Extreme learning machine (ELM) has recently attracted many researchers' interest due to its very fast learning speed, good generalization ability, and ease of implementation. However, it has a linear output layer which may limit the capability of exploring the available information, since higher-order statistics of the signals are not taken into account. To address this, we propose a novel ELM architecture in which the linear output layer is replaced by a Volterra filter structure. Additionally, the principal component analysis (PCA) technique is used to reduce the number of effective signals transmitted to the output layer. This idea not only improves the processing capability of the network, but also preserves the simplicity of the training process. Then we carry out performance evaluation and application analysis for the proposed architecture in the context of supervised classification and unsupervised equalization respectively, and the obtained results either on publicly available datasets or various channels, when compared to those produced by already proposed ELM versions and a state-of-the-art algorithm: support vector machine (SVM), highlight the adequacy and the advantages of the proposed architecture and characterize it as a promising tool to deal with signal processing tasks.

In this paper, we first propose two batch blind source separation and equalization algorithms based on support vector regression (SVR) for linear time-invariant multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems. The proposed algorithms combine the conventional cost function of SVR with error functions of classical on-line algorithm for blind equalization: both error functions of constant modulus algorithm (CMA) and radius directed algorithm (RDA) are contained in the penalty term of SVR. To recover all sources simultaneously, the cross-correlations of equalizer outputs are included in the cost functions. Simulation experiments show that the proposed algorithms can recover all sources successfully and compensate channel distortion simultaneously. With the use of iterative re-weighted least square (IRWLS) solution of SVR, the proposed algorithms exhibit low computational complexity. Compared with traditional algorithms, the new algorithms only require fewer samples to achieve convergence and perform a lower residual interference. For multilevel signals, the single algorithms based on constant modulus property usually show a relatively high residual error, then we propose two dual-mode blind source separation and equalization schemes. Between them, the dual-mode scheme based on SVR merely requires fewer samples to achieve convergence and further reduces the residual interference.