Organizing neural networks

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for organizing trained and untrained neural networks. In one aspect, a neural network device includes a collection of node assemblies interconnected by between-assembly links, each node assembly itself comprising a network of nodes interconnected by a plurality of within-assembly links, wherein each of the between- assembly links and the within-assembly links have an associated weight, each weight embodying a strength of connection between the nodes joined by the associated link, the nodes within each assembly being more likely to be connected to other nodes within that assembly than to be connected to nodes within others of the node assemblies.