Modal Learning in a Neural Network

This paper presents an application of the snap-drift modal learning algorithm developed in recent years by Lee and Palmer-Brown (Lee, 2004a). The application involves phrase recognition using a set of phrases from the Lancaster Parsed Corpus (LPC) (Garside, 1987). The learning algorithm is the classifier version of snap-drift. The twin modes of minimalist learning (snap) and slow drift towards the input pattern are applied alternately. Each neuron of the Snap-Drift Neural Network (SDNN) swaps between snap and drift modes when declining performance is indicated on that particular node, so that each node has its learning mode toggled independently of the other nodes. Learning on each node is also reinforced by enabling learning with a probability that decreases with increasing performance. The simulations demonstrate that learning is stable, and the results have consistently shown similar classification performance and advantages in terms of speed in comparison with a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and back-propagation neural networks applied to the same problem