The goal of this course is to introduce students to practical problem solving using a powerful class of AI model, the neural network. We begin with a brief introduction of a loose analogy to the brain to give some idea of the parallel and distributed nature of neural networks.

An overview of various neural network models will be carried out by discussing the underlying principles, model architectures, behaviours and learning algorithms. A range of applications will also be discussed.

Written and programming assignments are used to help clarify basic concepts. The student will learn research skills applicable to other fields of computer science. A student will be expected to understand and present a selected current neural network research paper/application and complete a term project.