This book is intended as an introduction to fuzzy algebraic hyperstructures. As the first in its genre, it includes a number of topics, most of which reflect the authors' past research and thus provides a starting point for future research directions. The book is organized in five chapters. The first chapter introduces readers to the basic notions of algebraic structures and hyperstructures. The second covers fuzzy sets, fuzzy groups and fuzzy polygroups. The following two chapters are concerned with the theory of fuzzy Hv-structures: while the third chapter presents the concept of fuzzy Hv-subgroup of Hv-groups, the fourth covers the theory of fuzzy Hv-ideals of Hv-rings. The final chapter discusses several connections between hypergroups and fuzzy sets, and includes a study on the association between hypergroupoids and fuzzy sets endowed with two membership functions. In addition to providing a reference guide to researchers, the book is also intended as textbook for undergraduate and graduate students.

This book explores recent developments in the theoretical foundations and novel applications of general and interval type-2 fuzzy sets and systems, including: algebraic properties of type-2 fuzzy sets, geometric-based definition of type-2 fuzzy set operators, generalizations of the continuous KM algorithm, adaptiveness and novelty of interval type-2 fuzzy logic controllers, relations between conceptual spaces and type-2 fuzzy sets, type-2 fuzzy logic systems versus perceptual computers; modeling human perception of real world concepts with type-2 fuzzy sets, different methods for generating membership functions of interval and general type-2 fuzzy sets, and applications of interval type-2 fuzzy sets to control, machine tooling, image processing and diet. The applications demonstrate the appropriateness of using type-2 fuzzy sets and systems in real world problems that are characterized by different degrees of uncertainty.

Many computer scientists, engineers, applied mathematicians, and physicists use geometry theory and geometric computing methods in the design of perception-action systems, intelligent autonomous systems, and man-machine interfaces. This handbook brings together the most recent advances in the application of geometric computing for building such systems, with contributions from leading experts in the important fields of neuroscience, neural networks, image processing, pattern recognition, computer vision, uncertainty in geometric computations, conformal computational geometry, computer graphics and visualization, medical imagery, geometry and robotics, and reaching and motion planning. For the first time, the various methods are presented in a comprehensive, unified manner.

This handbook is highly recommended for postgraduate students and researchers working on applications such as automated learning; geometric and fuzzy reasoning; human-like artificial vision; tele-operation; space maneuvering; haptics; rescue robots; man-machine interfaces; tele-immersion; computer- and robotics-aided neurosurgery or orthopedics; the assembly and design of humanoids; and systems for metalevel reasoning.

This volume collects a selection of contributions which has been presented at the 22nd Italian Workshop on Neural Networks, the yearly meeting of the Italian Society for Neural Networks (SIREN). The conference was held in Italy, Vietri sul Mare (Salerno), during May 17-19, 2012. The annual meeting of SIREN is sponsored by International Neural Network Society (INNS), European Neural Network Society (ENNS) and IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (CIS). The book - as well as the workshop- is organized in three main components, two special sessions and a group of regular sessions featuring different aspects and point of views of artificial neural networks and natural intelligence, also including applications of present compelling interest.

Since the outstanding and pioneering research work of Hopfield on recurrent neural networks (RNNs) in the early 80s of the last century, neural networks have rekindled strong interests in scientists and researchers. Recent years have recorded a remarkable advance in research and development work on RNNs, both in theoretical research as weIl as actual applications. The field of RNNs is now transforming into a complete and independent subject. From theory to application, from software to hardware, new and exciting results are emerging day after day, reflecting the keen interest RNNs have instilled in everyone, from researchers to practitioners. RNNs contain feedback connections among the neurons, a phenomenon which has led rather naturally to RNNs being regarded as dynamical systems. RNNs can be described by continuous time differential systems, discrete time systems, or functional differential systems, and more generally, in terms of non linear systems. Thus, RNNs have to their disposal, a huge set of mathematical tools relating to dynamical system theory which has tumed out to be very useful in enabling a rigorous analysis of RNNs."

The development of neural networks has now reached the stage where they are employed in a large variety of practical contexts. However, to date the majority of such implementations have been in software. While it is generally recognised that hardware implementations could, through performance advantages, greatly increase the use of neural networks, to date the relatively high cost of developing Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) has meant that only a small number of hardware neurocomputers has gone beyond the research-prototype stage. The situation has now changed dramatically: with the appearance of large, dense, highly parallel FPGA circuits it has now become possible to envisage putting large-scale neural networks in hardware, to get high performance at low costs. This in turn makes it practical to develop hardware neural-computing devices for a wide range of applications, ranging from embedded devices in high-volume/low-cost consumer electronics to large-scale stand-alone neurocomputers. Not surprisingly, therefore, research in the area has recently rapidly increased, and even sharper growth can be expected in the next decade or so.

