title: Modular neural networks: a survey.
abstract: Modular Neural Networks (MNNs) is a rapidly growing field in artificial Neural Networks (NNs) research. This paper surveys the different motivations for creating MNNs: biological, psychological, hardware, and computational. Then, the general stages of MNN design are outlined and surveyed as well, viz., task decomposition techniques, learning schemes and multi-module decision-making strategies. Advantages and disadvantages of the surveyed methods are pointed out, and an assessment with respect to practical potential is provided. Finally, some general recommendations for future designs are presented.
authors.affiliation: Systems Design Engineering Department, University of Waterloo, ON, Canada. gasser@watfast.uwaterloo.ca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Auda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamel
mesh_terms: D001695:Biology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends; D003201:Computers; D003625:Data Collection; D005103:Expert Systems; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D009042:Motivation; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D011584:Psychology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends