The 2003 edition of ICANNGA marks a milestone in this conference series, because it is the tenth year of its existence. The series began in 1993 with the inaugural conference at Innsbruck in Austria. At that first conference, the organisers decided to organise a similar scientific meeting every two years. As a result, conferences were organised at Ales in France (1995), Norwich in England (1997), Portoroz in Slovenia (1999) and Prague in the Czech Republic (2001). It is a great honour that the conference is taking place in France for the second time. Each edition of ICANNGA has been special and had its own character. Not only that, participants have been able to sample the life and local culture in five different European coun tries. Originally limited to neural networks and genetic algorithms the conference has broadened its outlook over the past ten years and now includes papers on soft computing and artificial intelligence in general. This is one of the reasons why the reader will find papers on fuzzy logic and various other topics not directly related to neural networks or genetic algorithms included in these proceedings. We have, however, kept the same name, "International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms". All of the papers were sorted into one of six principal categories: neural network theory, neural network applications, genetic algorithm and evolutionary computation theory, genetic algorithm and evolutionary computation applications, fuzzy and soft computing theory, fuzzy and soft computing applications.

The first ICANNGA conference, devoted to biologically inspired computational paradigms, Neural Net works and Genetic Algorithms, was held in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1993. The meeting attracted researchers from all over Europe and further afield, who decided that this particular blend of topics should form a theme for a series of biennial conferences. The second meeting, held in Ales, France, in 1995, carried on the tradition set in Innsbruck of a relaxed and stimulating environment for the. exchange of ideas. The series has continued in Norwich, UK, in 1997, and Portoroz, Slovenia, in 1999. The Institute of Computer Science, Czech Academy of Sciences, is pleased to host the fifth conference in Prague. We have chosen the Liechtenstein palace under the Prague Castle as the conference site to enhance the traditionally good atmosphere of the meeting. There is an inspirational genius loci of the historical center of the city, where four hundred years ago a fruitful combination of theoretical and empirical method, through the collaboration of Johannes Kepler and Tycho de Brahe, led to the discovery of the laws of planetary orbits.

Artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms both are areas of research which have their origins in mathematical models constructed in order to gain understanding of important natural processes. By focussing on the process models rather than the processes themselves, significant new computational techniques have evolved which have found application in a large number of diverse fields. This diversity is reflected in the topics which are the subjects of contributions to this volume. There are contributions reporting theoretical developments in the design of neural networks, and in the management of their learning. In a number of contributions, applications to speech recognition tasks, control of industrial processes as well as to credit scoring, and so on, are reflected. Regarding genetic algorithms, several methodological papers consider how genetic algorithms can be improved using an experimental approach, as well as by hybridizing with other useful techniques such as tabu search. The closely related area of classifier systems also receives a significant amount of coverage, aiming at better ways for their implementation. Further, while there are many contributions which explore ways in which genetic algorithms can be applied to real problems, nearly all involve some understanding of the context in order to apply the genetic algorithm paradigm more successfully. That this can indeed be done is evidenced by the range of applications covered in this volume.

From the contents: Neural networks – theory and applications: NNs (= neural networks) classifier on continuous data domains– quantum associative memory – a new class of neuron-like discrete filters to image processing – modular NNs for improving generalisation properties – presynaptic inhibition modelling for image processing application – NN recognition system for a curvature primal sketch – NN based nonlinear temporal-spatial noise rejection system – relaxation rate for improving Hopfield network – Oja's NN and influence of the learning gain on its dynamics Genetic algorithms – theory and applications: transposition: a biological-inspired mechanism to use with GAs (= genetic algorithms) – GA for decision tree induction – optimising decision classifications using GAs – scheduling tasks with intertask communication onto multiprocessors by GAs – design of robust networks with GA – effect of degenerate coding on GAs – multiple traffic signal control using a GA – evolving musical harmonisation – niched-penalty approach for constraint handling in GAs – GA with dynamic population size – GA with dynamic niche clustering for multimodal function optimisation Soft computing and uncertainty: self-adaptation of evolutionary constructed decision trees by information spreading – evolutionary programming of near optimal NNs

