Shallow and deep learning for image classification

The paper is focused on the idea to demonstrate the advantages of deep learning approaches over ordinary shallow neural network on their comparative applications to image classifying from such popular benchmark databases as FERET and MNIST. An autoassociative neural network is used as a standalone program realized the nonlinear principal component analysis for prior extracting the most informative features of input data for neural networks to be compared further as classifiers. A special study of the optimal choice of activation function and the normalization transformation of input data allows to improve efficiency of the autoassociative program. One more study devoted to denoising properties of this program demonstrates its high efficiency even on noisy data. Three types of neural networks are compared: feed-forward neural net with one hidden layer, deep network with several hidden layers and deep belief network with several pretraining layers realized restricted Boltzmann machine. The number of hidden layer and the number of hidden neurons in them were chosen by cross-validation procedure to keep balance between number of layers and hidden neurons and classification efficiency. Results of our comparative study demonstrate the undoubted advantage of deep networks, as well as denoising power of autoencoders. In our work we use both multiprocessor graphic card and cloud services to speed up our calculations. The paper is oriented to specialists in concrete fields of scientific or experimental applications, who have already some knowledge about artificial neural networks, probability theory and numerical methods.