title: How to convert a char array to a float array?
body: <p>In order to train a classifier, it requires that the training data are specified using a set of float array. Unfortunately, the training data available to me are <em>byte arrays</em> (actually they are <a href="http://software.intel.com/sites/products/documentation/hpc/ipp/ipps/ipps_ch2/ch2_data_types.html" rel="nofollow">Ipp8u</a> arrays, which can be converted to unsigned char arrays).</p>
  
  <p>Essentially, given an unsigned char array, I need to convert it to a float array: in other words, given an unsigned char array, I should read it as a float array. Is this operation always allowed? Does the float data type allow all possible configurations of bits? If yes, how to implement this conversion?</p>