PERCEPTRON

a machine that determines whether or not an event fits a certain pattern; a machine that makes decisions by adding up evidence obtained from many small experiments. (Minsky and Papert, p. 4)

A mechanical device developed in the l950's by Rosenblatt for deciding (see decision) among, and to a limited degree for the recognition and learning of patterns which are defined by relations among a multitude of stimuli in its input. (Krippendorff)