neural nets as universal computing devices

[AC1MPS@primea.sheffield.ac.uk]

Drs Siegelman and Sontag (and anyone else interested)

With regard to your note that "Neural nets are universal computing
devices", you might be interested in some work described in a series
of technical reports from Bruce MacLennan at Knoxville, Tennessee.

MacLennan starts with the observation that when a very large number
of processors are involves in some parallel/distributed system, it's
sensible to model them and their calculations as if they are 'continuous'
in extent and nature. The result is a theory of "field computation",
which he uses as a framework for a theory of massively parallel analog
computation. MacLennan has, I believe, also been investigating the
possibility of designing a "universal" field computer.

If we think of MacLennan's model as the limiting case when the number
of nodes/connections in a net becomes enormous, it would be interesting
to know whether your universal model 'converges' to his, in some sense.

I would very much appreciate a copy of the technical report when it's
available.

Mike Stannett               e-mail:
Formal Methods Group        AC1MPS @ primea.sheffield.ac.uk
Dept of Computer Science
The University
Sheffield S10 2TN
England