creating a train perceptron in MATLAB for gender clasiffication - matlab

Question

I am coding a perceptron to learn to categorize gender in pictures of faces. I am very very new to MATLAB, so I need a lot of help. I have a few questions:
I am trying to code for a function:
function [y] = testset(x,w)
%y = sign(sigma(x*w-threshold))
where y is the predicted results, x is the training/testing set put in as a very large matrix, and w is weight on the equation. The part after the % is what I am trying to write, but I do not know how to write this in MATLAB code. Any ideas out there?
I am trying to code a second function:
function [err] = testerror(x,w,y)
%err = sigma(max(0,-w*x*y))
w, x, and y have the same values as stated above, and err is my function of error, which I am trying to minimize through the steps of the perceptron.
I am trying to create a step in my perceptron to lower the percent of error by using gradient descent on my original equation. Does anyone know how I can increment w using gradient descent in order to minimize the error function using an if then statement?
I can put up the code I have up till now if that would help you answer these questions.
Thank you!
edit--------------------------
OK, so I am still working on the code for this, and would like to put it up when I have something more complete. My biggest question right now is:
I have the following function:
function [y] = testset(x,w)
y = sign(sum(x*w-threshold))
Now I know that I am supposed to put a threshold in, but cannot figure out what I am supposed to put in as the threshold! any ideas out there?
edit----------------------------
this is what I have so far. Changes still need to be made to it, but I would appreciate input, especially regarding structure, and advice for making the changes that need to be made!
function [y] = Perceptron_Aviva(X,w)
y = sign(sum(X*w-1));
end
function [err] = testerror(X,w,y)
err = sum(max(0,-w*X*y));
end
%function [w] = perceptron(X,Y,w_init)
%w = w_init;
%end
%------------------------------
% input samples
X = X_train;
% output class [-1,+1];
Y = y_train;
% init weigth vector
w_init = zeros(size(X,1));
w = w_init;
%---------------------------------------------
loopcounter = 0
while abs(err) > 0.1 && loopcounter < 100
for j=1:size(X,1)
approx_y(j) = Perceptron_Aviva(X(j),w(j))
err = testerror(X(j),w(j),approx_y(j))
if err > 0 %wrong (structure is correct, test is wrong)
w(j) = w(j) - 0.1 %wrong
elseif err < 0 %wrong
w(j) = w(j) + 0.1 %wrong
end
% -----------
% if sign(w'*X(:,j)) ~= Y(j) %wrong decision?
% w = w + X(:,j) * Y(j); %then add (or subtract) this point to w
end

Answer 1

you can read this question I did some time ago.
I uses a matlab code and a function perceptron
function [w] = perceptron(X,Y,w_init)
w = w_init;
for iteration = 1 : 100 %<- in practice, use some stopping criterion!
for ii = 1 : size(X,2) %cycle through training set
if sign(w'*X(:,ii)) ~= Y(ii) %wrong decision?
w = w + X(:,ii) * Y(ii); %then add (or subtract) this point to w
end
end
sum(sign(w'*X)~=Y)/size(X,2) %show misclassification rate
end
and it is called from code (#Itamar Katz) like (random data):
% input samples
X1=[rand(1,100);rand(1,100);ones(1,100)]; % class '+1'
X2=[rand(1,100);1+rand(1,100);ones(1,100)]; % class '-1'
X=[X1,X2];
% output class [-1,+1];
Y=[-ones(1,100),ones(1,100)];
% init weigth vector
w=[.5 .5 .5]';
% call perceptron
wtag=perceptron(X,Y,w);
% predict
ytag=wtag'*X;
% plot prediction over origianl data
figure;hold on
plot(X1(1,:),X1(2,:),'b.')
plot(X2(1,:),X2(2,:),'r.')
plot(X(1,ytag<0),X(2,ytag<0),'bo')
plot(X(1,ytag>0),X(2,ytag>0),'ro')
legend('class -1','class +1','pred -1','pred +1')
I guess this can give you an idea to make the functions you described.
To the error compare the expected result with the real result (class)

Answer 2

Assume your dataset is X, the datapoins, and Y, the labels of the classes.
f=newp(X,Y)
creates a perceptron.
If you want to create an MLP then:
f=newff(X,Y,NN)
where NN is the network architecture, i.e. an array that designates the number of neurons at each hidden layer. For example
NN=[5 3 2]
will correspond to an network with 5 neurons at the first layers, 3 at the second and 2 a the third hidden layer.

Answer 3

Well what you call threshold is the Bias in machine learning nomenclature. This should be left as an input for the user because it is used during training.
Also, I wonder why you are not using the builtin matlab functions. i.e newp or newff. e.g.
ff=newp(X,Y)
Then you can set the properties of the object ff to do your job for selecting gradient descent and so on.