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Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks

Deep learning algorithms work with almost any kind of data and require large amounts of computing power and information to solve complicated issues. Now, let us, deep-dive, into one of the most famous deep learning algorithms: Convolutional Neural Network (CNN).

If you are looking for unsupervised learning algorithms, read our article about it here:

What is Deep Learning?

Deep learning is a subfield of machine learning in which artificial neural networks are used to analyze and solve complex problems. Deep learning neural networks are built with multiple layers of interconnected nodes that can learn and extract features from input data. Deep learning models are trained on large datasets, allowing them to detect patterns and correlations in data that a human would find difficult or impossible to detect.

Deep learning has brought about a significant transformation in the area of artificial intelligence, paving the way for the creation of intelligent systems capable of independent learning, adaptation, and decision-making. Various applications such as image and speech recognition, natural language processing, and autonomous driving have witnessed remarkable achievements through the use of these models.

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Multiple layers of abstraction in deep learning
Representing images on multiple layers of abstraction in deep learning Image source Reference 3

Why Python for Deep Learning?

Python has gained widespread popularity as a programming language due to its versatility and ease of use in diverse domains of computer science, especially in the field of deep learning. Thanks to its extensive range of libraries and frameworks specially tailored for deep learning, Python has emerged as a top choice among many machine learning professionals.

Python has emerged as the language of choice for deep learning, and here are some of the reasons why:

1. Simple to learn and use: 

Python is a high-level programming language that is easy to learn and use, even for those who are new to programming. Its concise and uncomplicated syntax makes it easy to write and understand. This allows developers to concentrate on solving problems without worrying about the details of the language.

2. Abundant libraries and frameworks: 

Python has a vast ecosystem of libraries and frameworks that cater specifically to deep learning. Some of these libraries include TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, and Theano. These libraries provide pre-built functions and modules that simplify the development process, reducing the need to write complex code from scratch.

3. Strong community support: 

Python has a large and active community of developers contributing to its development, maintenance, and improvement. This community offers support and guidance to beginners, making it easier to learn and use Python for deep learning.

4. Platform independence: 

Python is platform-independent, which means that code written on one platform can be easily executed on another platform without any modification. This makes it easier to deploy deep learning models on different platforms and devices.

5. Easy integration with other languages: 

Python can be easily integrated with other programming languages, such as Delphi, C++, and Java, making it ideal for building complex systems that require integrating different technologies.

Overall, Python’s ease of use, an abundance of libraries and frameworks, strong community support, platform independence, and ease of integration with other languages make it an indispensable tool for machine learning practitioners. Its popularity continues to soar as a result.

What is Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)?

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs – not to be confused with the US news channel of the same name) are specialized artificial neural networks designed for processing and analyzing images and other multidimensional data. CNNs consist of multiple layers of interconnected nodes, each performing a specific task, such as feature extraction, classification, or prediction. Yann LeCun developed the first CNN in 1988 when it was called LeNet. It was used for recognizing characters like ZIP codes and digits.

One of the key features of CNNs is the use of convolutional layers, which employ a mathematical operation known as convolution to filter and extract features from the input data. This allows CNNs to learn and recognize patterns and features in images with greater accuracy and efficiency than traditional machine learning algorithms.

Below is an example of an image processed via CNN:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning convolutional neural network example
Convolutional Neural Network to identify the image of a bird Source Reference 1

CNNs have shown remarkable success in a wide range of applications, including image classification, object recognition, face detection, and natural language processing. The ability of CNNs to learn and extract complex features from images has led to breakthroughs in many fields, such as medical imaging, autonomous driving, and robotics. Moreover, CNNs have proven to be highly effective in solving many real-world problems, such as identifying fraudulent transactions in finance or detecting defects in manufacturing processes.

The architecture and design of CNNs are still evolving, and researchers continue to explore new ways to optimize their performance and improve their capabilities. Recent advancements in CNNs include techniques such as transfer learning, which allows pre-trained CNN models to be adapted to new tasks, and ensemble methods, which combine multiple CNN models to achieve even greater accuracy and robustness. As deep learning continues to advance, CNNs are likely to remain a critical tool for processing and analyzing complex data, particularly in image and signal processing.

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning lenet vs alexnet
Comparison of the LeNet and AlexNet convolution pooling and dense layers Source Reference 2

Prerequisites for performing CNNs with Python

To perform CNNs with Python, you need to have some prerequisites in terms of programming knowledge, tools, and libraries. The following are some of the prerequisites for performing CNNs with Python:

1. Python programming

You should understand Python programming concepts well, including data types, control structures, functions, and object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts. You should also be comfortable with using Python libraries and packages.

