what is learning #2 ?

A way to receive data, a way to discriminate data, a way to store and retrieve, a criteria to select what should be stored for later retrial.

From all of the above steps as far as I can tell I only have the discrimination algorithms, which in fact depends on the received data and on the selection of what should be stored algorithms. So it’s incomplete or it lacks complete parametrizations.

I worked on data receiver, converting visual data (RGB pixel values) into data that can be accepted by the discrimination algorithm. For color discrimination just converting a number into a different number through some function is enough. But to detect lines of different inclinations, colors, dimensions.. that is not enough.. So I started implementing the “receptive fields” concepts from retina, with the ON and OFF behavior and center/surround. I have yet to find relevant details for implementation. So I guess is trial and error again. For example I have found no details of the size of the center vs surround. Small center, makes it hard for light to hit it, to hit only the center and not the surround, so ON centers are darker than expected and OFF center brighter… But this results in good discrimination for line inclination .. There are also contradictory information about horizontal cells .

I have looked at a way to store data, CA1 region from the hippocampal circuit seems interesting because of its configuration. But even the simplest simulation shows that a neuron cannot link back into itself… But maybe I’m missing something. Anyway that seemed like an interesting way to discriminate small similar patterns.

Data retrieval remains mysterious, it seems we retrieve data by recreating it in an altered version.

How to select data to be stored ? This is an area for which I have no idea… But for now this can be bypassed the easiest.. I tell the system when to store that data. The system stores automatically data that passes some abstract threshold, but there are trade offs with this approach, so in fact most of the data does not reach that threshold.

Anyway, “learning” remains open for debate.

My progress has been slow, there are things that I can do and I know how to do, but I lack motivation to do them because they don’t seem important. And then there is an infinite list of mostly poorly defined tasks.

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