Cluster Templates¶

General¶

The cluster-templates are used to define the basic structure of a network. This defined structure is comparable to a plant trellis. It is basically structures in hexagons, which are called bricks.

General structure of the file:

version: 1
settings:
    neuron_cooldown: <COOL_DOWN>
    refractory_time: <REFRACTORY_TIME>
    max_connection_distance: <MAX_DISTANCE>
    enable_reduction: <ENABLE_REDUCTION>
bricks:
    <X>,<Y>,<Z>
        input: <NAME>
        number_of_neurons: <NUMBER_OF_NEURONS>
    <X>,<Y>,<Z>
        number_of_neurons: <NUMBER_OF_NEURONS>
    ...
    <X>,<Y>,<Z>
        output: <NAME>
        number_of_neurons: <NUMBER_OF_NEURONS>

In the template the position, type, name and size of the bricks has to be defined.

version¶

At the moment this is only a placeholder an the version: 1 is the only supported value at the moment. There are still too much changes to handle multiple versions currently.

settings¶

The entries within this block are all optional. If not listed, the default is used.

• neuron_cooldown

  It the value of how much the potential of a neuron is reduced from one cycle to the next. As default it is so high, that the remaining potential has no impact on the next cycle anymore.

• refractory_time

  Gives the number of cycles until a triggered neuron can be triggered again by the input. Within this time-perios, only the cooldown of the neuron is active. (Default = 1; Minimum = 1)

• max_connection_distance

  Maximum distance in number-of-brick, which a synapses can reach from the source- to the target-neuron. (Default = 1; Minimum = 1)

• enable_reduction

  Enable reduction-process to cleanup network. (Defaul: false)

position¶

<X>,<Y>,<Z> the x-, y- and z-coordinates of the brick. All bricks must be connected by at least one side with another brick.

type¶

input and output defining the type of the brick. Input-bricks can get input-values, while output-bricks returning values at the end of a run. If noting of them was set, the brick is a normal internal brick, which can not be accessed directly from the outside.

name¶

<NAME> have to be set to the name, which should identify the brick to place input- and output-values.

size¶

<NUMBER_OF_NEURONS> has to be replace by the number of neurons of the brick. For input-bricks it is the number of input-values and same for the output-brick. For normal internal bricks the number is only a maximum value, which can be used while learning. So making this insanely high, doesn't improve the quality of the training.

Simple example¶

The following is a minimal example for a cluster-template.

version: 1
settings:
    neuron_cooldown: 100000000000.0
    refractory_time: 1
    max_connection_distance: 1
    enable_reduction: false
bricks:
    1,1,1
        input: test_input
        number_of_neurons: 784
    2,1,1
        number_of_neurons: 400
    3,1,1
        output: test_output
        number_of_neurons: 10

It defines 3 bricks. It contains an input-brick with the name test_input and an output-brick with name test_output. Based on their position, they are all in a straight line, like in the image below: