connections of the neurons that make up the network. One of the most common neural network architectures has three layers. The first layer is called the input layer and is the only layer exposed to external signals. The input layer transmits signals to the neurons in the next layer, which is called a hidden layer. The hidden layer extracts relevant features or patterns from the received signals. Those features or patterns that are considered important are then directed to the output layer, the final layer of the network. Sophisticated neural networks may have several hidden layers, feedback loops, and time-delay elements, which are designed to make the network as efficient as possible in discriminating relevant features or patterns from the input layer.

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