Deep Convolutional Neural Networks [Lecture Notes]

Neural networks are a subset of the field of artificial intelligence (AI). The predominant types of neural networks used for multidimensional signal processing are deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The term deep refers generically to networks having from a "few" to several dozen or more convolution layers, and deep learning refers to methodologies for training these systems to automatically learn their functional parameters using data representative of a specific problem domain of interest. CNNs are currently being used in a broad spectrum of application areas, all of which share the common objective of being able to automatically learn features from (typically massive) data bases and to generalize their responses to circumstances not encountered during the learning phase. Ultimately, the learned features can be used for tasks such as classifying the types of signals the CNN is expected to process. The purpose of this "Lecture Notes" article is twofold: 1) to introduce the fundamental architecture of CNNs and 2) to illustrate, via a computational example, how CNNs are trained and used in practice to solve a specific class of problems.