Real-time learning capability of neural networks

In some practical applications of neural networks, fast response to external events within an extremely short time is highly demanded and expected. However, the extensively used gradient-descent-based learning algorithms obviously cannot satisfy the real-time learning needs in many applications, especially for large-scale applications and/or when higher generalization performance is required. Based on Huang's constructive network model, this paper proposes a simple learning algorithm capable of real-time learning which can automatically select appropriate values of neural quantizers and analytically determine the parameters (weights and bias) of the network at one time only. The performance of the proposed algorithm has been systematically investigated on a large batch of benchmark real-world regression and classification problems. The experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm can not only produce good generalization performance but also have real-time learning and prediction capability. Thus, it may provide an alternative approach for the practical applications of neural networks where real-time learning and prediction implementation is required.