Smart electromagnetic structures-a neural network antenna

Artificial neural networks(ANNs) and their ability to model and control dynamical systems for smart structures, including sensors, actuators, and plants, are being considered in our lab. Both linear and non-linear systems have been successfully modeled. We are presently working on two diverse regimes, smart mechanical systems and smart electromagnetic systems. In order to better understand neural controllers as used in the smart electromagnetic structures, we have directed our study of ANNs toward understanding the ability of the network to approximate system responses. We are training networks to mimic the desired output of the system. The damped sinusoid was chosen as the model and was approximated using a Jordan-like⁸ iterative network. The results to date indicate that the ANNs can easily mimic these systems-the question is whether the mechanism that the network applies can be related to the mechanisms that we understand for classical analysis. Sensor preprocessing represents a significant element in the smart material and structure concept. We are looking at certain network architectures as sensor preprocessors. Results from both these areas will be presented in this paper.