Abstract
In feed-forward neural networks, all inputs contribute to a greater or lesser extent when calculating the outputs. Therefore, inputs may be ordered from the greatest contributor to the least. Input ranking is non-trivial – cursory examination of the weight and bias matrices fails to reveal ranking. Solving the ranking issue allows the elimination of inputs with little influence on output. This paper presents a new method of determining the input sensitivity of three-layer feed-forward neural networks. Specifically, sensitivity of an input is independent of the magnitudes of the remaining inputs, providing an unambiguous ranking of input importance. Small changes to influential inputs will result in great changes to output. This concept motivated the theoretical approach to input ranking. Examination of theoretical results will demonstrate the correctness of this approach.
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© 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Kang, S., Morphet, S. (2006). Estimation of Input Ranking Using Input Sensitivity Approach. In: Gavrilova, M., et al. Computational Science and Its Applications - ICCSA 2006. ICCSA 2006. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3980. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11751540_123
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11751540_123
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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