Publications | Empirical Inference - Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems

503 results (View BibTeX file of all listed publications)

2004

Protein Classification via Kernel Matrix Completion

Kin, T., Kato, T., Tsuda, K.

In pages: 261-274, (Editors: Schoelkopf, B., K. Tsuda and J.P. Vert), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA; USA, 2004 (inbook)

2004

Kin, T., Kato, T., Tsuda, K. Protein Classification via Kernel Matrix Completion In pages: 261-274, (Editors: Schoelkopf, B., K. Tsuda and J.P. Vert), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA; USA, 2004 (inbook)

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Behaviour and Convergence of the Constrained Covariance

Gretton, A., Smola, A., Bousquet, O., Herbrich, R., Schölkopf, B., Logothetis, N.

(130), MPI for Biological Cybernetics, 2004 (techreport)

Abstract

We discuss reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS)-based measures of statistical dependence, with emphasis on constrained covariance (COCO), a novel criterion to test dependence of random variables. We show that COCO is a test for independence if and only if the associated RKHSs are universal. That said, no independence test exists that can distinguish dependent and independent random variables in all circumstances. Dependent random variables can result in a COCO which is arbitrarily close to zero when the source densities are highly non-smooth, which can make dependence hard to detect empirically. All current kernel-based independence tests share this behaviour. Finally, we demonstrate exponential convergence between the population and empirical COCO, which implies that COCO does not suffer from slow learning rates when used as a dependence test.

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Gretton, A., Smola, A., Bousquet, O., Herbrich, R., Schölkopf, B., Logothetis, N. Behaviour and Convergence of the Constrained Covariance (130), MPI for Biological Cybernetics, 2004 (techreport)

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Early visual processing—data, theory, models

Wichmann, F.

Experimentelle Psychologie. Beitr{\"a}ge zur 46. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen, 46, pages: 24, 2004 (poster)

[BibTex]

Wichmann, F. Early visual processing—data, theory, models Experimentelle Psychologie. Beitr{\"a}ge zur 46. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen, 46, pages: 24, 2004 (poster)

[BibTex]

Statistical Learning with Similarity and Dissimilarity Functions

von Luxburg, U.

pages: 1-166, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, 2004 (phdthesis)

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von Luxburg, U. Statistical Learning with Similarity and Dissimilarity Functions pages: 1-166, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, 2004 (phdthesis)

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Statistische Lerntheorie und Empirische Inferenz

Schölkopf, B.

Jahrbuch der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, 2004, pages: 377-382, 2004 (misc)

Abstract

Statistical learning theory studies the process of inferring regularities from empirical data. The fundamental problem is what is called generalization: how it is possible to infer a law which will be valid for an infinite number of future observations, given only a finite amount of data? This problem hinges upon fundamental issues of statistics and science in general, such as the problems of complexity of explanations, a priori knowledge, and representation of data.

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Schölkopf, B. Statistische Lerntheorie und Empirische Inferenz Jahrbuch der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, 2004, pages: 377-382, 2004 (misc)

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Bayesian analysis of the Scatterometer Wind Retrieval Inverse Problem: Some New Approaches

Cornford, D., Csato, L., Evans, D., Opper, M.

Journal of the Royal Statistical Society B, 66, pages: 1-17, 3, 2004 (article)

Abstract

The retrieval of wind vectors from satellite scatterometer observations is a non-linear inverse problem.A common approach to solving inverse problems is to adopt a Bayesian framework and to infer the posterior distribution of the parameters of interest given the observations by using a likelihood model relating the observations to the parameters, and a prior distribution over the parameters.We show how Gaussian process priors can be used efficiently with a variety of likelihood models, using local forward (observation) models and direct inverse models for the scatterometer.We present an enhanced Markov chain Monte Carlo method to sample from the resulting multimodal posterior distribution.We go on to show how the computational complexity of the inference can be controlled by using a sparse, sequential Bayes algorithm for estimation with Gaussian processes.This helps to overcome the most serious barrier to the use of probabilistic, Gaussian process methods in remote sensing inverse problems, which is the prohibitively large size of the data sets.We contrast the sampling results with the approximations that are found by using the sparse, sequential Bayes algorithm.

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Cornford, D., Csato, L., Evans, D., Opper, M. Bayesian analysis of the Scatterometer Wind Retrieval Inverse Problem: Some New Approaches Journal of the Royal Statistical Society B, 66, pages: 1-17, 3, 2004 (article)

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Feature Selection for Support Vector Machines Using Genetic Algorithms

Fröhlich, H., Chapelle, O., Schölkopf, B.

International Journal on Artificial Intelligence Tools (Special Issue on Selected Papers from the 15th IEEE International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence 2003), 13(4):791-800, 2004 (article)

Web [BibTex]

Fröhlich, H., Chapelle, O., Schölkopf, B. Feature Selection for Support Vector Machines Using Genetic Algorithms International Journal on Artificial Intelligence Tools (Special Issue on Selected Papers from the 15th IEEE International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence 2003), 13(4):791-800, 2004 (article)

Web [BibTex]

Semi-supervised kernel regression using whitened function classes

Franz, M., Kwon, Y., Rasmussen, C., Schölkopf, B.

In Pattern Recognition, Proceedings of the 26th DAGM Symposium, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 3175, LNCS 3175, pages: 18-26, (Editors: CE Rasmussen and HH Bülthoff and MA Giese and B Schölkopf), Springer, Berlin, Gerrmany, 26th DAGM Symposium, 2004 (inproceedings)

Abstract

The use of non-orthonormal basis functions in ridge regression leads to an often undesired non-isotropic prior in function space. In this study, we investigate an alternative regularization technique that results in an implicit whitening of the basis functions by penalizing directions in function space with a large prior variance. The regularization term is computed from unlabelled input data that characterizes the input distribution. Tests on two datasets using polynomial basis functions showed an improved average performance compared to standard ridge regression.

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Franz, M., Kwon, Y., Rasmussen, C., Schölkopf, B. Semi-supervised kernel regression using whitened function classes In Pattern Recognition, Proceedings of the 26th DAGM Symposium, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 3175, LNCS 3175, pages: 18-26, (Editors: CE Rasmussen and HH Bülthoff and MA Giese and B Schölkopf), Springer, Berlin, Gerrmany, 26th DAGM Symposium, 2004 (inproceedings)

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Maximal Margin Classification for Metric Spaces

Hein, M., Bousquet, O.

