Fuzzy clustering-based neural networks modelling reinforced with the aid of support vectors-based clustering and regularization technique

Abstract

In recent years, classical fuzzy clustering-based neural networks (FCNNs) have been successfully applied to regression tasks. The determination of the parameters such as cluster centers of the existing hard c-means (HCM) or fuzzy c-means (FCM), leads to the performance deterioration of the model because of the sensitivity of HCM or FCM to noise and outliers. Moreover, there are also several factors for over-fitting and degradation of the robustness of the ensuing model. To solve such problems, two improved clustering techniques and L2 norm-regularization are considered in the proposed robust fuzzy clustering-based neural networks (RFCNNs) modeling. SVs-based hard c-means (SVs-based HCM) and SVs-based fuzzy c-means (SVs-based FCM) designed with support vectors (SVs) can reduce the interference of uncorrelated data, including noise and outliers, thereby enhancing the main data characteristics effectively, as well as leading to the construction on the improved network model. L2 norm-regularization can be used to alleviate the degradation of robustness caused by overfitting. In terms of improving the performance of the model through SVs-based HCM or SVs-based FCM, as well as robustness completed through L2 norm-regularization, the superiority of RFCNNs was verified by experimenting with synthetic data and publicly available data from machine learning datasets.