Introduction to artificial neural systems for pattern recognition

The artificial intelligence community has seen a recent resurgence in the area of neural network study. Inspired by the workings of the brain and nervous system, neural networks have solved some persistent problems in vision and speech processing. However, the new systems may offer an alternative approach to decision-making via high level pattern recognition. This paper will describe the distinguishing features of neurally inspired systems, and present popular systems in a discrete-time, algorithmic framework. Examples of applications to decision problem will appear, and guidelines for their use in operations research will be established.