Regularization Paths for Learning Multiple Kernels
           
 Last updated: October 18th, 2006

Description
Matlab code - version 1.1
Future improvements
Demos


Description

The follow-path package is a Matlab program that implements the Path Following algorithm for Multiple Kernel Learning. Many regression and classification problems that make use of a kernel can be extended so as to simultaneously optimize the kernel itself. We call these Multiple Kernel Learning problems. The Path Following algorithm returns all solutions of such a problem as the intensity of the regularization varies. This set of solutions forms a piecewise-smooth path, which the algorithm follows using predictor-corrector steps.

For more information, please read the following paper:

Francis R. Bach, Romain Thibaux, Michael I. Jordan. Computing regularization paths for learning multiple kernels. Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) 17, 2005. [pdf]


Matlab code - version 1.1

Precise instructions on how to use the package are included in the archive file. In short, to use it you will call follow_entire_path(), supplying it with the kernel matrices you want to use and the training output, as well as a loss function (common examples are provided but you may create your own). All other relevant parameters have widely applicable defaults. The package contains a readme file with more detailed instructions, and all user functions have an associated matlab help. Demo scripts are also included.

The follow-path package is Copyright (c) 2004, 2006 by Francis Bach and Romain Thibaux. If you have any questions or comments regarding this package, or if you want to report any bugs, please send an e-mail to francis.bach@mines.org. The current version 1.1 has been released on October 18th 2006. Check this web page regularly for newer versions.

follow-path version 1.0
follow-path version 1.1 (NEW: unbalanced classification)


 

Future improvements

We would like to use inverse Hessian updating to reduce the complexity of each step of the path.


Demos

In our paper we provide results for various real and synthetic regression and classification problems. Each of these examples is provided in the package so that all illustrations in the paper can be easily reproduced. This includes the very simple 2D example used in the paper to illustrate the geometry. Detailed results can be found in the paper.