✍️ Handwriting Recognition System

A Java-based neural network application that recognizes handwritten characters from a 5x6 grid. The project implements a feedforward neural network with backpropagation, complete with GUI input, training/testing modes, and real-time error visualization.

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🚀 Features

• 🧠 Feedforward Neural Network – Learns to recognize characters through training
• ✍️ 5x6 Input Grid – Users draw characters on a simplified grid layout
• 🔁 Training & Testing Modes – Switch between learning new characters or evaluating model performance
• 📉 Real-time Error Visualization – Watch the network improve over time
• 🖼️ Java AWT GUI – Intuitive interface for drawing and interaction
• 🔧 Backpropagation Algorithm – Trains the network by minimizing output error

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🛠️ Technologies Used

Component	Technology
Language	Java
ML Logic	Feedforward Neural Network w/ Backpropagation
GUI	Java AWT
Development Platform	Any Java-capable IDE / Terminal
Version Control	Git + GitHub

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▶️ How to Use

Follow these steps to run the Handwriting Recognition System using the provided .jar file.

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💻 Prerequisites

• Java Runtime Environment (JRE 8 or higher)
• Optionally, a Java IDE like NetBeans or Eclipse

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📦 Step 1: Download the Project

1. Go to the GitHub repository.
2. Click the green Code button, then Download ZIP.
3. Extract the folder on your machine.

You should see:

Handwriting-Recognition-System/
├── Handwriting Recognition System.jar
├── demo images/
├── neuralnetwork/
└── README.md

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▶️ Step 2: Run the Application

Option 1: Using Terminal/Command Prompt

1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
2. Navigate to the folder containing the .jar file.
3. Run:

java -jar Handwriting Recognition System.jar

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Option 2: Without Terminal (Double-click)

1. Navigate to the folder containing Handwriting Recognition System.jar.
2. Double-click the file to run it.

💡 If nothing happens:

• Ensure you have Java installed.
• On some systems, you may need to right-click → Open With → Java.

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Option 3: Using an IDE

1. Open your Java IDE (NetBeans, IntelliJ, Eclipse).
2. Create a new project and add the .jar as an external library or run configuration.
3. Run the project or create a custom run config pointing to the .jar.

(Run from Source Code)

1. Open your Java IDE (e.g., IntelliJ, NetBeans, Eclipse).
2. Create a new Java project.
3. Import the .java files from the src/ folder into the project.
4. Set TestHand.java as the main entry point (the file with the main() method).
5. Build and run the project.

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🧯 Troubleshooting

• Java not recognized?
  • Ensure Java is installed and added to your system PATH.
• GUI not opening?
  • Make sure the .jar file is not corrupted.
  • Check that you are using Java 8+.
• Double-click doesn't work?
  • Try running it via terminal as described above.

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🖼️ Demo

Below is a visual demo of the Handwriting Recognition System in action:

  

• Left: Training mode, where the neural network is learning to recognize new characters.
• Right: Testing mode, where the trained network predicts user-drawn characters.

🙌 Acknowledgments

• Java AWT – For the lightweight UI framework
• Neural Network community – For tutorials and foundational math
• Professor T. Henry – For project support and feedback
• Open source inspiration – For general architecture ideas and optimizations