Network with Sub-networks: Layer-wise Detachable Neural Network

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a network with sub-networks: a neural network whose layers can be detached into sub-neural networks during the inference phase. To develop trainable parameters that can be inserted into both base-model and sub-models, first, the parameters of sub-models are duplicated in the base-model. Each model is separately forward-propagated, and all models are grouped into pairs. Gradients from selected pairs of networks are averaged and used to update both networks. With the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology (MNIST) and Fashion-MNIST datasets, our base-model achieves identical test-accuracy to that of regularly trained models. However, the sub-models result in lower test-accuracy. Nevertheless, the sub-models serve as alternative approaches with fewer parameters than those of regular models.