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feedforward control
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Diagram of a simple feedforward neural network showing three layers: green input nodes at the bottom, yellow hidden layer nodes in the middle, and blue output nodes at the top, with arrows indicating one-way signal flow from input to output.
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feedforward control

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Diagram of a simple feedforward neural network showing three layers: green input nodes at the bottom, yellow hidden layer nodes in the middle, and blue output nodes at the top, with arrows indicating one-way signal flow from input to output.
A simple feedforward neural network In a simple feedforward neural network, all signals flow in one direction, from input to output. Artificial neurons in the input layer receive signals from the environment and in turn send signals to neurons in the “hidden” layer. Whether any particular neuron sends a signal, or “fires,” depends on the combined strength of signals received from the preceding layer. Output neurons communicate the final result by their firing pattern.

Feedforward control is a technology where a system's operation is programmed in advance, without using information from the process itself to make corrections. An early example is Joseph Jacquard's 1801 loom, where punched cards dictated the weaving patterns. Similarly, some 19th-century machine tools used a model to guide a cutting tool, demonstrating feedforward control. Unlike feedback control, which uses output information to adjust operations, feedforward systems rely on pre-set instructions. This approach contrasts with feedback control, where sensors monitor the output and a controller adjusts the process to match a desired set point.12

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  1. control system
  2. automation - Feedback controls
  3. feedback

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