SELF-ORGANIZATION OF NEURONS DESCRIBED BY THE MAXIMUM-ENTROPY PRINCIPLE

In the article the maximum-entropy principle and Parzen windows are applied to derive an optimal mapping of a continuous into a descrete random variable. The mapping can be performed by a network of self-organizing information processing units similar to biological neurons. Each neuron is selectively sensitized to one prototype from the sample space of the discrete random variable. The continuous random variable is applied as the input signal exciting the neurons. The response of the network is described by the excitation vector which represents the encoded input signal. Due to the interaction between neurons adaptive changes of prototypes are caused by the excitations. The derived mathematical model explains this interaction in detail; a simplified self-organization rule derived from it corresponds to that of Kohonen. One and two-dimensional examples of self-organization simulated on a computer are shown in the article. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.