2. NumPy

NumPy is a Python library for numerical computing, which is essential for performing mathematical operations involved in deep learning. It supports multi-dimensional arrays, linear algebra, and other mathematical functions used in machine learning.

Our past article about Python GUI for NumPy

3. matplotlib

Matplotlib is a Python library for data visualization, which is useful for visualizing the data used in training and evaluating CNNs. It provides a wide range of visualization tools, including line plots, scatter plots, histograms, and heatmaps.

Our past article about Python GUI for matplotlib

4. Keras

Keras provides a user-friendly interface for building and training deep learning models, including CNNs.

Our past article about Python GUI for Keras:

Demo video:

5. TensorFlow

TensorFlow is a more flexible and scalable framework that can be used to build and deploy more complex deep learning models.

Our past article about Python GUI for TensorFlow:

Demo video:

6. Image data

To train and test CNNs, you will need a dataset of images in the required format. The images should be labeled or annotated for classification, object detection, or segmentation tasks.

7. GPU hardware (optional, depend on your tasks)

Deep learning models require a lot of computing power, and training CNNs on large datasets can take a long time on a CPU. To speed up the training process, you can use a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) to accelerate the computations.

In summary, to perform CNNs with Python, you should understand Python programming, NumPy, and Matplotlib. You should also be familiar with deep learning frameworks such as Keras or TensorFlow, have access to image data, and have access to GPU hardware to accelerate the training process.

How do I build and train a Convolutional Neural Network from scratch?

Finally, what we are already waiting for, is the hands-on section to build and train your own CNN from scratch. 

The following is the code example for CNN:

The code above does the following operations (for more details, read the comments inside the code snippet):

1. Introduce you to convolutional neural networks with Keras.

2. Load, explore, and analyze the data.

3. Preprocess your data

You’ll resize, rescale, and convert your labels into one-hot encoding vectors and split up your data in training and validation sets.

4. Construct the neural network model

You’ll model the data and form the network. You’ll compile, train and evaluate the model, visualizing the accuracy and loss plots.

5. Learn about the concept of overfitting and how you can overcome it by adding a dropout layer.

6. Revisit your original model and re-train the model. You’ll also re-evaluate your new model and compare the results of both models.

7. Make predictions on the test data, convert the probabilities into class labels, and plot a few test samples that your model correctly classified and incorrectly classified.

8. Finally, visualize the classification report, which will give you more in-depth intuition about which class was (in)correctly classified by your model.

Let’s run the above code using PyScripter IDE. And the following are some selected outputs:

1. Take a look at the images in your dataset:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning on pyscripter 01

2. Model summary:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning on pyscripter 02

3. Train the model:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning on pyscripter 03

4. Plot the accuracy and loss plots between training and validation data:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning on pyscripter 04

5. Plot the accuracy and loss plots between training and validation data after adding the Dropout layer to our model:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning on pyscripter 05

6. Show correct labels:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning on pyscripter 06

7. Show incorrect labels:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning on pyscripter 07

8. Classification report:

Unlock the Power of Python for Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks Deep learning on pyscripter 08

Congratulations, now you have learned how to build and train a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) from scratch and successfully run it inside PyScripter IDE with high speed & performance.

Visit our other AI-related articles here:


Click here to get started with PyScripter, a free, feature-rich, and lightweight Python IDE.

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References & further readings

[1] Biswal, A. (2023).

Top 10 Deep Learning Algorithms You Should Know in 2023. Simplilearn. simplilearn.com/tutorials/deep-learning-tutorial/deep-learning-algorithm

[2] Cmglee. (2021).

Comparison of the LeNet and AlexNet convolution, pooling and dense layers. Wikimedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convolutional_neural_network #/media/File:Comparison_image_neural_networks .svg

[3] Schulz, H., & Behnke, S. (2012).

Deep learning: Layer-wise learning of feature hierarchies. KI-Künstliche Intelligenz, 26, 357-363.

[4] Sharma, A. (2017).

Convolutional Neural Networks in Python with Keras. DataCamp Blog. datacamp.com/tutorial/convolutional-neural-networks-python

[5] Zhang, A., Lipton, Z. C., Li, M., & Smola, A. J. (2021).

Dive into deep learning. arXiv preprint arXiv:2106.11342.

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