Subspace Locally Competitive Algorithms

Abstract

We introduce subspace locally competitive algorithms (SLCAs), a family of novel network architectures for modeling latent representations of natural signals with group sparse structure. SLCA first layer neurons are derived from locally competitive algorithms, which produce responses and learn representations that are well matched to both the linear and non-linear properties observed in simple cells in layer 4 of primary visual cortex (area V1). SLCA incorporates a second layer of neurons which produce approximately invariant responses to signal variations that are linear in their corresponding subspaces, such as phase shifts, resembling a hallmark characteristic of complex cells in V1. We provide a practical analysis of training parameter settings, explore the features and invariances learned, and finally compare the model to single-layer sparse coding and to independent subspace analysis.