1. Improving the Accuracy of Nearest-Neighbor Classification Using Principled Construction and Stochastic Sampling of Training-Set Centroids.
- Author
-
Whitelam, Stephen
- Subjects
image recognition ,nearest-neighbor classification ,stochastic sampling ,cs.LG ,cond-mat.stat-mech ,stat.ML ,Fluids & Plasmas ,Mathematical Sciences ,Physical Sciences - Abstract
A conceptually simple way to classify images is to directly compare test-set data and training-set data. The accuracy of this approach is limited by the method of comparison used, and by the extent to which the training-set data cover configuration space. Here we show that this coverage can be substantially increased using coarse-graining (replacing groups of images by their centroids) and stochastic sampling (using distinct sets of centroids in combination). We use the MNIST and Fashion-MNIST data sets to show that a principled coarse-graining algorithm can convert training images into fewer image centroids without loss of accuracy of classification of test-set images by nearest-neighbor classification. Distinct batches of centroids can be used in combination as a means of stochastically sampling configuration space, and can classify test-set data more accurately than can the unaltered training set. On the MNIST and Fashion-MNIST data sets this approach converts nearest-neighbor classification from a mid-ranking- to an upper-ranking member of the set of classical machine-learning techniques.
- Published
- 2021