From: rowe@engin.umich.edu (Steven Rowe)
Subject: Re: The Military and Neural Networks ??
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 04:29:35 EST
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor

Hi, netters.  I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone here.  Watch as
I answer one person's questions to the best of my ability while I flame
a (IMHO) response which is a complete waste of bandwidth:

In article <1992Nov19.085924.12525@dxcern.cern.ch> block@dxlaa.cern.ch (Frank Block) writes:
>
>In article <1992Nov19.114948.165175@dstos3.dsto.gov.au>, bat@dstos3.dsto.gov.au writes:
>|> Organization: Defence Science and Technology Organisation
>|> 
>|> I am probably asking the impossible here, but here goes anyway
>|>                                            
>|> Has anyone any experience with assessing neural networks for defence
>|> applications ? 
>
INFO:  While I haven't done this personally, there are a considerable
number of projects that were done by various branches of the U.S. military,
including recognition of enemy vehicles (there's a funny anectdote about
this, but that's for later), stripping the noise out of satellite images,
and learning to correct mortar trajectories.  I'm sure that most of the
real cutting-edge work is still classified, though.

>I only hope there are not too many with the kind of experience you're asking
>for...
>
FLAME: Thanks for your opinion...NOT!
>|> 
>|> Does such a thing as a  mil spec for Neural Networks exist or is one being 
>|> developed ?
>
INFO:  I suspect that there are too many different types of network,
too many training algorithms, and too many application-dependent facets
in NN technology for any sort of specification to be attempted.  Of
course, that doesn't mean that somebody won't TRY.

>Sorry, but what is a 'mil spec'? Something like specification for military
>applications? Since I'm non-American and non-military I don't know the slang.
>
INFO: (can't flame an honest question) MIL spec is short for Military
Specification, and is used by many branches of the U.S. government as
a reliability measure.  I design computer hardware and software for
spaceflight, and we are bound to myriad MIL specs for parts selection,
software coding standards, testing procedures, and more.
>|> 
>[...]
>|> 
>|> My reasons for wanting to know are largely commercial. I am trying to 
>|> decide whether or not to invest the time and effort and money into 
>|> developing a neural engine.
>|> 						Brenton Thomas 
>|> 
INFO:  I guess that you are trying to avoid re-inventing the wheel?  Or
are you interested in selling your product(s) to the military?  They
(the military) are willing to hire consultants, but because most of the
work is going to be classified, you'll need a security clearance of some
sort.  For that reason (and accountability) they tend to work with their
own folks, or with a company that has a long-standing relationship with
them.
>
>I would suggest you invest your 'the time and effort and money' into something
>which is really worth it. What about some applications of Neural Networks in 
>medicine?
>
FLAME:  Thanks so much for your value judgment on the worth of national
defense.  Now I don't have to subscribe to alt.politics or soc.bleeding-heart
>|> 
>|> Thanking you in advance.
>|> 
>|>
 
INFO:  No charge.

>
>You're always welcome.
>
>Frank

FLAME:  Always welcome to what?  Your opinion?  Golly!  I couldn't get to
sleep at night if I wasn't secure in the knowledge that I could get your
idealogical views by reading a *technical discussion forum* like this one.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On an un-related topic, those of you who are waiting for my Backprop code
to be yon-loaded to the ftp site are gonna have to hold on for a few more
days; things have been hectic, and I've still got a bug to find.  It's
really pretty, though; for those that have it, I'm using a 256-color
VGA display to show network weight evolution, and it looks bitchin'!
Damn thing just doesn't work (yet).  Real Soon Now.

Cheers!
                             =>  Steve  <=

-- 
Steve Rowe: B0 f- w- c g+ k+ s- e+ r-
     These folks who don't believe in evolution
are the ones who look the most like they could use some.
                                   -Frank Allison
Newsgroups: comp.ai.neural-nets