In humans, the recognition of specific combinations of sights and sounds gives rise to our perceptions of the world in which we live. In order to survive, animals need to react to the environment in which they live. If they detect a predator they must flee, whereas if they recognise an attractive mate they must move closer. On a more mundane level, they must shelter from the winter cold and move into the shade in the heat of summer. The sensors detect the patterns of light, sound, smell, mechanical contacts and temperature of the external world.
Some machines also behave as though they experience perceptions.
Simple devices such as thermostats turn heaters on or off as the environmental temperature changes. Recently, more complex devices such as automatic speech recognition systems, which specifically attempt to mimic the behaviour of humans, have appeared on the market. Courses in Machine Perception and Neurocomputing bring together relevant knowledge from diverse fields such as biology, psychology, mathematics and computer science to enable students to understand the methods used by natural systems of perception, and to apply this knowledge to the development of artificial systems which will be employed in the machines of the twenty-first century. Such courses take students with degrees in engineering, physics or any of the above subjects and teach them the relevant topics from the other subjects. Successful completion leads to the award of an MSc degree.