Metaheuristic algorithm to train product and sigmoid neural network classifiers
Antonio J. Tallón‐Ballesteros · Expert Systems · 2019
Abstract This paper develops three frameworks based on a metaheuristic algorithm to train neural network classifiers. The architecture is a single‐hidden‐layer feedforward network. The first methodology spreads a base configuration over the nodes of a computing cluster; each of them executes the same algorithm to train the neural network with a different parameter setting. The second approach does a refined training via a biphase metaheuristic algorithm to maintain the diversity a period longer than the usual; it may be run in a sequential or distributed way. The third framework performs a data preparation phase by means of feature subset selection to reduce the number of inputs to the biphase metaheuristic algorithm. The two first methodologies have been tested using a complete test bed with product and unipolar sigmoid units in the hidden layer, and the statistical tests reveal that product nodes are significantly the most accurate. The third framework has included four feature subset selectors with different properties to reduce the number of inputs to the product unit artificial neural network, and the nonstatistical test shed light on that the results with a preprocessing phase are significantly more accurate than the results with the raw data.