A Skip-Connected Evolving Recurrent Neural Network for Data Stream Classification under Label Latency Scenario

Abstract Stream classification models for non-stationary environments often assume the immediate availability of data labels. However, in a practical scenario, it is quite natural that the data labels are available only after some temporal lag. This paper explores how a stream classifier model can be made adaptive to such label latency scenario. We propose SkipE-RNN, a self-evolutionary recurrent neural network with dynamically evolving skipped-recurrent-connection for the best utilization of previously observed label information while classifying the current data. When the data label is unavailable, SkipE-RNN uses an auto-learned mapping function to find the best match from the already known data labels and updates the network parameter accordingly. Later, upon availability of true data label, if the previously mapped label is found to be incorrect, SkipE-RNN employs a regularization technique along with the parameter updating process, so as to penalize the model. In addition, SkipE-RNN has inborn power of self-adjusting the network capacity by growing/pruning hidden nodes to cope with the evolving nature of data stream. Rigorous empirical evaluations using synthetic as well as real-world datasets reveal effectiveness of SkipE-RNN in both finitely delayed and infinitely delayed data label scenarios.