Variational inference for robust sequential learning of multilayered perceptron neural network

Abstract

We derive a new sequential learning algorithm for Multilayered Perceptron (MLP) neural network robust to outliers. Presence of outliers in data results in failure of the model especially if data processing is performed on-line or in real time. Extended Kalman filter robust to outliers (EKF-OR) is probabilistic generative model in which measurement noise covariance is modeled as stochastic process over the set of symmetric positive-definite matrices in which prior is given as inverse Wishart distribution. Derivation of expressions comes straight form first principles, within Bayesian framework. Analytical intractability of Bayes' update step is solved using Variational Inference (VI). Experimental results obtained using real world stochastic data show that MLP network trained with proposed algorithm achieves low error and average improvement rate of 7% when compared directly to conventional EKF learning algorithm.