A New Associative Model with Dynamical Synapses

Designing Artificial Neural Networks Using Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithms

Artificial Neural Network (ANN) design is a complex task because its performance depends on the architecture, the selected transfer function, and the learning algorithm used to train the set of synaptic weights. In this paper we present a methodology that automatically designs an ANN using particle swarm optimization algorithms such as Basic Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Second Generation of Particle Swarm Optimization (SGPSO), and a New Model of PSO called NMPSO. The aim of these algorithms is to evolve, at the same time, the three principal components of an ANN: the set of synaptic weights, the connections or architecture, and the transfer functions for each neuron. Eight different fitness functions were proposed to evaluate the fitness of each solution and find the best design. These functions are based on the mean square error (MSE) and the classification error (CER) and implement a strategy to avoid overtraining and to reduce the number of connections in the ANN. In addition, the ANN designed with the proposed methodology is compared with those designed manually using the well-known Back-Propagation and Levenberg-Marquardt Learning Algorithms. Finally, the accuracy of the method is tested with different nonlinear pattern classification problems.

Training spiking neural models using artificial bee colony

Spiking neurons are models designed to simulate, in a realistic manner, the behavior of biological neurons. Recently, it has been proven that this type of neurons can be applied to solve pattern recognition problems with great efficiency. However, the lack of learning strategies for training these models do not allow to use them in several pattern recognition problems. On the other hand, several bioinspired algorithms have been proposed in the last years for solving a broad range of optimization problems, including those related to the field of artificial neural networks (ANNs). Artificial bee colony (ABC) is a novel algorithm based on the behavior of bees in the task of exploring their environment to find a food source. In this paper, we describe how the ABC algorithm can be used as a learning strategy to train a spiking neuron aiming to solve pattern recognition problems. Finally, the proposed approach is tested on several pattern recognition problems. It is important to remark that to realize the powerfulness of this type of model only one neuron will be used. In addition, we analyze how the performance of these models is improved using this kind of learning strategy.

A class of sparsely connected autoassociative morphological memories for large color images

This brief introduces a new class of sparsely connected autoassociative morphological memories (AMMs) that can be effectively used to process large multivalued patterns, which include color images as a particular case. Such as the single-valued AMMs, the multivalued models exhibit optimal absolute storage capacity and one-step convergence. The remarkable feature of the proposed models is their sparse structure. In fact, the number of synaptic junctions--and consequently the required computational resources--usually decreases considerably as more and more patterns are stored in the novel multivalued AMMs.