Self-organization of shift-invariant receptive fields

This paper proposes a new learning rule by which cells with shift-invariant receptive fields are self-organized. Namely, cells similar to simple and complex cells in the primary visual cortex are generated in a network trained by the new leaning rule. To demonstrate the new learning rule, we simulate a three-layered network that consists of an input layer (retina), a layer of S-cells (simple cells), and a layer of C-cells (complex cells). During the learning, straight lines of various orientations sweep across the input layer Both S- and C-cells are created through competition. Although S-cells compete depending on their instantaneous outputs, C-cells compete depending on the traces (or temporal averages) of their outputs. For the self-organization of S-cells, only winner S-cells have LTP (long term potentiation) in their input connections. For the self-organization of S-cells, however, loser S-cells have LTD (long term depression) in their input connections, while winners have LTP. Both S- and C-cells are accompanied by inhibitory cells. Modification of inhibitory connections together with excitatory connections is important for creation of C-cells as well as S-cells