Gaussian Mixture Model Confusion

In summary, the conversation discusses the implementation of the Gaussian Mixture Model for background subtraction. The step that updates the mean and variance of the models is based on recursive formulas. There is confusion about the value of ρ, which may cause slow convergence. The paper suggests that the updating only happens under certain conditions, with a different procedure for drastic changes in pixel values.
  • #1
mp6250
3
0
Hi All,

I'm trying to implement the Gaussian Mixture Model for background subtraction as described by Chris Stauffer and W.E.L Grimson in their paper "Adaptive background mixture models for real-time tracking."

I'm having a little trouble with the logic in the step that updates the mean and variance of the models. According to the paper, when new image data comes in, you follow a recursive formula to get exponential moving statistics for these parameters based on the following formulas:

[itex]μ_t = (1-ρ)μ_{t-1} + ρX_t[/itex]
[itex]σ^2_t = (1-ρ)σ^2_{t-1} + ρ(X_t-μ_t)^T(X_t-μ_t)[/itex]

where μ and σ are the mean and standard deviation of the model, [itex]X_t[/itex] is the incoming data vector, and the subscript indicate the relative times between variables. ρ is defined as:

[itex] ρ=α \frac{1}{(2π)^{\frac{n}{2}}|Ʃ|^{\frac{1}{2}}} e^{-\frac{1}{2}(X_t-μ_t)^T Ʃ^{-1}(X_t-μ_t)}[/itex]

where Ʃ is the covariance matrix (taken to be diagonal for simplicity) and α is a parameter that controls the learning rate.

My confusion is this, ρ will always be tiny. The algorithm assumes large variances to begin with and the tiny probabilities that come out of these functions will cause very slow convergence, regardless of the choice of alpha (usually taken to be around 0.05 or so). It's my understanding that you would never set α > 1.0, so where could this be corrected for? Is there a normalization I am missing somewhere?
 
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  • #2
mp6250 said:
Hi All,

I'm trying to implement the Gaussian Mixture Model for background subtraction as described by Chris Stauffer and W.E.L Grimson in their paper "Adaptive background mixture models for real-time tracking."

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...yJmHKPWgOWl9_zw&bvm=bv.44770516,d.aWM&cad=rja

My confusion is this, ρ will always be tiny. The algorithm assumes large variances to begin with and the tiny probabilities that come out of these functions will cause very slow convergence, regardless of the choice of alpha (usually taken to be around 0.05 or so).

Just glancing at that paper, the updating you described only happens on certain conditions. A drastic change in a pixel value is updated by a different procedure.
 

FAQ: Gaussian Mixture Model Confusion

1. What is a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM)?

A Gaussian Mixture Model is a probabilistic model used for clustering and classification tasks. It assumes that the data points are generated from a mixture of Gaussian distributions, with each distribution representing a different cluster in the data. GMMs are often used for unsupervised learning tasks.

2. How does a GMM handle data that does not fit a Gaussian distribution?

GMMs are flexible models that can handle data that does not fit a Gaussian distribution. This is because the model allows for a combination of multiple Gaussian distributions, which can better capture the underlying structure of the data. Additionally, GMMs can also incorporate other types of distributions, such as skewed or multimodal distributions, to better fit the data.

3. What is meant by "Gaussian Mixture Model confusion"?

Gaussian Mixture Model confusion refers to the difficulty in determining the number of clusters in a dataset when using a GMM. Since GMMs are often used for unsupervised learning, the number of clusters is not known beforehand and must be determined by the algorithm. This can lead to confusion or uncertainty in identifying the optimal number of clusters in the data.

4. How is a GMM different from a k-means clustering algorithm?

While both GMMs and k-means clustering are used for clustering tasks, they differ in their assumptions and approach. GMMs assume that the data points are generated from a mixture of Gaussian distributions, while k-means assumes that the data points belong to a single cluster with a centroid. Additionally, GMMs use a probabilistic approach to assign data points to clusters, while k-means uses a distance-based approach.

5. How can I evaluate the performance of my GMM model?

To evaluate the performance of a GMM model, common metrics such as accuracy, precision, and recall can be used. However, since GMMs are often used for unsupervised learning tasks, external validation methods may not be applicable. In such cases, internal validation methods such as the silhouette coefficient or Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) can be used to assess the quality of the clusters generated by the GMM.

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