Semi-supervised consensus clustering based on closed patterns

Semi-supervised consensus clustering, also called semi-supervised ensemble clustering, is a recently emerged technique that integrates prior knowledge into consensus clustering in order to improve the quality of the clustering result. In this article, we propose a novel semi-supervised consensus clustering algorithm extending the previous work on the MultiCons multiple consensus clustering approach. By using closed pattern mining technique, the proposed Semi-MultiCons algorithm manages to generate a recommended consensus solution with a relevant inferred number of clusters k based on ensemble members with different k and pairwise constraints. Compared with other semi-supervised and/or consensus clustering approaches, Semi-MultiCons does not require the number of generated clusters k as an input parameter, and is able to alleviate the widely reported negative effect related to the integration of constraints into clustering. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms state of the art semi-supervised consensus clustering algorithms. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A novel semi-supervised consensus clustering algorithm is proposed in this article, which utilizes closed pattern mining technique to generate a recommended consensus solution without the need for inputting the number of generated clusters k, and can improve the quality of clustering results.