B.1 Introduction to NeuroSolutions

NeuroSolutions is based on an object-oriented approach to adaptive system design. The networks are broken down into a fundamental set of components that are individually simple but can be combined to create powerful systems capable of solving very complex problems.

The NeuroSolutions user interface was inspired by the process of designing an electronic circuit. Different components are placed onto a "breadboard" and are then wired together to form a circuit. The circuit is then tested by injecting signals and "probing" responses. This user interface provides much more flexibility than a typical "black box" simulator. NeuroSolutions includes a comprehensive collection of probes that allows the user/designer to monitor every aspect of the neural network during training and testing.

The unique attributes of NeuroSolutions make it ideal for interactive training. This textbook ships with a restricted version of NeuroSolutions. Because of its simplicity and power, NeuroSolutions is also ideal for neural network development.

B.1.1 Overview of This Tutorial

Section B.2 of this tutorial provides an overview of how to use the demonstrations/examples in the textbook. It presents only the mechanics necessary to run the examples. The rest of the tutorial presents the methods to modify the breadboards used in the examples.

To reap the full benefits of this interactive teaching methodology, it is critical that you feel comfortable modifying and probing the examples – this is where the real learning begins. When you start modifying the parameters yourself and seeing how the modification affects the operation of the system, you will be learning important aspects of neural networks that are not easily taught in a textbook. We are firm believers in the "learning through experimentation" technique, and we feel that you will not only achieve a better understanding of the topics, but your retention will also be improved.

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