Optimization of modular granular neural networks using hierarchical genetic algorithms for human recognition using the ear biometric measure

A new model of a modular neural network (MNN) using a granular approach and its optimization with hierarchical genetic algorithms is proposed in this paper. This model can be used in different areas of application, such as human recognition and time series prediction. In this paper, the proposed model is tested for human recognition based on the ear biometric measure. A benchmark database of the ear biometric measure is used to illustrate the advantages of the proposed model over existing approaches in the literature. The proposed method consists in the optimization of the design parameters of a modular neural network, such as number of modules, percentage of data for the training phase, goal error, learning algorithm, number of hidden layers and their respective number of neurons. This method also finds out the amount of and the specific data that can be used for the training phase based on the complexity of the problem. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.