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At least 1,189 records · Page 66

Cross-fertilization between connectionist networks and highly parallel architectures

The theoretical and practical connections between connectionist schemes such as neural-network computers and traditional symbolic processing architectures involving a high degree of parallelism are explored, reviewing the results of recent investigations. Topics addressed include data flow, data structure, and control flow; conventional pointers; associative addressing; hashing and reduced representations; the problem of binding values to variables; and levels of parallelism. It is concluded that connectionism is more closely related to traditional computer science and technology than is generally admitted; more cooperation between followers of the two approaches is recommended.

Barnden, John↗

An accelerated training method for back propagation networks

The principal objective is to provide a training procedure for a feed forward, back propagation neural network which greatly accelerates the training process. A set of orthogonal singular vectors are determined from the input matrix such that the standard deviations of the projections of the input vectors along these singular vectors, as a set, are substantially maximized, thus providing an optimal means of presenting the input data. Novelty exists in the method of extracting from the set of input data, a set of features which can serve to represent the input data in a simplified manner, thus greatly reducing the time/expense to training the system.

Shelton, Robert O.↗

Numbers And Gains Of Neurons In Winner-Take-All Networks

Report presents theoretical study of gains required in neurons to implement winner-take-all electronic neural network of given size and related question of maximum size of winner-take-all network in which neurons have specified sigmoid transfer or response function with specified gain.

Brown, Timothy X.↗

Advanced computing

Advanced concepts in hardware, software and algorithms are being pursued for application in next generation space computers and for ground based analysis of space data. The research program focuses on massively parallel computation and neural networks, as well as optical processing and optical networking which are discussed under photonics. Also included are theoretical programs in neural and nonlinear science, and device development for magnetic and ferroelectric memories.

Source record↗

Expert networks in CLIPS

Rule-based expert systems may be structurally and functionally mapped onto a special class of neural networks called expert networks. This mapping lends itself to adaptation of connectionist learning strategies for the expert networks. A parsing algorithm to translate C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) rules into a network of interconnected assertion and operation nodes has been developed. The translation of CLIPS rules to an expert network and back again is illustrated. Measures of uncertainty similar to those rules in MYCIN-like systems are introduced into the CLIPS system and techniques for combining and hiring nodes in the network based on rule-firing with these certainty factors in the expert system are presented. Several learning algorithms are under study which automate the process of attaching certainty factors to rules.

Hruska, S. I.↗

An Example of Unsupervised Networks Kohonen's Self-Organizing Feature Map

Kohonen's self-organizing feature map belongs to a class of unsupervised artificial neural network commonly referred to as topographic maps. It serves two purposes, the quantization and dimensionality reduction of date. A short description of its history and its biological context is given. We show that the inherent classification properties of the feature map make it a suitable candidate for solving the classification task in power system areas like load forecasting, fault diagnosis and security assessment.

Kohonen Feature Map↗

Neural nets on the MPP

The Massively Parallel Processor (MPP) is an ideal machine for computer experiments with simulated neural nets as well as more general cellular automata. Experiments using the MPP with a formal model neural network are described. The results on problem mapping and computational efficiency apply equally well to the neural nets of Hopfield, Hinton et al., and Geman and Geman.

Hastings, Harold M.↗

Neural learning of constrained nonlinear transformations

Two issues that are fundamental to developing autonomous intelligent robots, namely, rudimentary learning capability and dexterous manipulation, are examined. A powerful neural learning formalism is introduced for addressing a large class of nonlinear mapping problems, including redundant manipulator inverse kinematics, commonly encountered during the design of real-time adaptive control mechanisms. Artificial neural networks with terminal attractor dynamics are used. The rapid network convergence resulting from the infinite local stability of these attractors allows the development of fast neural learning algorithms. Approaches to manipulator inverse kinematics are reviewed, the neurodynamics model is discussed, and the neural learning algorithm is presented.

