40 Algorithms Every Programmer Should Know

Understanding ANNs

Inspired by the working of neurons in the human brain, the concept of neural networks was proposed by Frank Rosenblatt in 1957. To understand the architecture fully, it is helpful to briefly look at the layered structure of neurons in the human brain. (Refer to the following diagram to get an idea of how the neurons in the human brain are chained together.)

In the human brain, dendrites act as sensors that detect a signal. The signal is then passed on to an axon, which is a long, slender projection of a nerve cell. The function of the axon is to transmit this signal to muscles, glands, and other neurons. As shown in the following diagram, the signal travels through interconnecting tissue called a synapse before being passed ...