NEURAL NETWORKS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

Neural networks provide a range of powerful new techniques for solving problems in pattern recognition, data analysis, and control. They hav e several notable features including high processing speeds and the ab ility to learn the solution to a problem from a set of examples. The m ajority of practical applications of neural networks currently make us e of two basic network models. We describe these models in detail and explain the various techniques used to train them. Next we discuss a n umber of key issues which must be addressed when applying neural netwo rks to practical problems, and highlight several potential pitfalls. F inally, we survey the various classes of problem which may be addresse d using neural networks, and we illustrate them with a variety of succ essfull applications drawn from a range of fields. It is intended that this review should be accessible to readers with no previous knowledg e of neural networks, and yet also provide new insights for those alre ady making practical use of these techniques.