Barhen, Jacob↗

Neural Architectures for Control

The cerebellar model articulated controller (CMAC) neural architectures are shown to be viable for the purposes of real-time learning and control. Software tools for the exploration of CMAC performance are developed for three hardware platforms, the MacIntosh, the IBM PC, and the SUN workstation. All algorithm development was done using the C programming language. These software tools were then used to implement an adaptive critic neuro-control design that learns in real-time how to back up a trailer truck. The truck backer-upper experiment is a standard performance measure in the neural network literature, but previously the training of the controllers was done off-line. With the CMAC neural architectures, it was possible to train the neuro-controllers on-line in real-time on a MS-DOS PC 386. CMAC neural architectures are also used in conjunction with a hierarchical planning approach to find collision-free paths over 2-D analog valued obstacle fields. The method constructs a coarse resolution version of the original problem and then finds the corresponding coarse optimal path using multipass dynamic programming. CMAC artificial neural architectures are used to estimate the analog transition costs that dynamic programming requires. The CMAC architectures are trained in real-time for each obstacle field presented. The coarse optimal path is then used as a baseline for the construction of a fine scale optimal path through the original obstacle array. These results are a very good indication of the potential power of the neural architectures in control design. In order to reach as wide an audience as possible, we have run a seminar on neuro-control that has met once per week since 20 May 1991. This seminar has thoroughly discussed the CMAC architecture, relevant portions of classical control, back propagation through time, and adaptive critic designs.

Peterson, James K.↗

Controlling a truck with an adaptive critic temporal difference CMAC design

In this study, CMAC (Cerebellar Model Articulated Controller) neural architectures are shown to be viable for the purposes of real-time learning and control. An adaptive critic temporal difference neurocontrol design has been implemented that learns in real-time how to back up a trailer truck along a fixed straight line trajectory. The truck backer-upper experiment is a standard performance measure in the neural network literature, but previously the training of the controllers was done off-line. With the CMAC neural architectures, it was possible to train the neurocontrollers on-line in real-time on a MS-DOS PC 386.

Shelton, Robert O.↗

A Guide to the Literature on Learning Graphical Models

This literature review discusses different methods under the general rubric of learning Bayesian networks from data, and more generally, learning probabilistic graphical models. Because many problems in artificial intelligence, statistics and neural networks can be represented as a probabilistic graphical model, this area provides a unifying perspective on learning. This paper organizes the research in this area along methodological lines of increasing complexity.

Buntine, Wray L.↗

A new neural net approach to robot 3D perception and visuo-motor coordination

A novel neural network approach to robot hand-eye coordination is presented. The approach provides a true sense of visual error servoing, redundant arm configuration control for collision avoidance, and invariant visuo-motor learning under gazing control. A 3-D perception network is introduced to represent the robot internal 3-D metric space in which visual error servoing and arm configuration control are performed. The arm kinematic network performs the bidirectional association between 3-D space arm configurations and joint angles, and enforces the legitimate arm configurations. The arm kinematic net is structured by a radial-based competitive and cooperative network with hierarchical self-organizing learning. The main goal of the present work is to demonstrate that the neural net representation of the robot 3-D perception net serves as an important intermediate functional block connecting robot eyes and arms.

Lee, Sukhan↗

Web Exploration Tools for a Fast Federated Optical Survey Database

We implemented several new web-based tools to improve the efficiency and versatility of access to the APS Catalog of the POSS I (Palomar Observatory-National Geographic Sky Survey) and its associated image database. The most important addition was a federated database system to link the APS Catalog and image database into one Internet-accessible database. With the FDBS, the queries and transactions on the integrated database are performed as if it were a single database. We installed Myriad the FDBS developed by Professor Jaideep Srivastava and members of his group in the University of Minnesota Computer Science Department. It is the first system to provide schema integration, query processing and optimization, and transaction management capabilities in a single framework. The attached figure illustrates the Myriad architecture. The FDBS permits horizontal access to the data, not just vertical. For example, for the APS, queries can be made not only by sky position, but also by any parameter present in either of the databases. APS users will be able to produce an image of all the blue galaxies and stellar sources for comparison with x-ray source error ellipses from AXAF (X Ray Astrophysics Facility) (Chandra) for example. The FDBS is now available as a beta release with the appropriate query forms at our web site. While much of our time was occupied with adapting Myriad to the APS environment, we also made major changes in Star Base, our DBMS for the Catalog, at the web interface to improve its efficiency for issuing and processing queries. Star Base is now three times faster for large queries. Improvements were also made at the web end of the image database for faster access; although work still needs to be done to the image database itself for more efficient return with the FDBS. During the past few years, we made several improvements to the database pipeline that creates the individual plate databases queries by StarBase. The changes include improved positions especially for galaxies, using a new median centroider and integrated magnitudes for galaxies with an improved density-to-intensity calibration with a "sky" background subtraction. In the original version of StarBase the object classification fainter than 19.5-20.0 mag., was an extrapolation of the networks trained on brighter objects. We have used a new catalog of galaxies at the NGP to train a neural network on objects fainter than 20th mag. This improved classification is used in the new version of StarBase. We have also added a FITS table option for the returned data from queries on the object catalog. The APS image database includes images in both colors so we have added a tool for querying the image database in both colors simultaneously. The images can be displayed in parallel or blinked for comparison.