In Learning Theory and Kernel Machines, pages: 72-86, (Editors: Schölkopf, B. and Warmuth, M. K.), Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, 16. Annual Conference on Computational Learning Theory / COLT Kernel, 2004 (inproceedings)

Abstract

In this article we construct a maximal margin classification algorithm for arbitrary metric spaces. At first we show that the Support Vector Machine (SVM) is a maximal margin algorithm for the class of metric spaces where the negative squared distance is conditionally positive definite (CPD). This means that the metric space can be isometrically embedded into a Hilbert space, where one performs linear maximal margin separation. We will show that the solution only depends on the metric, but not on the kernel. Following the framework we develop for the SVM, we construct an algorithm for maximal margin classification in arbitrary metric spaces. The main difference compared with SVM is that we no longer embed isometrically into a Hilbert space, but a Banach space. We further give an estimate of the capacity of the function class involved in this algorithm via Rademacher averages. We recover an algorithm of Graepel et al. [6].

PDF PostScript PDF DOI [BibTex]

Hein, M., Bousquet, O. Maximal Margin Classification for Metric Spaces In Learning Theory and Kernel Machines, pages: 72-86, (Editors: Schölkopf, B. and Warmuth, M. K.), Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, 16. Annual Conference on Computational Learning Theory / COLT Kernel, 2004 (inproceedings)

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On the Convergence of Spectral Clustering on Random Samples: The Normalized Case

von Luxburg, U., Bousquet, O., Belkin, M.

In Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference on Learning Theory, pages: 457-471, Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference on Learning Theory, 2004 (inproceedings)

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von Luxburg, U., Bousquet, O., Belkin, M. On the Convergence of Spectral Clustering on Random Samples: The Normalized Case In Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference on Learning Theory, pages: 457-471, Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference on Learning Theory, 2004 (inproceedings)

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Introduction to Statistical Learning Theory

Bousquet, O., Boucheron, S., Lugosi, G.

In Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence 3176, pages: 169-207, (Editors: Bousquet, O., U. von Luxburg and G. Rätsch), Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, 2004 (inbook)

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Bousquet, O., Boucheron, S., Lugosi, G. Introduction to Statistical Learning Theory In Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence 3176, pages: 169-207, (Editors: Bousquet, O., U. von Luxburg and G. Rätsch), Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, 2004 (inbook)

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A Primer on Kernel Methods

Vert, J., Tsuda, K., Schölkopf, B.

In Kernel Methods in Computational Biology, pages: 35-70, (Editors: B Schölkopf and K Tsuda and JP Vert), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, 2004 (inbook)

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Vert, J., Tsuda, K., Schölkopf, B. A Primer on Kernel Methods In Kernel Methods in Computational Biology, pages: 35-70, (Editors: B Schölkopf and K Tsuda and JP Vert), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, 2004 (inbook)

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Confidence Sets for Ratios: A Purely Geometric Approach To Fieller’s Theorem

von Luxburg, U., Franz, V.

(133), Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 2004 (techreport)

Abstract

We present a simple, geometric method to construct Fieller's exact confidence sets for ratios of jointly normally distributed random variables. Contrary to previous geometric approaches in the literature, our method is valid in the general case where both sample mean and covariance are unknown. Moreover, not only the construction but also its proof are purely geometric and elementary, thus giving intuition into the nature of the confidence sets.

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von Luxburg, U., Franz, V. Confidence Sets for Ratios: A Purely Geometric Approach To Fieller’s Theorem (133), Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 2004 (techreport)

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Transductive Inference with Graphs

Zhou, D., Schölkopf, B.

Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 2004, See the improved version Regularization on Discrete Spaces. (techreport)

Abstract

We propose a general regularization framework for transductive inference. The given data are thought of as a graph, where the edges encode the pairwise relationships among data. We develop discrete analysis and geometry on graphs, and then naturally adapt the classical regularization in the continuous case to the graph situation. A new and effective algorithm is derived from this general framework, as well as an approach we developed before.

[BibTex]

Zhou, D., Schölkopf, B. Transductive Inference with Graphs Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 2004, See the improved version Regularization on Discrete Spaces. (techreport)

[BibTex]

Classification and Feature Extraction in Man and Machine

Graf, AAB.

Biologische Kybernetik, University of Tübingen, Germany, 2004, online publication (phdthesis)

[BibTex]

Graf, AAB. Classification and Feature Extraction in Man and Machine Biologische Kybernetik, University of Tübingen, Germany, 2004, online publication (phdthesis)

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Phenotypic Characterization of Human Chondrocyte Cell Line C-20/A4: A Comparison between Monolayer and Alginate Suspension Culture

Finger, F., Schorle, C., Söder, S., Zien, A., Goldring, M., Aigner, T.

Cells Tissues Organs, 178(2):65-77, 2004 (article)

Abstract

DNA microarray analysis was used to investigate the molecular phenotype of one of the first human chondrocyte cell lines, C-20/A4, derived from juvenile costal chondrocytes by immortalization with origin-defective simian virus 40 large T antigen. Clontech Human Cancer Arrays 1.2 and quantitative PCR were used to examine gene expression profiles of C-20/A4 cells cultured in the presence of serum in monolayer and alginate beads. In monolayer cultures, genes involved in cell proliferation were strongly upregulated compared to those expressed by human adult articular chondrocytes in primary culture. Of the cell cycle-regulated genes, only two, the CDK regulatory subunit and histone H4, were downregulated after culture in alginate beads, consistent with the ability of these cells to proliferate in suspension culture. In contrast, the expression of several genes that are involved in pericellular matrix formation, including MMP-14, COL6A1, fibronectin, biglycan and decorin, was upregulated when the C-20/A4 cells were transferred to suspension culture in alginate. Also, nexin-1, vimentin, and IGFBP-3, which are known to be expressed by primary chondrocytes, were differentially expressed in our study. Consistent with the proliferative phenotype of this cell line, few genes involved in matrix synthesis and turnover were highly expressed in the presence of serum. These results indicate that immortalized chondrocyte cell lines, rather than substituting for primary chondrocytes, may serve as models for extending findings on chondrocyte function not achievable by the use of primary chondrocytes.

