Theoretical Interpretations and Applications of Radial Basis Function Networks

Medical applications usually used Radial Basis Function Networks just as Artificial Neural Networks. However, RBFNs are Knowledge-Based Networks that can be interpreted in several way: Artificial Neural Networks, Regularization Networks, Support Vector Machines, Wavelet Networks, Fuzzy Controllers, Kernel Estimators, Instanced-Based Learners. A survey of their interpretations and of their corresponding learning algorithms is provided as well as a brief survey on dynamic learning algorithms. RBFNs' interpretations can suggest applications that are particularly interesting in medical domains

A CASE STUDY ON SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINES VERSUS ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

The capability of artificial neural networks for pattern recognition of real world problems is well known. In recent years, the support vector machine has been advocated for its structure risk minimization leading to tolerance margins of decision boundaries. Structures and performances of these pattern classifiers depend on the feature dimension and training data size. The objective of this research is to compare these pattern recognition systems based on a case study. The particular case considered is on classification of hypertensive and normotensive right ventricle (RV) shapes obtained from Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) sequences. In this case, the feature dimension is reasonable, but the available training data set is small, however, the decision surface is highly nonlinear.For diagnosis of congenital heart defects, especially those associated with pressure and volume overload problems, a reliable pattern classifier for determining right ventricle function is needed. RV¡¦s global and regional surface to volume ratios are assessed from an individual¡¦s MRI heart images. These are used as features for pattern classifiers. We considered first two linear classification methods: the Fisher linear discriminant and the linear classifier trained by the Ho-Kayshap algorithm. When the data are not linearly separable, artificial neural networks with back-propagation training and radial basis function networks were then considered, providing nonlinear decision surfaces. Thirdly, a support vector machine was trained which gives tolerance margins on both sides of the decision surface. We have found in this case study that the back-propagation training of an artificial neural network depends heavily on the selection of initial weights, even though randomized. The support vector machine where radial basis function kernels are used is easily trained and provides decision tolerance margins, in spite of only small margins

European exchange trading funds trading with locally weighted support vector regression

In this paper, two different Locally Weighted Support Vector Regression (wSVR) algorithms are generated and applied to the task of forecasting and trading five European Exchange Traded Funds. The trading application covers the recent European Monetary Union debt crisis. The performance of the proposed models is benchmarked against traditional Support Vector Regression (SVR) models. The Radial Basis Function, the Wavelet and the Mahalanobis kernel are explored and tested as SVR kernels. Finally, a novel statistical SVR input selection procedure is introduced based on a principal component analysis and the Hansen, Lunde, and Nason (2011) model confidence test. The results demonstrate the superiority of the wSVR models over the traditional SVRs and of the v-SVR over the ε-SVR algorithms. We note that the performance of all models varies and considerably deteriorates in the peak of the debt crisis. In terms of the kernels, our results do not confirm the belief that the Radial Basis Function is the optimum choice for financial series