Process modeling with the regression network

A new connectionist network topology called the regression network is proposed. The structural and underlying mathematical features of the regression network are investigated. Emphasis is placed on the intricacies of the optimization process for the regression network and some measures to alleviate these difficulties of optimization are proposed and investigated. The ability of the regression network algorithm to perform either nonparametric or parametric optimization, as well as a combination of both, is also highlighted. It is further shown how the regression network can be used to model systems which are poorly understood on the basis of sparse data. A semi-empirical regression network model is developed for a metallurgical processing operation (a hydrocyclone classifier) by building mechanistic knowledge into the connectionist structure of the regression network model. Poorly understood aspects of the process are provided for by use of nonparametric regions within the structure of the semi-empirical connectionist model. The performance of the regression network model is compared to the corresponding generalization performance results obtained by some other nonparametric regression techniques.