[BibTex]

Finger, F., Schorle, C., Söder, S., Zien, A., Goldring, M., Aigner, T. Phenotypic Characterization of Human Chondrocyte Cell Line C-20/A4: A Comparison between Monolayer and Alginate Suspension Culture Cells Tissues Organs, 178(2):65-77, 2004 (article)

[BibTex]

Kernel Methods and their Potential Use in Signal Processing

Perez-Cruz, F., Bousquet, O.

IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, (Special issue on Signal Processing for Mining), 2004 (article) Accepted

PostScript [BibTex]

Perez-Cruz, F., Bousquet, O. Kernel Methods and their Potential Use in Signal Processing IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, (Special issue on Signal Processing for Mining), 2004 (article) Accepted

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Concentration Inequalities

Boucheron, S., Lugosi, G., Bousquet, O.

In Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence 3176, pages: 208-240, (Editors: Bousquet, O., U. von Luxburg and G. Rätsch), Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, 2004 (inbook)

PDF [BibTex]

Boucheron, S., Lugosi, G., Bousquet, O. Concentration Inequalities In Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence 3176, pages: 208-240, (Editors: Bousquet, O., U. von Luxburg and G. Rätsch), Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, 2004 (inbook)

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Kernels for graphs

Kashima, H., Tsuda, K., Inokuchi, A.

In pages: 155-170, (Editors: Schoelkopf, B., K. Tsuda and J.P. Vert), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA; USA, 2004 (inbook)

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Kashima, H., Tsuda, K., Inokuchi, A. Kernels for graphs In pages: 155-170, (Editors: Schoelkopf, B., K. Tsuda and J.P. Vert), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA; USA, 2004 (inbook)

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A primer on molecular biology

Zien, A.

In pages: 3-34, (Editors: Schoelkopf, B., K. Tsuda and J. P. Vert), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, 2004 (inbook)

Abstract

Modern molecular biology provides a rich source of challenging machine learning problems. This tutorial chapter aims to provide the necessary biological background knowledge required to communicate with biologists and to understand and properly formalize a number of most interesting problems in this application domain. The largest part of the chapter (its first section) is devoted to the cell as the basic unit of life. Four aspects of cells are reviewed in sequence: (1) the molecules that cells make use of (above all, proteins, RNA, and DNA); (2) the spatial organization of cells (``compartmentalization''); (3) the way cells produce proteins (``protein expression''); and (4) cellular communication and evolution (of cells and organisms). In the second section, an overview is provided of the most frequent measurement technologies, data types, and data sources. Finally, important open problems in the analysis of these data (bioinformatics challenges) are briefly outlined.

PDF PostScript Web [BibTex]

Zien, A. A primer on molecular biology In pages: 3-34, (Editors: Schoelkopf, B., K. Tsuda and J. P. Vert), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, 2004 (inbook)

PDF PostScript Web [BibTex]

Implicit Wiener series for capturing higher-order interactions in images

Franz, M., Schölkopf, B.

Sensory coding and the natural environment, (Editors: Olshausen, B.A. and M. Lewicki), 2004 (poster)

Abstract

The information about the objects in an image is almost exclusively described by the higher-order interactions of its pixels. The Wiener series is one of the standard methods to systematically characterize these interactions. However, the classical estimation method of the Wiener expansion coefficients via cross-correlation suffers from severe problems that prevent its application to high-dimensional and strongly nonlinear signals such as images. We propose an estimation method based on regression in a reproducing kernel Hilbert space that overcomes these problems using polynomial kernels as known from Support Vector Machines and other kernel-based methods. Numerical experiments show performance advantages in terms of convergence, interpretability and system sizes that can be handled. By the time of the conference, we will be able to present first results on the higher-order structure of natural images.

[BibTex]

Franz, M., Schölkopf, B. Implicit Wiener series for capturing higher-order interactions in images Sensory coding and the natural environment, (Editors: Olshausen, B.A. and M. Lewicki), 2004 (poster)

[BibTex]

Classification and Memory Behaviour of Man Revisited by Machine

Graf, A., Wichmann, F., Bülthoff, H., Schölkopf, B.

CSHL Meeting on Computational & Systems Neuroscience (COSYNE), 2004 (poster)

[BibTex]

Graf, A., Wichmann, F., Bülthoff, H., Schölkopf, B. Classification and Memory Behaviour of Man Revisited by Machine CSHL Meeting on Computational & Systems Neuroscience (COSYNE), 2004 (poster)

[BibTex]

Advanced Statistical Learning Theory

Bousquet, O.

Machine Learning Summer School, 2004 (talk)

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Bousquet, O. Advanced Statistical Learning Theory Machine Learning Summer School, 2004 (talk)

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2002

Learning with Kernels: Support Vector Machines, Regularization, Optimization, and Beyond

Schölkopf, B., Smola, A.

pages: 644, Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, December 2002, Parts of this book, including an introduction to kernel methods, can be downloaded here. (book)

Abstract

In the 1990s, a new type of learning algorithm was developed, based on results from statistical learning theory: the Support Vector Machine (SVM). This gave rise to a new class of theoretically elegant learning machines that use a central concept of SVMs-kernelsfor a number of learning tasks. Kernel machines provide a modular framework that can be adapted to different tasks and domains by the choice of the kernel function and the base algorithm. They are replacing neural networks in a variety of fields, including engineering, information retrieval, and bioinformatics. Learning with Kernels provides an introduction to SVMs and related kernel methods. Although the book begins with the basics, it also includes the latest research. It provides all of the concepts necessary to enable a reader equipped with some basic mathematical knowledge to enter the world of machine learning using theoretically well-founded yet easy-to-use kernel algorithms and to understand and apply the powerful algorithms that have been developed over the last few years.

Web [BibTex]

2002

Schölkopf, B., Smola, A. Learning with Kernels: Support Vector Machines, Regularization, Optimization, and Beyond pages: 644, Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, December 2002, Parts of this book, including an introduction to kernel methods, can be downloaded here. (book)

Web [BibTex]

Surface-slant-from-texture discrimination: Effects of slant level and texture type

Rosas, P., Wichmann, F., Wagemans, J.