Nevertheless, the many opportunities offered by FPGAs also come with many challenges, since most of the existing body of knowledge is based on ASICs (which are not as constrained as FPGAs). These challenges range from the choice of data representation, to the implementation of specialized functions, through to the realization of massively parallel neural networks; and accompanying these are important secondary issues, such as development tools and technology transfer. All these issues are currently being investigated by a large numberof researchers, who start from different bases and proceed by different methods, in such a way that there is no systematic core knowledge to start from, evaluate alternatives, validate claims, and so forth. FPGA Implementations of Neural Networks aims to be a timely one that fill this gap in three ways: First, it will contain appropriate foundational material and therefore be appropriate for advanced students or researchers new to the field. Second, it will capture the state of the art, in both depth and breadth and therefore be useful researchers currently active in the field. Third, it will cover directions for future research, i.e. embryonic areas as well as more speculative ones.

This is a brand new edition of an essential work on Bayesian networks and decision graphs. It is an introduction to probabilistic graphical models including Bayesian networks and influence diagrams. The reader is guided through the two types of frameworks with examples and exercises, which also give instruction on how to build these models. Structured in two parts, the first section focuses on probabilistic graphical models, while the second part deals with decision graphs, and in addition to the frameworks described in the previous edition, it also introduces Markov decision process and partially ordered decision problems.

Networks of Learning Automata: Techniques for Online Stochastic Optimization is a comprehensive account of learning automata models with emphasis on multiautomata systems. It considers synthesis of complex learning structures from simple building blocks and uses stochastic algorithms for refining probabilities of selecting actions. Mathematical analysis of the behavior of games and feedforward networks is provided. Algorithms considered here can be used for online optimization of systems based on noisy measurements of performance index. Also, algorithms that assure convergence to the global optimum are presented. Parallel operation of automata systems for improving speed of convergence is described. The authors also include extensive discussion of how learning automata solutions can be constructed in a variety of applications.

Recent years have seen a rapid development of neural network control tech niques and their successful applications. Numerous simulation studies and actual industrial implementations show that artificial neural network is a good candidate for function approximation and control system design in solving the control problems of complex nonlinear systems in the presence of different kinds of uncertainties. Many control approaches/methods, reporting inventions and control applications within the fields of adaptive control, neural control and fuzzy systems, have been published in various books, journals and conference proceedings. In spite of these remarkable advances in neural control field, due to the complexity of nonlinear systems, the present research on adaptive neural control is still focused on the development of fundamental methodologies. From a theoretical viewpoint, there is, in general, lack of a firmly mathematical basis in stability, robustness, and performance analysis of neural network adaptive control systems. This book is motivated by the need for systematic design approaches for stable adaptive control using approximation-based techniques. The main objec tives of the book are to develop stable adaptive neural control strategies, and to perform transient performance analysis of the resulted neural control systems analytically. Other linear-in-the-parameter function approximators can replace the linear-in-the-parameter neural networks in the controllers presented in the book without any difficulty, which include polynomials, splines, fuzzy systems, wavelet networks, among others. Stability is one of the most important issues being concerned if an adaptive neural network controller is to be used in practical applications."

Understanding how the human brain represents, stores, and processes information is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of science today. The cerebral cortex is the seat of most of the mental capabilities that distinguish humans from other animals and, once understood, it will almost certainly lead to a better knowledge of other brain nuclei. Although neuroscience research has been underway for 150 years, very little progress has been made. What is needed is a key concept that will trigger a full understanding of existing information, and will also help to identify future directions for research. This book aims to help identify this key concept. Including contributions from leading experts in the field, it provides an overview of different conceptual frameworks that indicate how some pieces of the neuroscience puzzle fit together. It offers a representative selection of current ideas, concepts, analyses, calculations and computer experiments, and also looks at important advances such as the application of new modeling methodologies. Computational Models for Neuroscience will be essential reading for anyone who needs to keep up-to-date with the latest ideas in computational neuroscience, machine intelligence, and intelligent systems. It will also be useful background reading for advanced undergraduates and postgraduates taking courses in neuroscience and psychology.

Conventional digital computation methods have run into a se rious speed bottleneck due to their serial nature. To overcome this problem, a new computation model, called Neural Networks, has been proposed, which is based on some aspects of neurobiology and adapted to integrated circuits. The increased availability of com puting power has not only made many new applications possible but has also created the desire to perform cognitive tasks which are easily carried out by the human brain. It become obvious that new types of algorithms and/or circuits were necessary to cope with such tasks. Inspiration has been sought from the functioning of the hu man brain, which led to the artificial neural network approach. One way of looking at neural networks is to consider them to be arrays of nonlinear dynamical systems that interact with each other. This book deals with one class of locally coupled neural net works, called Cellular Neural Networks (CNNs). CNNs were intro duced in 1988 by L. O. Chua and L. Yang 27,28] as a novel class of information processing systems, which posseses some of the key fea tures of neural networks (NNs) and which has important potential applications in such areas as image processing and pattern reco gnition. Unfortunately, the highly interdisciplinary nature of the research in CNNs makes it very difficult for a newcomer to enter this important and fasciriating area of modern science."

