Sources and Ideas for NightScope

Here is a brief listing of some key sources for the design of Artificial Neural Network applications in the fields of finance and economics. The ideas leading to the design of NightScope have been gestating for over five years -- thus, an exhaustive listing of all the sources would be difficult. An excellent tutorial on quantitative finance in can be found in the An Introduction to Investment Theory. For general investment questions, please consult the USENET Investment FAQ.


Machine Learning, Neural Networks, and Complexity

Stork, D., Lecture Notes. Artificial Neural Networks for Pattern Recognition. UC Berkeley Extension. Last I heard, Prof. Stork will be releasing his rewrite of Duda and Hart's classic Pattern Classification and Scene Analysis in 1997.

Haykin, S., 1994. Neural Networks: A Comprehensive Foundation. New York: MacMillan.

Rumelhart, D.E. and J.L. McClelland, 1988; Explorations in Parallel Distributed Processing, A Handbook of Models, Programs, and Exercises, M.I.T. Press, Cambridge Mass.

Rumelhart, D.E. and J.L. McClelland, 1986; Parallel Distributed Processing Explorations in the Microstructure of Cognition: Volume 1: Foundations, M.I.T. Press, Cambridge Mass.

Rumelhart, D.E. and J.L. McClelland, 1986; Parallel Distributed Processing Explorations in the Microstructure of Cognition: Volume 2: Psychological and Biological Models, M.I.T. Press, Cambridge Mass.

The Foundation for Neural Networks (SNN) is a university based non-profit organization that stimulates basic and applied research on neural networks. Extensive listing of international research groups.

Weigend, A. S. and Gershenfeld, N. A., editors, 1994. Time Series Prediction: Forecasting the Future and Understanding the Past. A Proceedings of the Santa Fe Institute (SFI) Studies in the Science of Complexity Volume. Addison-Wesley.

Also from SFI see the now classic Anderson, Arrow, and Pines, 1988. The Economy as an Evolving Complex System and the Artficial Life volumes and journals.

Hofstadter, D., 1995. Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought. Basic Books. I found this book by the Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies group to be some of most interesting machine learning research available.

Casti, J., 1992. Reality Rules: Volumes I and II. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Deco, G. and Obradovic, D., 1996. An Information-Theoretic Approach to Neural Computing. New York: Springer-Verlag, Inc.


Neural Networks and C/C++

Masters, T., 1994. Signal and Image Processing with Neural Networks. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Excellent text with very complete code and a nice command line/file interface for the robust code (making it very portable -- see Welstead below).

Swingler, K., 1996. Applying Neural Networks: A Practical Guide. London: Academic Press. More recent book with emphasis on "soup to nuts" neural network development. C/C++ code provided, but self admittedly spotty coverage. Excellent routine for Information Theoretic analysis of data sets. Also a commercial reference at Neural Innovation Ltd.

Rao, V. and Rao, H., 1995. Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic: C++. New York: MIS: Press. Interesting text, the only one with object oriented C++ features. However, the code is for example purposes only and is clearly not intended for serious use.

Welstead, S.T., 1994. Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic Applications in C/C++. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. A very good text, with great working examples of Self Organizing Maps with graphics. The author is a very accomplished programmer and engineer who is especially good in showing how Neural Network/Fuzzy Logic and Neural Network/Genetic Algorithm hybrids can be constructed. The only weakness of the book is the choice of Borland's Turbo Vision user interface -- unfortunately, it complicates the presentation and adaptation of the author's excellent C code.


Popular References

Waldrop, M. M., 1992. Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Kauffman, S., 1995. At Home in the Universe. New York: Oxford University Press.

Kelly, K., 1994. Out of Control. Kelly's position as executive editor of Wired gives him a broad perspective on advanced computing. I have every issue and, despite a well thought out criticism of the magazine in Utne Reader, I find it indispensable.

Cohen, J. and Stewart, I., 1994. The Collapse of Chaos. New York: Viking.

Casti, J., 1995. Complexification. See earlier reference for a guide to his work.

Casti, J., 1996. Five Golden Rules. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Kosko, B., 1993. Fuzzy Thinking. FUZZY THINKING: New Science of Fuzzy Logic.

Gleick, J., 1987. Chaos: Making of a New Science. New York: Viking Penguin.

Ruelle, D., 1991. Chance and Chaos. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.


Copyright ©1996 by Gordon Rios.

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