Journal of Vision, 2(7):300, Second Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), November 2002 (poster)

Abstract

The problem of surface-slant-from-texture was studied psychophysically by measuring the performances of five human subjects in a slant-discrimination task with a number of different types of textures: uniform lattices, randomly displaced lattices, polka dots, Voronoi tessellations, orthogonal sinusoidal plaid patterns, fractal or 1/f noise, “coherent” noise and a “diffusion-based” texture (leopard skin-like). The results show: (1) Improving performance with larger slants for all textures. (2) A “non-symmetrical” performance around a particular slant characterized by a psychometric function that is steeper in the direction of the more slanted orientation. (3) For sufficiently large slants (66 deg) there are no major differences in performance between any of the different textures. (4) For slants at 26, 37 and 53 degrees, however, there are marked differences between the different textures. (5) The observed differences in performance across textures for slants up to 53 degrees are systematic within subjects, and nearly so across them. This allows a rank-order of textures to be formed according to their “helpfulness” — that is, how easy the discrimination task is when a particular texture is mapped on the surface. Polka dots tended to allow the best slant discrimination performance, noise patterns the worst up to the large slant of 66 degrees at which performance was almost independent of the particular texture chosen. Finally, our large number of 2AFC trials (approximately 2800 trials per texture across subjects) and associated tight confidence intervals may enable us to find out about which statistical properties of the textures could be responsible for surface-slant-from-texture estimation, with the ultimate goal of being able to predict observer performance for any arbitrary texture.

Web DOI [BibTex]

Rosas, P., Wichmann, F., Wagemans, J. Surface-slant-from-texture discrimination: Effects of slant level and texture type Journal of Vision, 2(7):300, Second Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), November 2002 (poster)

Web DOI [BibTex]

Modelling Contrast Transfer in Spatial Vision

Wichmann, F.

Journal of Vision, 2(10):7, Second Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), November 2002 (poster)

Abstract

Much of our information about spatial vision comes from detection experiments involving low-contrast stimuli. Contrast discrimination experiments provide one way to explore the visual system's response to stimuli of higher contrast, the results of which allow different models of contrast processing (e.g. energy versus gain-control models) to be critically assessed (Wichmann & Henning, 1999). Studies of detection and discrimination using pulse train stimuli in noise, on the other hand, make predictions about the number, position and properties of noise sources within the processing stream (Henning, Bird & Wichmann, 2002). Here I report modelling results combining data from both sinusoidal and pulse train experiments in and without noise to arrive at a more tightly constrained model of early spatial vision.

Web DOI [BibTex]

Wichmann, F. Modelling Contrast Transfer in Spatial Vision Journal of Vision, 2(10):7, Second Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), November 2002 (poster)

Web DOI [BibTex]

Gender Classification of Human Faces

Graf, A., Wichmann, F.

In Biologically Motivated Computer Vision, pages: 1-18, (Editors: Bülthoff, H. H., S.W. Lee, T. A. Poggio and C. Wallraven), Springer, Berlin, Germany, Second International Workshop on Biologically Motivated Computer Vision (BMCV), November 2002 (inproceedings)

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of combining pre-processing methods—dimensionality reduction using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Locally Linear Embedding (LLE)—with Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification for a behaviorally important task in humans: gender classification. A processed version of the MPI head database is used as stimulus set. First, summary statistics of the head database are studied. Subsequently the optimal parameters for LLE and the SVM are sought heuristically. These values are then used to compare the original face database with its processed counterpart and to assess the behavior of a SVM with respect to changes in illumination and perspective of the face images. Overall, PCA was superior in classification performance and allowed linear separability.

PDF PDF DOI [BibTex]

Graf, A., Wichmann, F. Gender Classification of Human Faces In Biologically Motivated Computer Vision, pages: 1-18, (Editors: Bülthoff, H. H., S.W. Lee, T. A. Poggio and C. Wallraven), Springer, Berlin, Germany, Second International Workshop on Biologically Motivated Computer Vision (BMCV), November 2002 (inproceedings)

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Insect-Inspired Estimation of Self-Motion

Franz, MO., Chahl, JS.

In Biologically Motivated Computer Vision, (2525):171-180, LNCS, (Editors: Bülthoff, H.H. , S.W. Lee, T.A. Poggio, C. Wallraven), Springer, Berlin, Germany, Second International Workshop on Biologically Motivated Computer Vision (BMCV), November 2002 (inproceedings)

Abstract

The tangential neurons in the fly brain are sensitive to the typical optic flow patterns generated during self-motion. In this study, we examine whether a simplified linear model of these neurons can be used to estimate self-motion from the optic flow. We present a theory for the construction of an optimal linear estimator incorporating prior knowledge about the environment. The optimal estimator is tested on a gantry carrying an omnidirectional vision sensor. The experiments show that the proposed approach leads to accurate and robust estimates of rotation rates, whereas translation estimates turn out to be less reliable.

PDF PDF DOI [BibTex]

Franz, MO., Chahl, JS. Insect-Inspired Estimation of Self-Motion In Biologically Motivated Computer Vision, (2525):171-180, LNCS, (Editors: Bülthoff, H.H. , S.W. Lee, T.A. Poggio, C. Wallraven), Springer, Berlin, Germany, Second International Workshop on Biologically Motivated Computer Vision (BMCV), November 2002 (inproceedings)

PDF PDF DOI [BibTex]

Pulse train detection and discrimination in pink noise

Henning, G., Wichmann, F., Bird, C.

Journal of Vision, 2(7):229, Second Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), November 2002 (poster)

Abstract

Much of our information about spatial vision comes from detection experiments involving low-contrast stimuli. Contrast discrimination experiments provide one way to explore the visual system's response to stimuli of higher contrast. We explored both detection and contrast discrimination performance with sinusoidal and "pulse-train" (or line) gratings. Both types of grating had a fundamental spatial frequency of 2.09-c/deg but the pulse-train, ideally, contains, in addition to its fundamental component, all the harmonics of the fundamental. Although the 2.09-c/deg pulse-train produced on the display was measured and shown to contain at least 8 harmonics at equal contrast, it was no more detectable than its most detectable component; no benefit from having additional information at the harmonics was measurable. The addition of broadband "pink" noise, designed to equalize the detectability of the components of the pulse train, made it about a factor of four more detectable than any of its components. However, in contrast-discrimination experiments, with an in-phase pedestal or masking grating of the same form and phase as the signal and 15% contrast, the noise did not improve the discrimination performance of the pulse train relative to that of its sinusoidal components. In contrast, a 2.09-c/deg "super train," constructed to have 8 equally detectable harmonics, was a factor of five more detectable than any of its components. We discuss the implications of these observations for models of early vision in particular the implications for possible sources of internal noise.