Humphreys, Roberta M.↗

Pattern-recognition techniques applied to performance monitoring of the DSS 13 34-meter antenna control assembly

The results of applying pattern recognition techniques to diagnose fault conditions in the pointing system of one of the Deep Space network's large antennas, the DSS 13 34-meter structure, are discussed. A previous article described an experiment whereby a neural network technique was used to identify fault classes by using data obtained from a simulation model of the Deep Space Network (DSN) 70-meter antenna system. Described here is the extension of these classification techniques to the analysis of real data from the field. The general architecture and philosophy of an autonomous monitoring paradigm is described and classification results are discussed and analyzed in this context. Key features of this approach include a probabilistic time-varying context model, the effective integration of signal processing and system identification techniques with pattern recognition algorithms, and the ability to calibrate the system given limited amounts of training data. Reported here are recognition accuracies in the 97 to 98 percent range for the particular fault classes included in the experiments.

Mellstrom, J. A.↗

Neural-net Processed Electronic Holography for Rotating Machines

This report presents the results of an R&D effort to apply neural-net processed electronic holography to NDE of rotors. Electronic holography was used to generate characteristic patterns or mode shapes of vibrating rotors and rotor components. Artificial neural networks were trained to identify damage-induced changes in the characteristic patterns. The development and optimization of a neural-net training method were the most significant contributions of this work, and the training method and its optimization are discussed in detail. A second positive result was the assembly and testing of a fiber-optic holocamera. A major disappointment was the inadequacy of the high-speed-holography hardware selected for this effort, but the use of scaled holograms to match the low effective resolution of an image intensifier was one interesting attempt to compensate. This report also discusses in some detail the physics and environmental requirements for rotor electronic holography. The major conclusions were that neural-net and electronic-holography inspections of stationary components in the laboratory and the field are quite practical and worthy of continuing development, but that electronic holography of moving rotors is still an expensive high-risk endeavor.

Decker, Arthur J.↗

Bio-Inspired Neural Model for Learning Dynamic Models

A neural-network mathematical model that, relative to prior such models, places greater emphasis on some of the temporal aspects of real neural physical processes, has been proposed as a basis for massively parallel, distributed algorithms that learn dynamic models of possibly complex external processes by means of learning rules that are local in space and time. The algorithms could be made to perform such functions as recognition and prediction of words in speech and of objects depicted in video images. The approach embodied in this model is said to be "hardware-friendly" in the following sense: The algorithms would be amenable to execution by special-purpose computers implemented as very-large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuits that would operate at relatively high speeds and low power demands.

Duong, Tuan↗

Simulation of an array-based neural net model

Research in cognitive science suggests that much of cognition involves the rapid manipulation of complex data structures. However, it is very unclear how this could be realized in neural networks or connectionist systems. A core question is: how could the interconnectivity of items in an abstract-level data structure be neurally encoded? The answer appeals mainly to positional relationships between activity patterns within neural arrays, rather than directly to neural connections in the traditional way. The new method was initially devised to account for abstract symbolic data structures, but it also supports cognitively useful spatial analogue, image-like representations. As the neural model is based on massive, uniform, parallel computations over 2D arrays, the massively parallel processor is a convenient tool for simulation work, although there are complications in using the machine to the fullest advantage. An MPP Pascal simulation program for a small pilot version of the model is running.

Barnden, John A.↗

Adaptive fuzzy leader clustering of complex data sets in pattern recognition

A modular, unsupervised neural network architecture for clustering and classification of complex data sets is presented. The adaptive fuzzy leader clustering (AFLC) architecture is a hybrid neural-fuzzy system that learns on-line in a stable and efficient manner. The initial classification is performed in two stages: a simple competitive stage and a distance metric comparison stage. The cluster prototypes are then incrementally updated by relocating the centroid positions from fuzzy C-means system equations for the centroids and the membership values. The AFLC algorithm is applied to the Anderson Iris data and laser-luminescent fingerprint image data. It is concluded that the AFLC algorithm successfully classifies features extracted from real data, discrete or continuous.

Newton, Scott C.↗