Neural Network

Synonyms

ANN; Artificial neural network; Neural models

Definition

An artificial neural network (ANN), usually called neural network (NN), is a mathematical model or computational model that is inspired by the structure and/or functional aspects of biological neural networks. A neural network consists of an interconnected group of artificial neurons, and it processes information using a connectionist approach to computation. In most cases, an ANN is an adaptive system that changes its structure based on external or internal information that flows through the network during the learning phase. Modern neural networks are nonlinear statistical data modeling tools. They are usually used to model complex relationships between inputs and outputs or to find patterns in data.

Extended Definition

The term neural network was traditionally used to refer to a network or circuit of biological neurons (Hopfield 1982). Modern usage of the term often refers to artificial neural networks, which are...