Web DOI [BibTex]

Henning, G., Wichmann, F., Bird, C. Pulse train detection and discrimination in pink noise Journal of Vision, 2(7):229, Second Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), November 2002 (poster)

Web DOI [BibTex]

Combining sensory Information to Improve Visualization

Ernst, M., Banks, M., Wichmann, F., Maloney, L., Bülthoff, H.

In Proceedings of the Conference on Visualization ‘02 (VIS ‘02), pages: 571-574, (Editors: Moorhead, R. , M. Joy), IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, IEEE Conference on Visualization (VIS '02), October 2002 (inproceedings)

Abstract

Seemingly effortlessly the human brain reconstructs the three-dimensional environment surrounding us from the light pattern striking the eyes. This seems to be true across almost all viewing and lighting conditions. One important factor for this apparent easiness is the redundancy of information provided by the sensory organs. For example, perspective distortions, shading, motion parallax, or the disparity between the two eyes' images are all, at least partly, redundant signals which provide us with information about the three-dimensional layout of the visual scene. Our brain uses all these different sensory signals and combines the available information into a coherent percept. In displays visualizing data, however, the information is often highly reduced and abstracted, which may lead to an altered perception and therefore a misinterpretation of the visualized data. In this panel we will discuss mechanisms involved in the combination of sensory information and their implications for simulations using computer displays, as well as problems resulting from current display technology such as cathode-ray tubes.

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Ernst, M., Banks, M., Wichmann, F., Maloney, L., Bülthoff, H. Combining sensory Information to Improve Visualization In Proceedings of the Conference on Visualization ‘02 (VIS ‘02), pages: 571-574, (Editors: Moorhead, R. , M. Joy), IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, IEEE Conference on Visualization (VIS '02), October 2002 (inproceedings)

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Incorporating Invariances in Non-Linear Support Vector Machines

Chapelle, O., Schölkopf, B.

In Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 14, pages: 609-616, (Editors: TG Dietterich and S Becker and Z Ghahramani), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, 15th Annual Neural Information Processing Systems Conference (NIPS), September 2002 (inproceedings)

Abstract

The choice of an SVM kernel corresponds to the choice of a representation of the data in a feature space and, to improve performance, it should therefore incorporate prior knowledge such as known transformation invariances. We propose a technique which extends earlier work and aims at incorporating invariances in nonlinear kernels. We show on a digit recognition task that the proposed approach is superior to the Virtual Support Vector method, which previously had been the method of choice.

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Chapelle, O., Schölkopf, B. Incorporating Invariances in Non-Linear Support Vector Machines In Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 14, pages: 609-616, (Editors: TG Dietterich and S Becker and Z Ghahramani), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, 15th Annual Neural Information Processing Systems Conference (NIPS), September 2002 (inproceedings)

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Constructing Boosting algorithms from SVMs: an application to one-class classification.

Rätsch, G., Mika, S., Schölkopf, B., Müller, K.

IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 24(9):1184-1199, September 2002 (article)

Abstract

We show via an equivalence of mathematical programs that a support vector (SV) algorithm can be translated into an equivalent boosting-like algorithm and vice versa. We exemplify this translation procedure for a new algorithmone-class leveragingstarting from the one-class support vector machine (1-SVM). This is a first step toward unsupervised learning in a boosting framework. Building on so-called barrier methods known from the theory of constrained optimization, it returns a function, written as a convex combination of base hypotheses, that characterizes whether a given test point is likely to have been generated from the distribution underlying the training data. Simulations on one-class classification problems demonstrate the usefulness of our approach.

DOI [BibTex]

Rätsch, G., Mika, S., Schölkopf, B., Müller, K. Constructing Boosting algorithms from SVMs: an application to one-class classification. IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 24(9):1184-1199, September 2002 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Kernel Dependency Estimation

Weston, J., Chapelle, O., Elisseeff, A., Schölkopf, B., Vapnik, V.

(98), Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, August 2002 (techreport)

Abstract

We consider the learning problem of finding a dependency between a general class of objects and another, possibly different, general class of objects. The objects can be for example: vectors, images, strings, trees or graphs. Such a task is made possible by employing similarity measures in both input and output spaces using kernel functions, thus embedding the objects into vector spaces. Output kernels also make it possible to encode prior information and/or invariances in the loss function in an elegant way. We experimentally validate our approach on several tasks: mapping strings to strings, pattern recognition, and reconstruction from partial images.

PDF [BibTex]

Weston, J., Chapelle, O., Elisseeff, A., Schölkopf, B., Vapnik, V. Kernel Dependency Estimation (98), Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, August 2002 (techreport)

PDF [BibTex]

Phase information in the recognition of natural images

Braun, D., Wichmann, F., Gegenfurtner, K.

Perception, 31(ECVP Abstract Supplement):133, 25th European Conference on Visual Perception, August 2002 (poster)

Abstract

Fourier phase plays an important role in determining global image structure. For example, when the phase spectrum of an image of a flower is swapped with that of a tank, we usually perceive a tank, even though the amplitude spectrum is still that of the flower. Similarly, when the phase spectrum of an image is randomly swapped across frequencies, that is its Fourier energy is randomly distributed over the image, the resulting image becomes impossible to recognise. Our goal was to evaluate the effect of phase manipulations in a quantitative manner. Subjects viewed two images of natural scenes, one of which contained an animal (the target) embedded in the background. The spectra of the images were manipulated by adding random phase noise at each frequency. The phase noise was the independent variable, uniformly distributed between 0° and ±180°. Subjects were remarkably resistant to phase noise. Even with ±120° noise, subjects were still 75% correct. The proportion of correct answers closely followed the correlation between original and noise-distorted images. Thus it appears as if it was not the global phase information per se that determines our percept of natural images, but rather the effect of phase on local image features.

