How to change a binary KNN classifier to be a SVM classifier? - matlab

Question

I am classifying gender using a KNN classifier.
I want to add an SVM classifier instead of KNN classifier with the same labels of 0 and 1 (0 for women and 1 for men)
I have a matrix of test examples, sample, a matrix of training examples, training, and a vector with the labels for the training examples group. I want class, a vector of the labels for the test examples.
class = knnclassify(sample, training, group);
if class==1
x='Male';
else
x='Female';
end
How can I change this code to find class using an SVM?

Answer 1

To train an SVM, you will need the Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox.
The biggest difference between the knnclassify and using an SVM classifier is that training and classifying new labels will be two separate steps.
1. Train your SVM : fitcsvm
This step teaches the classifier how to distinguish between your two classes. It is learning a linear separator (or a weighted combination of the features) which has the largest margin between positive and negative examples. All the examples you give it need to have ground truth labels.
SVM's have many tunable parameters that you can adjust during the training step. There are several good tutorials in the Matlab documentation which describe the differences, but for the most basic version, you can just use your training examples
model = fitcsvm(training,group);
This model will be used in the next step.
2. Classify new examples : predict
To classify your new example, run
class = predict(sample, model);
Notes:
Using your model, you can also run cross-fold validation, useful for accuracy analysis.
cvModel = crossval(model);
classError = kfoldLoss(cvModel);
You can also save your model, like any other Matlab variable for future use.
save('model.m', 'model');
knnclassify comes from the bioinformatics toolbox. In the Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox, there is also a KNN model which you train with fitcknn and classify with predict. The benefit is that you can reuse your KNN model with several sets of data, compare cross-validation results, and save it for future use.