Neural Networks in Business: Techniques and Applications aims to be an introductory reference book for professionals, students and academics interested in applying neural networks to a variety of business applications. The book introduces the three most common neural network models and how they work, followed by a wide range of business applications and a series of case studies presented from contributing authors around the world. Each chapter serves as a tutorial describing how to use the previously described neural network models to solve a given business problem.

In a world of almost permanent and rapidly increasing electronic data availability, techniques of filtering, compressing, and interpreting this data to transform it into valuable and easily comprehensible information is of utmost importance. One key topic in this area is the capability to deduce future system behavior from a given data input. This book brings together for the first time the complete theory of data-based neurofuzzy modelling and the linguistic attributes of fuzzy logic in a single cohesive mathematical framework. After introducing the basic theory of data-based modelling, new concepts including extended additive and multiplicative submodels are developed and their extensions to state estimation and data fusion are derived. All these algorithms are illustrated with benchmark and real-life examples to demonstrate their efficiency. Chris Harris and his group have carried out pioneering work which has tied together the fields of neural networks and linguistic rule-based algortihms. This book is aimed at researchers and scientists in time series modeling, empirical data modeling, knowledge discovery, data mining, and data fusion.

Nonlinear Modeling: Advanced Black-Box Techniques discusses methods on Neural nets and related model structures for nonlinear system identification; Enhanced multi-stream Kalman filter training for recurrent networks; The support vector method of function estimation; Parametric density estimation for the classification of acoustic feature vectors in speech recognition; Wavelet-based modeling of nonlinear systems; Nonlinear identification based on fuzzy models; Statistical learning in control and matrix theory; Nonlinear time-series analysis. It also contains the results of the K.U. Leuven time series prediction competition, held within the framework of an international workshop at the K.U. Leuven, Belgium in July 1998.

Applications of Soft Computing have recently increased and methodological development has been strong. The book is a collection of new interesting industrial applications introduced by several research groups and industrial partners. It describes the principles and results of industrial applications of Soft Computing methods and introduces new possibilities to gain technical and economic benefits by using this methodology. The book shows how fuzzy logic and neural networks have been used in the Finnish paper and metallurgical industries putting emphasis on processes, applications and technical and economic results.

Recently, there has been considerable research interest in neural network control of robots, and satisfactory results have been obtained in solving some of the special issues associated with the problems of robot control in an "on-and-off" fashion. This book is dedicated to issues on adaptive control of robots based on neural networks. The text has been carefully tailored to (i) give a comprehensive study of robot dynamics, (ii) present structured network models for robots, and (iii) provide systematic approaches for neural network based adaptive controller design for rigid robots, flexible joint robots, and robots in constraint motion. Rigorous proof of the stability properties of adaptive neural network controllers is provided. Simulation examples are also presented to verify the effectiveness of the controllers, and practical implementation issues associated with the controllers are also discussed.

Applications of some selected soft computing methods to acoustics and sound engineering are presented in this book. The aim of this research study is the implementation of soft computing methods to musical signal analysis and to the recognition of musical sounds and phrases. Accordingly, some methods based on such learning algorithms as neural networks, rough sets and fuzzy-logic were conceived, implemented and tested. Additionally, the above-mentioned methods were applied to the analysis and verification of subjective testing results. The last problem discussed within the framework of this book was the problem of fuzzy control of the classical pipe organ instrument.
The obtained results show that computational intelligence and soft computing may be used for solving some vital problems in both musical and architectural acoustics.

This volume is the first diverse and comprehensive treatment of algorithms and architectures for the realization of neural network systems. It presents techniques and diverse methods in numerous areas of this broad subject. The book covers major neural network systems structures for achieving effective systems, and illustrates them with examples.
This volume includes Radial Basis Function networks, the Expand-and-Truncate Learning algorithm for the synthesis of Three-Layer Threshold Networks, weight initialization, fast and efficient variants of Hamming and Hopfield neural networks, discrete time synchronous multilevel neural systems with reduced VLSI demands, probabilistic design techniques, time-based techniques, techniques for reducing physical realization requirements, and applications to finite constraint problems.
A unique and comprehensive reference for a broad array of algorithms and architectures, this book will be of use to practitioners, researchers, and students in industrial, manufacturing, electrical, and mechanical engineering, as well as in computer science and engineering.
Key Features
* Radial Basis Function networks
* The Expand-and-Truncate Learning algorithm for the synthesis of Three-Layer Threshold Networks
* Weight initialization
* Fast and efficient variants of Hamming and Hopfield neural networks
* Discrete time synchronous multilevel neural systems with reduced VLSI demands
* Probabilistic design techniques
* Time-based techniques
* Techniques for reducing physical realization requirements
* Applications to finite constraint problems
* Practical realization methods for Hebbian type associative memory systems
*Parallel self-organizing hierarchical neural network systems
* Dynamics of networks of biological neurons for utilization in computational neuroscience
Practitioners, researchers, and students in industrial, manufacturing, electrical, and mechanical engineering, as well as in computer science and engineering, will find this volume a unique and comprehensive reference to a broad array of algorithms and architectures