This is the third in a series of conferences devoted primarily to the theory and applications of artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms. The first such event was held in Innsbruck, Austria, in April 1993, the second in Ales, France, in April 1995. We are pleased to host the 1997 event in the mediaeval city of Norwich, England, and to carryon the fine tradition set by its predecessors of providing a relaxed and stimulating environment for both established and emerging researchers working in these and other, related fields. This series of conferences is unique in recognising the relation between the two main themes of artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms, each having its origin in a natural process fundamental to life on earth, and each now well established as a paradigm fundamental to continuing technological development through the solution of complex, industrial, commercial and financial problems. This is well illustrated in this volume by the numerous applications of both paradigms to new and challenging problems. The third key theme of the series, therefore, is the integration of both technologies, either through the use of the genetic algorithm to construct the most effective network architecture for the problem in hand, or, more recently, the use of neural networks as approximate fitness functions for a genetic algorithm searching for good solutions in an 'incomplete' solution space, i.e. one for which the fitness is not easily established for every possible solution instance.

In recent years Genetic Algorithms (GA) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) have progressively increased in importance amongst the techniques routinely used in chemometrics. This book contains contributions from experts in the field is divided in two sections (GA and ANN). In each part, tutorial chapters are included in which the theoretical bases of each technique are expertly (but simply) described. These are followed by application chapters in which special emphasis will be given to the advantages of the application of GA or ANN to that specific problem, compared to classical techniques, and to the risks connected with its misuse. This book is of use to all those who are using or are interested in GA and ANN. Beginners can focus their attentions on the tutorials, whilst the most advanced readers will be more interested in looking at the applications of the techniques. It is also suitable as a reference book for students. - Subject matter is steadily increasing in importance - Comparison of Genetic Algorithms (GA) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) with the classical techniques - Suitable for both beginners and advanced researchers

The International Conferences on Arti?cial Neural Networks, ICANN, have been held annually since 1991 and over the years have become the major European meeting in neural networks. This proceedings volume contains all the papers presented at ICANN 2002, the 12th ICANN conference, held in August 28– 30, 2002 at the Escuela T ́ecnica Superior de Inform ́atica of the Universidad Aut ́onoma de Madrid and organized by its Neural Networks group. ICANN 2002 received a very high number of contributions, more than 450. Almost all papers were revised by three independent reviewers, selected among the more than 240 serving at this year’s ICANN, and 221 papers were ?nally selected for publication in these proceedings (due to space considerations, quite a few good contributions had to be left out). I would like to thank the Program Committee and all the reviewers for the great collective e?ort and for helping us to have a high quality conference.

Artificial neural networks can mimic the biological information-processing mechanism in - a very limited sense. Fuzzy logic provides a basis for representing uncertain and imprecise knowledge and forms a basis for human reasoning. Neural networks display genuine promise in solving problems, but a definitive theoretical basis does not yet exist for their design. Fusion of Neural Networks, Fuzzy Systems and Genetic Algorithms integrates neural net, fuzzy system, and evolutionary computing in system design that enables its readers to handle complexity - offsetting the demerits of one paradigm by the merits of another. This book presents specific projects where fusion techniques have been applied. The chapters start with the design of a new fuzzy-neural controller. Remaining chapters discuss the application of expert systems, neural networks, fuzzy control, and evolutionary computing techniques in modern engineering systems. These specific applications include: direct frequency converters electro-hydraulic systems motor control toaster control speech recognition vehicle routing fault diagnosis Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communications networks telephones for hard-of-hearing people control of gas turbine aero-engines telecommunications systems design Fusion of Neural Networks, Fuzzy Systems and Genetic Algorithms covers the spectrum of applications - comprehensively demonstrating the advantages of fusion techniques in industrial applications.

The field of soft computing is emerging from the cutting edge research over the last ten years devoted to fuzzy engineering and genetic algorithms. The subject is being called soft computing and computational intelligence. With acceptance of the research fundamentals in these important areas, the field is expanding into direct applications through engineering and systems science.This book cover the fundamentals of this emerging filed, as well as direct applications and case studies. There is a need for practicing engineers, computer scientists, and system scientists to directly apply "fuzzy" engineering into a wide array of devices and systems.

"This book offers an outlook of the most recent works at the field of the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), including theoretical developments and applications of systems using intelligent characteristics for adaptability"--Provided by publisher.