Web [BibTex]

Braun, D., Wichmann, F., Gegenfurtner, K. Phase information in the recognition of natural images Perception, 31(ECVP Abstract Supplement):133, 25th European Conference on Visual Perception, August 2002 (poster)

Web [BibTex]

The contributions of color to recognition memory for natural scenes

Wichmann, F., Sharpe, L., Gegenfurtner, K.

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 28(3):509-520, May 2002 (article)

Abstract

The authors used a recognition memory paradigm to assess the influence of color information on visual memory for images of natural scenes. Subjects performed 5-10% better for colored than for black-and-white images independent of exposure duration. Experiment 2 indicated little influence of contrast once the images were suprathreshold, and Experiment 3 revealed that performance worsened when images were presented in color and tested in black and white, or vice versa, leading to the conclusion that the surface property color is part of the memory representation. Experiments 4 and 5 exclude the possibility that the superior recognition memory for colored images results solely from attentional factors or saliency. Finally, the recognition memory advantage disappears for falsely colored images of natural scenes: The improvement in recognition memory depends on the color congruence of presented images with learned knowledge about the color gamut found within natural scenes. The results can be accounted for within a multiple memory systems framework.

PDF Web DOI [BibTex]

Wichmann, F., Sharpe, L., Gegenfurtner, K. The contributions of color to recognition memory for natural scenes Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 28(3):509-520, May 2002 (article)

PDF Web DOI [BibTex]

Detection and discrimination in pink noise

Wichmann, F., Henning, G.

5, pages: 100, 5. T{\"u}binger Wahrnehmungskonferenz (TWK), February 2002 (poster)

Abstract

Much of our information about early spatial vision comes from detection experiments involving low-contrast stimuli, which are not, perhaps, particularly "natural" stimuli. Contrast discrimination experiments provide one way to explore the visual system's response to stimuli of higher contrast whilst keeping the number of unknown parameters comparatively small. We explored both detection and contrast discrimination performance with sinusoidal and "pulse-train" (or line) gratings. Both types of grating had a fundamental spatial frequency of 2.09-c/deg but the pulse-train, ideally, contains, in addition to its fundamental component, all the harmonics of the fundamental. Although the 2.09-c/deg pulse-train produced on our display was measured using a high-performance digital camera (Photometrics) and shown to contain at least 8 harmonics at equal contrast, it was no more detectable than its most detectable component; no benefit from having additional information at the harmonics was measurable. The addition of broadband 1-D "pink" noise made it about a factor of four more detectable than any of its components. However, in contrast-discrimination experiments, with an in-phase pedestal or masking grating of the same form and phase as the signal and 15% contrast, the noise did not improve the discrimination performance of the pulse train relative to that of its sinusoidal components. We discuss the implications of these observations for models of early vision in particular the implications for possible sources of internal noise.

Web [BibTex]

Wichmann, F., Henning, G. Detection and discrimination in pink noise 5, pages: 100, 5. T{\"u}binger Wahrnehmungskonferenz (TWK), February 2002 (poster)

Web [BibTex]

Training invariant support vector machines

DeCoste, D., Schölkopf, B.

Machine Learning, 46(1-3):161-190, January 2002 (article)

Abstract

Practical experience has shown that in order to obtain the best possible performance, prior knowledge about invariances of a classification problem at hand ought to be incorporated into the training procedure. We describe and review all known methods for doing so in support vector machines, provide experimental results, and discuss their respective merits. One of the significant new results reported in this work is our recent achievement of the lowest reported test error on the well-known MNIST digit recognition benchmark task, with SVM training times that are also significantly faster than previous SVM methods.

PDF DOI [BibTex]

DeCoste, D., Schölkopf, B. Training invariant support vector machines Machine Learning, 46(1-3):161-190, January 2002 (article)

PDF DOI [BibTex]

Contrast discrimination with sinusoidal gratings of different spatial frequency

Bird, C., Henning, G., Wichmann, F.

Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 19(7), pages: 1267-1273, 2002 (article)

Abstract

The detectability of contrast increments was measured as a function of the contrast of a masking or pedestal grating at a number of different spatial frequencies ranging from 2 to 16 cycles per degree of visual angle. The pedestal grating always had the same orientation, spatial frequency and phase as the signal. The shape of the contrast increment threshold versus pedestal contrast (TvC) functions depend of the performance level used to define the threshold, but when both axes are normalized by the contrast corresponding to 75% correct detection at each frequency, the (TvC) functions at a given performance level are identical. Confidence intervals on the slope of the rising part of the TvC functions are so wide that it is not possible with our data to reject Webers Law.

PDF [BibTex]

Bird, C., Henning, G., Wichmann, F. Contrast discrimination with sinusoidal gratings of different spatial frequency Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 19(7), pages: 1267-1273, 2002 (article)

PDF [BibTex]

A compression approach to support vector model selection

von Luxburg, U., Bousquet, O., Schölkopf, B.

(101), Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 2002, see more detailed JMLR version (techreport)

Abstract

In this paper we investigate connections between statistical learning theory and data compression on the basis of support vector machine (SVM) model selection. Inspired by several generalization bounds we construct ``compression coefficients'' for SVMs, which measure the amount by which the training labels can be compressed by some classification hypothesis. The main idea is to relate the coding precision of this hypothesis to the width of the margin of the SVM. The compression coefficients connect well known quantities such as the radius-margin ratio R^2/rho^2, the eigenvalues of the kernel matrix and the number of support vectors. To test whether they are useful in practice we ran model selection experiments on several real world datasets. As a result we found that compression coefficients can fairly accurately predict the parameters for which the test error is minimized.

[BibTex]

von Luxburg, U., Bousquet, O., Schölkopf, B. A compression approach to support vector model selection (101), Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 2002, see more detailed JMLR version (techreport)

[BibTex]

Support Vector Machines and Kernel Methods: The New Generation of Learning Machines

Cristianini, N., Schölkopf, B.

