Boundary variance reduction for improved classification through hybrid networks

Kagan Tumer; Joydeep Ghosh

doi:10.1117/12.205161

6 April 1995 Boundary variance reduction for improved classification through hybrid networks

Kagan Tumer, Joydeep Ghosh

Proceedings Volume 2492, Applications and Science of Artificial Neural Networks; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.205161
Event: SPIE's 1995 Symposium on OE/Aerospace Sensing and Dual Use Photonics, 1995, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

Several researchers have experimentally shown that substantial improvements can be obtained in difficult pattern recognition problems by combining or integrating the outputs of multiple classifiers. This paper provides an analytical framework that quantifies the improvements in classification results due to linear combining. We show that combining networks in output space reduces the variance of the actual decision region boundaries around the optimum boundary. In the absence of network bias, the added classification error is directly proportional to the boundary variance. Moreover, if the network errors are independent, then the reduction in variance boundary location is by a factor of N, the number of classifiers that are combined. In the presence of network bias, the reductions are less than or equal to N, depending on the interaction between network biases. We discuss how the individual networks can be selected to achieve significant gains through combining, and support them with experimental results on 25-dimensional sonar data. The analysis presented here facilitates the understanding of the relationships among error rates, classifier boundary distributions, and combining in output space.

Citation Download Citation

Kagan Tumer and Joydeep Ghosh "Boundary variance reduction for improved classification through hybrid networks", Proc. SPIE 2492, Applications and Science of Artificial Neural Networks, (6 April 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.205161

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available