This book presents a novel approach to neural nets and thus offers a genuine alternative to the hitherto known neuro-computers. The new edition includes a section on transformation properties of the equations of the synergetic computer and on the invariance properties of the order parameter equations. Further additions are a new section on stereopsis and recent developments in the use of pulse-coupled neural nets for pattern recognition.

Inhalt

1. Goal.- I Synergetic Computers.- 2. What are Patterns?.- 3. Associative Memory.- 4. Synergetics - An Outline.- 5. The Standard Model of Synergetics for Pattern Recognition.- 6. Examples: Recognition of Faces and of City Maps.- 7. Possible Realizations by Networks.- 8. Simultaneous Invariance with Respect to Translation, Rotation and Scaling.- 9. Recognition of Complex Scenes. Scene-Selective Attention.- 10. Learning Algorithms.- 11. Learning of Processes and Associative Action.- II Cognition and Synergetic Computers.- 12. Comparisons Between Human Perception and Machine "Perception".- 13. Oscillations in the Perception of Ambiguous Patterns.- 14. Dynamic Pattern Recognition of Coordinated Biological Motion.- III Logical Operations and Outlook.- 15. Realization of the Logical Operation XOR by a Synergetic Computer.- 16. Towards the Neural Level.- 17. Concluding Remarks and Outlook.- Bibliography and Comments.