Architecture advances offer many new options. Instead of using the mean squared error criterion, the mean absolute error can chosen. Special distance metrics, boxdist and linkdist, are included for networks using grid or self-organizing map designs. Instead of summing an input vector, a node can take the weighted product. New in V3, a modular representation for networks enables many new network architectures to be defined.
Networks can now have any number of layers, with connections running between any layers.
Layers can have tapped delays defined, permitting the construction of highly intricate recurrent networks. Most importantly, the analyst can view the entire network design as an object in Matlab. All characteristics of the network, such as the method to initialize weights as well as the actual weight values, are included in the object definition. The analyst is free to change the default characteristics. There is substantial freedom to customize the network architecture and optimization environment with the V3 spectrum of defaults and options.