AI Magazine, 23(3):31-41, 2002 (article)

[BibTex]

Cristianini, N., Schölkopf, B. Support Vector Machines and Kernel Methods: The New Generation of Learning Machines AI Magazine, 23(3):31-41, 2002 (article)

[BibTex]

Application of Monte Carlo Methods to Psychometric Function Fitting

Wichmann, F.

Proceedings of the 33rd European Conference on Mathematical Psychology, pages: 44, 2002 (poster)

Abstract

The psychometric function relates an observer's performance to an independent variable, usually some physical quantity of a stimulus in a psychophysical task. Here I describe methods to (1) fitting psychometric functions, (2) assessing goodness-of-fit, and (3) providing confidence intervals for the function's parameters and other estimates derived from them. First I describe a constrained maximum-likelihood method for parameter estimation. Using Monte-Carlo simulations I demonstrate that it is important to have a fitting method that takes stimulus-independent errors (or "lapses") into account. Second, a number of goodness-of-fit tests are introduced. Because psychophysical data sets are usually rather small I advocate the use of Monte Carlo resampling techniques that do not rely on asymptotic theory for goodness-of-fit assessment. Third, a parametric bootstrap is employed to estimate the variability of fitted parameters and derived quantities such as thresholds and slopes. I describe how the bootstrap bridging assumption, on which the validity of the procedure depends, can be tested without incurring too high a cost in computation time. Finally I describe how the methods can be extended to test hypotheses concerning the form and shape of several psychometric functions. Software describing the methods is available (http://www.bootstrap-software.com/psignifit/), as well as articles describing the methods in detail (Wichmann&Hill, Perception&Psychophysics, 2001a,b).

[BibTex]

Wichmann, F. Application of Monte Carlo Methods to Psychometric Function Fitting Proceedings of the 33rd European Conference on Mathematical Psychology, pages: 44, 2002 (poster)

[BibTex]

Contrast discrimination with pulse-trains in pink noise

Henning, G., Bird, C., Wichmann, F.

Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 19(7), pages: 1259-1266, 2002 (article)

Abstract

Detection performance was measured with sinusoidal and pulse-train gratings. Although the 2.09-c/deg pulse-train, or line gratings, contained at least 8 harmonics all at equal contrast, they were no more detectable than their most detectable component. The addition of broadband pink noise designed to equalize the detectability of the components of the pulse train made the pulse train about a factor of four more detectable than any of its components. However, in contrast-discrimination experiments, with a pedestal or masking grating of the same form and phase as the signal and 15% contrast, the noise did not affect the discrimination performance of the pulse train relative to that obtained with its sinusoidal components. We discuss the implications of these observations for models of early vision in particular the implications for possible sources of internal noise.

PDF [BibTex]

Henning, G., Bird, C., Wichmann, F. Contrast discrimination with pulse-trains in pink noise Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 19(7), pages: 1259-1266, 2002 (article)

PDF [BibTex]

A kernel approach for learning from almost orthogonal patterns

Schölkopf, B., Weston, J., Eskin, E., Leslie, C., Noble, W.

In Principles of Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2430/2431, pages: 511-528, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, (Editors: T Elomaa and H Mannila and H Toivonen), Springer, Berlin, Germany, 13th European Conference on Machine Learning (ECML) and 6th European Conference on Principles and Practice of Knowledge Discovery in Databases (PKDD'2002), 2002 (inproceedings)

PostScript DOI [BibTex]

Schölkopf, B., Weston, J., Eskin, E., Leslie, C., Noble, W. A kernel approach for learning from almost orthogonal patterns In Principles of Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2430/2431, pages: 511-528, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, (Editors: T Elomaa and H Mannila and H Toivonen), Springer, Berlin, Germany, 13th European Conference on Machine Learning (ECML) and 6th European Conference on Principles and Practice of Knowledge Discovery in Databases (PKDD'2002), 2002 (inproceedings)

PostScript DOI [BibTex]

Optimal linear estimation of self-motion - a real-world test of a model of fly tangential neurons

Franz, MO.

SAB 02 Workshop, Robotics as theoretical biology, 7th meeting of the International Society for Simulation of Adaptive Behaviour (SAB), (Editors: Prescott, T.; Webb, B.), 2002 (poster)

Abstract

The tangential neurons in the fly brain are sensitive to the typical optic flow patterns generated during self-motion (see example in Fig.1). We examine whether a simplified linear model of these neurons can be used to estimate self-motion from the optic flow. We present a theory for the construction of an optimal linear estimator incorporating prior knowledge both about the distance distribution of the environment, and about the noise and self-motion statistics of the sensor. The optimal estimator is tested on a gantry carrying an omnidirectional vision sensor that can be moved along three translational and one rotational degree of freedom. The experiments indicate that the proposed approach yields accurate results for rotation estimates, independently of the current translation and scene layout. Translation estimates, however, turned out to be sensitive to simultaneous rotation and to the particular distance distribution of the scene. The gantry experiments confirm that the receptive field organization of the tangential neurons allows them, as an ensemble, to extract self-motion from the optic flow.

PDF [BibTex]

Franz, MO. Optimal linear estimation of self-motion - a real-world test of a model of fly tangential neurons SAB 02 Workshop, Robotics as theoretical biology, 7th meeting of the International Society for Simulation of Adaptive Behaviour (SAB), (Editors: Prescott, T.; Webb, B.), 2002 (poster)

PDF [BibTex]

Luminance Artifacts on CRT Displays

Wichmann, F.

In IEEE Visualization, pages: 571-574, (Editors: Moorhead, R.; Gross, M.; Joy, K. I.), IEEE Visualization, 2002 (inproceedings)

Abstract

Most visualization panels today are still built around cathode-ray tubes (CRTs), certainly on personal desktops at work and at home. Whilst capable of producing pleasing images for common applications ranging from email writing to TV and DVD presentation, it is as well to note that there are a number of nonlinear transformations between input (voltage) and output (luminance) which distort the digital and/or analogue images send to a CRT. Some of them are input-independent and hence easy to fix, e.g. gamma correction, but others, such as pixel interactions, depend on the content of the input stimulus and are thus harder to compensate for. CRT-induced image distortions cause problems not only in basic vision research but also for applications where image fidelity is critical, most notably in medicine (digitization of X-ray images for diagnostic purposes) and in forms of online commerce, such as the online sale of images, where the image must be reproduced on some output device which will not have the same transfer function as the customer's CRT. I will present measurements from a number of CRTs and illustrate how some of their shortcomings may be problematic for the aforementioned applications.

