A Parameter-free Adaptive Resonance Theory-based Topological Clustering Algorithm Capable of Continual Learning

Abstract

In general, a similarity threshold (i.e., a vigilance parameter) for a node learning process in Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART)-based algorithms has a significant impact on clustering performance. In addition, an edge deletion threshold in a topological clustering algorithm plays an important role in adaptively generating well-separated clusters during a self-organizing process. In this paper, we propose a new parameter-free ART-based topological clustering algorithm capable of continual learning by introducing parameter estimation methods. Experimental results with synthetic and real-world datasets show that the proposed algorithm has superior clustering performance to the state-of-the-art clustering algorithms without any parameter pre-specifications.