Spikes as regularizers

Abstract: We present a confidence-based single-layer feed-forward learning algorithm SPIRAL (Spike Regularized Adaptive Learning) relying on an encoding of activation spikes. We adaptively update a weight vector relying on confidence estimates and activation offsets relative to previous activity. We regularize updates proportionally to item-level confidence and weight-specific support, loosely inspired by the observation from neurophysiology that high spike rates are sometimes accompanied by low temporal precision. Our experiments suggest that the new learning algorithm SPIRAL is more robust and less prone to overfitting than both the averaged perceptron and AROW.