Instance-based classification using prototypes generated from large noisy and streaming datasets

Abstract

Nowadays, large volumes of training data are available from various data sources and streaming environments. Instance-based classifiers perform adequately when they use only a small subset of such datasets. Larger data volumes introduce high computational cost that prohibits the timely execution of the classification process. Conventional prototype selection and generation algorithms are also inappropriate for data streams and large datasets. In the past, we proposed prototype generation algorithms that maintain a dynamic set of prototypes and are appropriate for such types of data. Dynamic because existing prototypes may be updated, or new prototypes may be appended to the set of prototypes in the course of processing. Still, repetitive generation of new prototypes may result to forming unpredictably large sets of prototypes. In this paper, we propose a new variation of our algorithm that maintains the prototypes in a convenient and manageable way. This is achieved by removing the weakest prototype when a new prototype is generated. The new algorithm has been tested on several datasets. The experimental results reveal that it is as accurate as its predecessor, yet it is more efficient and noise tolerant.