# Selectivity and robustness of sparse coding networks

Published in Journal of Vision, 2020

Abstract:
We investigate how the population nonlinearities resulting from lateral inhibition and thresholding in sparse coding networks influence neural response selectivity and robustness. We show that when compared to pointwise nonlinear models, such population nonlinearities improve the selectivity to a preferred stimulus and protect against adversarial perturbations of the input. These findings are predicted from the geometry of the single-neuron iso-response surface, which provides new insight into the relationship between selectivity and adversarial robustness. Inhibitory lateral connections curve the iso-response surface outward in the direction of selectivity. Since adversarial perturbations are orthogonal to the iso-response surface, adversarial attacks tend to be aligned with directions of selectivity. Consequently, the network is less easily fooled by perceptually irrelevant perturbations to the input. Together, these findings point to benefits of integrating computational principles found in biological vision systems into artificial neural networks.

Recommended citation:
Dylan M. Paiton, Charles G. Frye, Sheng Y. Lundquist, Joel D. Bowen, Ryan Zarcone, Bruno A. Olshausen. “Selectivity and robustness of sparse coding networks.” Journal of Vision 2020;20(12):10. doi: https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.20.12.10.

@article{paiton2020selectivity,
author={Paiton, Dylan M. and Frye, Charles G. and Lundquist, Sheng Y. and Bowen, Joel D. and Zarcone, Ryan and Olshausen, Bruno A.},
title={Selectivity and robustness of sparse coding networks},
journal={Journal of Vision},
volume={20},
number={12},
pages={10-10},
year={2020},
month={11},
issn={1534-7362},
doi={10.1167/jov.20.12.10},
url={https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.20.12.10},
eprint={https://arvojournals.org/arvo/content\_public/journal/jov/938501/i1534-7362-20-12-10\_1606216836.02132.pdf},
}