Constructive feedforward ART clustering networks - Part II

Part I of this paper defines the class of constructive unsupervised on-line learning simplified adaptive resonance theory (SART) clustering networks. Proposed instances of class SART are the symmetric Fuzzy ART (S-Fuzzy ART) and the Gaussian ART (GART) network. In Part II of our work, a third network belonging to class SART, termed fully self-organizing SART (FOSART), is presented and discussed. FOSART is a constructive, soft-to-hard competitive, topology-preserving, minimum-distance-to-means clustering algorithm capable of: 1) generating processing units and lateral connections on an example-driven basis and 2) removing processing units and lateral connections on a minibatch basis. FOSART is compared with Fuzzy ART, S-Fuzzy ART, GART and other well-known clustering techniques (e.g., neural gas and self-organizing map) in several unsupervised learning tasks, such as vector quantization, perceptual grouping and 3-D surface reconstruction. These experiments prove that when compared with other unsupervised learning networks, FOSART provides an interesting balance between easy user interaction, performance accuracy, efficiency, robustness, and flexibility.