This volume covers practical and effective implementation techniques, including recurrent methods, Boltzmann machines, constructive learning with methods for the reduction of complexity in neural network systems, modular systems, associative memory, neural network design based on the concept of the Inductive Logic Unit, and a comprehensive treatment of implementations in the area of data classification. Numerous examples enhance the text. Practitioners, researchers, and students in engineering and computer science will find Implementation Techniques a comprehensive and powerful reference.
Key Features
* Recurrent methods
* Boltzmann machines
* Constructive learning with methods for the reduction of complexity in neural network systems
* Modular systems
* Associative memory
* Neural network design based on the concept of the Inductive Logic Unit
* Data classification
* Integrated neuron model systems that function as programmable rational approximators
With numerous examples to enhance the text, practitioners, researchers, and students in engineering and computer science will find Implementation Techniques a uniquely comprehensive and powerful reference source

Recent years have seen many new developments in computational intelligence (CI) techniques and, consequently, this has led to an exponential increase in the number of applications in a variety of areas, including: engineering, finance, social and biomedical. In particular, CI techniques are increasingly being used in biomedical and human movement areas because of the complexity of the biological systems, as well as the limitations of the existing quantitative techniques in modelling. ""Computational Intelligence for Movement Sciences: Neural Networks and Other Emerging Techniques"" contains information regarding state-of-the-art research outcomes and cutting-edge technology from leading scientists and researchers working on various aspects of the human movement. Readers of this book will gain an insight into this field, as well as access to pertinent information, which they will be able to use for continuing research in this area.

Based on a NATO Advanced Study Institute held in 1993, this book addresses recent advances in automatic speech recognition and speech coding. The book contains contributions by many of the most outstanding researchers from the best laboratories worldwide in the field. The contributions have been grouped into five parts: on acoustic modeling; language modeling; speech processing, analysis and synthesis; speech coding; and vector quantization and neural nets. For each of these topics, some of the best-known researchers were invited to give a lecture. In addition to these lectures, the topics were complemented with discussions and presentations of the work of those attending. Altogether, the reader is given a wide perspective on recent advances in the field and will be able to see the trends for future work.

The primary purpose of this book is to show that a multilayer neural network can be considered as a multistage system, and then that the learning of this class of neural networks can be treated as a special sort of the optimal control problem. In this way, the optimal control problem methodology, like dynamic programming, with modifications, can yield a new class of learning algorithms for multilayer neural networks.

Another purpose of this book is to show that the generalized net theory can be successfully used as a new description of multilayer neural networks. Several generalized net descriptions of neural networks functioning processes are considered, namely: the simulation process of networks, a system of neural networks and the learning algorithms developed in this book.

The generalized net approach to modelling of real systems may be used successfully for the description of a variety of technological and intellectual problems, it can be used not only for representing the parallel functioning of homogenous objects, but also for modelling non-homogenous systems, for example systems which consist of a different kind of subsystems.

The use of the generalized nets methodology shows a new way to describe functioning of discrete dynamic systems.

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The subject of this book is predictive modular neural networks and their ap plication to time series problems: classification, prediction and identification. The intended audience is researchers and graduate students in the fields of neural networks, computer science, statistical pattern recognition, statistics, control theory and econometrics. Biologists, neurophysiologists and medical engineers may also find this book interesting. In the last decade the neural networks community has shown intense interest in both modular methods and time series problems. Similar interest has been expressed for many years in other fields as well, most notably in statistics, control theory, econometrics etc. There is a considerable overlap (not always recognized) of ideas and methods between these fields. Modular neural networks come by many other names, for instance multiple models, local models and mixtures of experts. The basic idea is to independently develop several "subnetworks" (modules), which may perform the same or re lated tasks, and then use an "appropriate" method for combining the outputs of the subnetworks. Some of the expected advantages of this approach (when compared with the use of "lumped" or "monolithic" networks) are: superior performance, reduced development time and greater flexibility. For instance, if a module is removed from the network and replaced by a new module (which may perform the same task more efficiently), it should not be necessary to retrain the aggregate network."