[BibTex]

Wichmann, F. Luminance Artifacts on CRT Displays In IEEE Visualization, pages: 571-574, (Editors: Moorhead, R.; Gross, M.; Joy, K. I.), IEEE Visualization, 2002 (inproceedings)

[BibTex]

2001

Regularized principal manifolds

Smola, A., Mika, S., Schölkopf, B., Williamson, R.

Journal of Machine Learning Research, 1, pages: 179-209, June 2001 (article)

Abstract

Many settings of unsupervised learning can be viewed as quantization problems - the minimization of the expected quantization error subject to some restrictions. This allows the use of tools such as regularization from the theory of (supervised) risk minimization for unsupervised learning. This setting turns out to be closely related to principal curves, the generative topographic map, and robust coding. We explore this connection in two ways: (1) we propose an algorithm for finding principal manifolds that can be regularized in a variety of ways; and (2) we derive uniform convergence bounds and hence bounds on the learning rates of the algorithm. In particular, we give bounds on the covering numbers which allows us to obtain nearly optimal learning rates for certain types of regularization operators. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the approach.

PDF [BibTex]

2001

Smola, A., Mika, S., Schölkopf, B., Williamson, R. Regularized principal manifolds Journal of Machine Learning Research, 1, pages: 179-209, June 2001 (article)

PDF [BibTex]

Variationsverfahren zur Untersuchung von Grundzustandseigenschaften des Ein-Band Hubbard-Modells

Eichhorn, J.

Biologische Kybernetik, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden/Germany, May 2001 (diplomathesis)

Abstract

Using different modifications of a new variational approach, statical groundstate properties of the one-band Hubbard model such as energy and staggered magnetisation are calculated. By taking into account additional fluctuations, the method ist gradually improved so that a very good description of the energy in one and two dimensions can be achieved. After a detailed discussion of the application in one dimension, extensions for two dimensions are introduced. By use of a modified version of the variational ansatz in particular a description of the quantum phase transition for the magnetisation should be possible.

PostScript [BibTex]

Eichhorn, J. Variationsverfahren zur Untersuchung von Grundzustandseigenschaften des Ein-Band Hubbard-Modells Biologische Kybernetik, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden/Germany, May 2001 (diplomathesis)

PostScript [BibTex]

The psychometric function: II. Bootstrap-based confidence intervals and sampling

Wichmann, F., Hill, N.

Perception and Psychophysics, 63 (8), pages: 1314-1329, 2001 (article)

PDF [BibTex]

Wichmann, F., Hill, N. The psychometric function: II. Bootstrap-based confidence intervals and sampling Perception and Psychophysics, 63 (8), pages: 1314-1329, 2001 (article)

PDF [BibTex]

The psychometric function: I. Fitting, sampling and goodness-of-fit

Wichmann, F., Hill, N.

Perception and Psychophysics, 63 (8), pages: 1293-1313, 2001 (article)

Abstract

The psychometric function relates an observer'sperformance to an independent variable, usually some physical quantity of a stimulus in a psychophysical task. This paper, together with its companion paper (Wichmann & Hill, 2001), describes an integrated approach to (1) fitting psychometric functions, (2) assessing the goodness of fit, and (3) providing confidence intervals for the function'sparameters and other estimates derived from them, for the purposes of hypothesis testing. The present paper deals with the first two topics, describing a constrained maximum-likelihood method of parameter estimation and developing several goodness-of-fit tests. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we deal with two specific difficulties that arise when fitting functions to psychophysical data. First, we note that human observers are prone to stimulus-independent errors (or lapses ). We show that failure to account for this can lead to serious biases in estimates of the psychometric function'sparameters and illustrate how the problem may be overcome. Second, we note that psychophysical data sets are usually rather small by the standards required by most of the commonly applied statistical tests. We demonstrate the potential errors of applying traditional X^2 methods to psychophysical data and advocate use of Monte Carlo resampling techniques that do not rely on asymptotic theory. We have made available the software to implement our methods

PDF [BibTex]

Wichmann, F., Hill, N. The psychometric function: I. Fitting, sampling and goodness-of-fit Perception and Psychophysics, 63 (8), pages: 1293-1313, 2001 (article)

PDF [BibTex]

Unsupervised Segmentation and Classification of Mixtures of Markovian Sources

Seldin, Y., Bejerano, G., Tishby, N.

In The 33rd Symposium on the Interface of Computing Science and Statistics (Interface 2001 - Frontiers in Data Mining and Bioinformatics), pages: 1-15, 33rd Symposium on the Interface of Computing Science and Statistics (Interface - Frontiers in Data Mining and Bioinformatics), 2001 (inproceedings)

Abstract

We describe a novel algorithm for unsupervised segmentation of sequences into alternating Variable Memory Markov sources, first presented in [SBT01]. The algorithm is based on competitive learning between Markov models, when implemented as Prediction Suffix Trees [RST96] using the MDL principle. By applying a model clustering procedure, based on rate distortion theory combined with deterministic annealing, we obtain a hierarchical segmentation of sequences between alternating Markov sources. The method is applied successfully to unsupervised segmentation of multilingual texts into languages where it is able to infer correctly both the number of languages and the language switching points. When applied to protein sequence families (results of the [BSMT01] work), we demonstrate the methods ability to identify biologically meaningful sub-sequences within the proteins, which correspond to signatures of important functional sub-units called domains. Our approach to proteins classification (through the obtained signatures) is shown to have both conceptual and practical advantages over the currently used methods.

PDF Web [BibTex]

Seldin, Y., Bejerano, G., Tishby, N. Unsupervised Segmentation and Classification of Mixtures of Markovian Sources In The 33rd Symposium on the Interface of Computing Science and Statistics (Interface 2001 - Frontiers in Data Mining and Bioinformatics), pages: 1-15, 33rd Symposium on the Interface of Computing Science and Statistics (Interface - Frontiers in Data Mining and Bioinformatics), 2001 (inproceedings)

PDF Web [BibTex]

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