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Deep and Shallow Networks

When and Why Are Deep Networks Better than Shallow Ones?

(Hrushikesh Mhaskar, Qianli Liao, Tomaso Poggio)

 

This paper describes technically very well what are the advantages of Deep Learning technology over Shallow neural models.

The document describes when the DL is preferable and why.

It is an in-depth and balanced technical analysis that does not support those who consider shallow neural models "obsolete" and those who consider the DL a sort of "alchemy".

 

OUR HISTORY AND OUR THOUGHT

 

We started doing research and development with neural networks in the 80s and obviously the Multilayer Perceptron with Error Back Propagation algorithm was the most used model in the first years of activity. In those years there were no BIG-DATA and the best that could be obtained to do pattern recognition tests on images was the set of MNIST handwritten digits.

The most we could have as an accelerator for our 33MHz Intel 386DX was an ISA card with a DSP (Digital Signal processor): being the DSP designed to calculate FFT (Fast Fourier Transform), it was optimized to speed up multiplication and accumulation operations (MAC) and this feature allowed to speed up the operations on the single neuron.

 

Intel 386SX and an ISA board with DSP (Digital Signal Processing)

 

We developed alternative and additional methods of Error Back-Propagation algorithm such as Genetic Algorithms and Simulated Annealing which were automatically triggered to overcome local minima.

We dreamed of giving the image pixels directly to the network, assuming to use at least ten Hidden layers: there was the software ready to do all this, but there were not enough images and the memory and computing power of the computer we had were orders of magnitude smaller than required.

Despite these limitations, with a Multilayer Perceptron with two Hidden layers we have created one of the first systems of Infrared Image Recognition for Land Mine Detection.

In a second phase we mainly used shallow neural networks with supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms. From Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART) to Self Organizing Map (SOM), from Support Vector Machine (SVM) to Extreme Learning Machine (ELM), from Radial Basis Function (RBF) to classifiers with Restricted Coulomb Energy (RCE).

Currently we think that the Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) which are nothing more than the evolution of Kunihiko Fukushima's Neocognitron (1979) are the most effective solution for image recognition where large labelled datasets are available.

There are quality control contexts in the industrial environment in which the number of images available is not sufficient for the use of a solution with DL and, therefore, other methodologies must be used.

DL technology has amply proven to be extremely efficient but equally vulnerable and therefore unreliable in safety-critical applications (DARPA GARD Program).

 

An example of Deep Learning deception

 

There are contexts in which for ethical, moral reasons or even of necessary cooperation between man and algorithm, in which the inference of a neural network must be explainable (DARPA XAI Program).

There are contexts in which current GPUs cannot operate (AEROSPACE) because they are too vulnerable to cosmic radiation and we need to develop algorithms capable of being efficient on radiation-hardened processors typically operating at very low clock frequencies.

 

A GPU for Machine Learning

 

 

OUR CURRENT TECHNOLOGY

 

An application based entirely on DEEP LEARNING is unable to learn new data in real time. As effective as this solution is, it can be specialized for a single task and cannot evolve in real time based on experience, as the human brain does. In fact it is a computer program written by learning data.

Our technologies derive from neuronal models based on three fundamental theories:

1) Hebb's rule (Donald O. Hebb)

2) ART (Adaptive Resonance Theory) (Stephen Grossberg / Gail Carpenter)

3) RCE (Restricted Coulomb Energy) (Leon Cooper)

We are inclined of using Deep Learning technology only in the field of image processing but our technology uses DL only as a tool for the extraction of features (e.g. DESERT™). In image processing it is decidedly more critical to obtain explainable inference also using traditional features extraction methods. The decision layer is always based on our SHARP™, LASER™ and ROCKET™ classification algorithms.

In this way we combine the potential of Deep Learning technology with the continuous learning ability of our classifier models. This approach also allows for greater robustness of the inference that is no longer bound to the Error Back-propagation algorithm.

Reading the text "When and Why Are Deep Networks Better than Shallow Ones?" you can understand that shallow neural networks can solve the same problems as deep neural networks as both are universal approximators. The price to pay for using shallow neural networks is that the number of paramaters (synapses) will grow almost exponentially as the complexity of the problem increases. The same does not happen for a Deep Neural Network.

If we analyze the true numbers of the parameters necessary to solve the most complex problems (currently solved on the current Deep Neural Networks) in a shallow neural classifier, we realize that the problem is the lack of a SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple Data) machine that can process all those parameters simultaneously.

Are we therefore facing a technological problem? Yes, just like when there were no potentially adequate GPUs to implement learning processes with deep neural networks.

In fact, we cannot have SIMD processors with millions of Processing Elements (PE) and even less with billions of Processing Elements: these devices would be enough to overcome the leap in computational capacity between deep neural networks and shallow neural networks. But what technology has reached these numbers? RAM memory and FLASH memory technologies.

MYTHOS™ technology uses memory to exponentially accelerate the execution speed of prototype-based neural classifiers. MYTHOS™ technology is convenient when the neural classifier has to learn BIG DATA or HUGE DATA: the scan time of the prototypes will increase linearly with respect to an exponential increase in the number of prototypes.

MYTHOS™ technology together with Neuromem® technology and NAND-FLASH memory allow to carry out a "broadcasting" operation of the input pattern on billions of prototypes in a constant time.

Our technological response is application dependent.

We are mainly oriented towards defence and aerospace applications, where we want to use MYTHOS™ technology with Radiation Hardened CPU. We design and build hardware solutions aimed to support DL in RAD-HARD devices for aerospace applications.

General Vision Neuromem® with 5500 neurons

 

General Vision Neuromem® with 500 neurons

 

BAE SYSTEMS RAD750™

 

MIND™ with shallow (Neuromem®) NN accelerators and deep (TPU) NN accelerators is a RAD-HARD AI device for aerospace applications

 

 

 

 

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