Forced Information for Information-Theoretic Competitive Learning

We have proposed a new information-theoretic approach to competitive learning [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. The information-theoretic method is a very flexible type of competitive learning, compared with conventional competitive learning. However, some problems have been pointed out concerning the information-theoretic method, for example, slow convergence. In this paper, we propose a new computational method to accelerate a process of information maximization. In addition, an information loss is introduced to detect the salient features of input patterns. Competitive learning is one of the most important techniques in neural networks with many problems such as the dead neuron problem [6], [7]. Thus, many methods have been proposed to solve those problems, for example, conscience learning [8], frequency-sensitive learning [9], rival penalized competitive learning [10], lotto-type competitive learning [11] and entropy maximization [12]. We have so far developed information-theoretic competitive learning to solve those fundamental problems of competitive learning. In the informationtheoretic learning, no dead neurons can be produced, because entropy of competitive units must be maximized. In addition, experimental results have shown that final connection weights are relatively independent of initial conditions. However, one of the major problems is that it is sometimes slow in increasing information. As a problem becomes more complex, heavier computation is needed. Without solving this problem, it is impossible for the information-theoretic method to be applied to practical problems. To overcome this problem, we propose a new type of computational method to accelerate a process of information maximization. In this method, information is supposed to be maximized or sufficiently high at the beginning of learning. This supposed maximum information forces networks to converge to stable points very rapidly. This supposed maximum information is obtained by using the ordinary winner-take-all algorithm. Thus, this method is one in which the winter-takeall is combined with a process of information maximization. We also present a new approach to detect the importance of a given variable, that is, information loss. Information loss is difference between information with all variables and information without a variable, and is used to represent the importance of a given variable. Forced information with information loss can be used to extract main features of input patterns. Connection weights can be interpreted as the main characteristics of classified groups. On the other hand, information loss is used to extract the features on which input O pe n A cc es s D at ab as e w w w .in te ch w eb .o rg