[comp.ai.neural-nets] A theoretical question: multiple patterns and synchrony

luong@mirsa.inria.fr (Tuan Luong) (04/09/90)

Consider a neural network with several local minima of the energy function,
each of which representing a different pattern, and having differents slopes 
and depths.
Consider now an image containing different patterns among those represented
in that network. Each of these ones will be recognized but the different
local minima will be reached at different times. This means that vision in a
temporal process: object 1 is perceived, then object 2 ...
So, how to create a representation of a composed object made of an assembly 
of different patterns ?
One can say that the temporal synchrony of the units is a representation of 
the global identity, but how to obtain this synchrony between the different 
parts of the image ?

wipke@secs.ucsc.edu (W. Todd Wipke) (04/10/90)

>Consider a neural network with several local minima of the energy function,
>each of which representing a different pattern, and having differents slopes 
>and depths.
>Consider now an image containing different patterns among those represented
>in that network. Each of these ones will be recognized but the different
>local minima will be reached at different times. This means that vision in a
>temporal process: object 1 is perceived, then object 2 ...
>So, how to create a representation of a composed object made of an assembly 
>of different patterns ?
>One can say that the temporal synchrony of the units is a representation of 
>the global identity, but how to obtain this synchrony between the different 
>parts of the image ?
 
Chemists routinely minimize energy of three-dimensional networks which can
have several local minima.  Each minimum represents a low energy state 
of the molecule, in effect, the "personality" of the molecule.  I wonder
if there are any interesting conclusions one can draw.
 
On another but related topic, chemists have successfully used learning
machines for chemical pattern recognition--the work was done in 1969-71.
Very systematic studies of learning rate versus feature scaling, 
number of parameters, type of feedback, size and diversity of training set
etc.  Peter Jurs, Penn State wrote a book on it and many papers showing
one can predict mass spec, determine molecular formula from mass spec,
classify drugs, etc.  From the literature I have seen, this work has
gone unnoticed by the computer science community.  Since the data sets
are well defined, it would provide a reproducible standard against which
you could all compare your methods or black boxes.  To my knowledge
there is no such standard in use today.  I would be very interested
to see if today's methods are better than earlier ones.  I have not seen
systematic studies like Jurs did, but would like to see some.
=======================================================================
W. Todd Wipke                           wipke@secs.ucsc.edu
Molecular Engineering Laboratory        wipke@ucscd.ucsc.edu
Thimann Laboratories                    wipke@ucscd.bitnet
University of California                BBS 408 429-8019
Santa Cruz, CA  95064                   FAX 408 459-4716
=======================================================================
=======================================================================
W. Todd Wipke                           wipke@secs.ucsc.edu
Molecular Engineering Laboratory        wipke@ucscd.ucsc.edu
Thimann Laboratories                    wipke@ucscd.bitnet
University of California                BBS 408 429-8019
Santa Cruz, CA  95064                   FAX 408 459-4716
=======================================================================

park@usceast.UUCP (Kihong Park) (04/12/90)

Why make the assumption that segmentable "parts" of an image are stored
as different local minima on the same network, i.e., its energy landscape?
You may want view your image processing system as consisting of a
number of relatively "independent" modules, each of which with different
functionalities. Then, temporal synchronicity can possibly be achieved.
That is, in the most simplest case where each model encodes among other
things one "part" of the image, the simultaneous convergence to local
minima in each module may bring forth a synchronized convergence of the
total system to a global minimum. Hence no temporal sequencing.
The above explanation is of course too simplistic, but nevertheless it
should illustrate that in any nontrivial system, modularization is a
key factor. How to achieve this is a big problem. 

Kihong Park. (park@cs.scarolina.edu)