The classification of patterns is an important area of research which is central to all pattern recognition fields, including speech, image, robotics, and data analysis. Neural networks have been used successfully in a number of these fields, but so far their application has been based on a 'black box approach' with no real understanding of how they work. In this book, Sarunas Raudys - an internationally respected researcher in the area - provides an excellent mathematical and applied introduction to how neural network classifiers work and how they should be used.. .

Statistical pattern recognition is a very active area of study andresearch, which has seen many advances in recent years. New andemerging applications - such as data mining, web searching,multimedia data retrieval, face recognition, and cursivehandwriting recognition - require robust and efficient patternrecognition techniques. Statistical decision making and estimationare regarded as fundamental to the study of pattern recognition. Statistical Pattern Recognition, Second Edition has been fullyupdated with new methods, applications and references. It providesa comprehensive introduction to this vibrant area - with materialdrawn from engineering, statistics, computer science and the socialsciences - and covers many application areas, such as databasedesign, artificial neural networks, and decision supportsystems. * Provides a self-contained introduction to statistical patternrecognition. * Each technique described is illustrated by real examples. * Covers Bayesian methods, neural networks, support vectormachines, and unsupervised classification. * Each section concludes with a description of the applicationsthat have been addressed and with further developments of thetheory. * Includes background material on dissimilarity, parameterestimation, data, linear algebra and probability. * Features a variety of exercises, from 'open-book' questions tomore lengthy projects. The book is aimed primarily at senior undergraduate and graduatestudents studying statistical pattern recognition, patternprocessing, neural networks, and data mining, in both statisticsand engineering departments. It is also an excellent source ofreference for technical professionals working in advancedinformation development environments. For further information on the techniques and applicationsdiscussed in this book please visit ahref="http://www.statistical-pattern-recognition.net/"www.statistical-pattern-recognition.net/a

This text is a practical guide to classification learning systems and their applications, which learn from sample data and make predictions for new cases. The authors examine prominent methods from each area, using an engineering approach and taking the practitioner's point of view.

This 1996 book explains the statistical framework for pattern recognition and machine learning, now in paperback.