Gaussian ARTMAP: A Neural Network for Fast Incremental Learning of Noisy Multidimensional Maps

A new neural network architecture for incremental supervised learning of analog multidimensional maps is introduced. The architecture, called Gaussian ARTMAP, is a synthesis of a Gaussian classifier and an adaptive resonance theory (ART) neural network, achieved by defining the ART choice function as the discriminant function of a Gaussian classifier with separable distributions, and the ART match function as the same, but with the distributions normalized to a unit height. While Gaussian ARTMAP retains the attractive parallel computing and fast learning properties of fuzzy ARTMAP, it learns a more efficient internal representation of a mapping while being more resistant to noise than fuzzy ARTMAP on a number of benchmark databases. SSeveral simulations are presented which demonstrate that Gaussian ARTMAP consistently obtains a better trade-off of classification rate to number of categories than fuzzy ARTMAP. Results on a vowel classification problem are also presented which demonstrate that Gaussian ARTMAP outperforms many other classifiers.