Deep Learning PyTorch Course, Deep Learning Algorithms

Introduction

Deep learning is a rapidly advancing technology in the field of artificial intelligence. Among them, PyTorch is
gaining popularity among researchers and developers due to its dynamic computation graph.
In this article, we will detail the basic concepts of deep learning algorithms, the features of PyTorch, and
how to implement deep learning models through practical example code.

Basic Concepts of Deep Learning

Deep learning is a field of machine learning based on artificial neural networks, which processes and learns data
through a neural network composed of multiple layers. Each layer of the neural network extracts features from
the input data and makes final predictions based on it.

Structure of Neural Networks

A neural network consists of input, hidden, and output layers.
Input Layer: The layer that receives data.
Hidden Layer: The layer that transforms input data and extracts features. Multiple hidden layers can be used.
Output Layer: The layer that outputs the prediction results.

Activation Function

Activation functions are used to process input signals at each neuron in the neural network.
Common activation functions include ReLU (Rectified Linear Unit), Sigmoid, and Tanh.

PyTorch

PyTorch is an open-source deep learning framework developed by Facebook that supports rapid prototyping and dynamic
computation graphs, enabling flexible model design. It offers various features that help users intuitively build and
experiment with models.

Main Features of PyTorch

  • Dynamic Computation Graphs: Allows the computation graph to be defined at runtime, greatly enhancing the flexibility
    and readability of the code.
  • Automatic Differentiation: Automatically computes gradients, making it easy to implement complex formulas.
  • Strong GPU Support: Significantly improves the training speed of models through NVIDIA GPUs.

Example of Implementing Deep Learning Algorithms

Introduction to the MNIST Dataset

MNIST is a handwritten digit dataset consisting of 70,000 images containing numbers from 0 to 9.
This dataset is widely used for evaluating deep learning models.

Implementing an MNIST Classifier with PyTorch

Now, let’s practically implement an MNIST digit classifier using PyTorch.

1. Import Required Libraries

python
import torch
import torch.nn as nn
import torch.optim as optim
import torchvision.transforms as transforms
import torchvision.datasets as datasets
from torch.utils.data import DataLoader
    

2. Loading the Dataset

Download the MNIST dataset and transform it into tensors through data transformation.

python
# Set hyperparameters
batch_size = 64

# Data transformation
transform = transforms.Compose([
    transforms.ToTensor(),
    transforms.Normalize((0.5,), (0.5,))  # Normalization with mean and standard deviation
])

# Loading the dataset
train_dataset = datasets.MNIST(root='./data', train=True, transform=transform, download=True)
train_loader = DataLoader(dataset=train_dataset, batch_size=batch_size, shuffle=True)

test_dataset = datasets.MNIST(root='./data', train=False, transform=transform, download=True)
test_loader = DataLoader(dataset=test_dataset, batch_size=batch_size, shuffle=False)
    

3. Defining the Neural Network

Define a basic multilayer perceptron.

python
class SimpleNN(nn.Module):
    def __init__(self):
        super(SimpleNN, self).__init__()
        self.fc1 = nn.Linear(28 * 28, 128)  # Input layer
        self.fc2 = nn.Linear(128, 64)        # Hidden layer
        self.fc3 = nn.Linear(64, 10)         # Output layer

    def forward(self, x):
        x = x.view(-1, 28 * 28)  # Convert 2D tensor to 1D tensor
        x = torch.relu(self.fc1(x))  # Apply ReLU activation function
        x = torch.relu(self.fc2(x))
        x = self.fc3(x)
        return x
    

4. Training the Model

Set the loss function and optimization criteria for training, and train the model.

python
# Define the model, loss function, and optimization algorithm
model = SimpleNN()
criterion = nn.CrossEntropyLoss()
optimizer = optim.Adam(model.parameters(), lr=0.001)

# Training loop
num_epochs = 5
for epoch in range(num_epochs):
    for images, labels in train_loader:
        optimizer.zero_grad()  # Reset gradients
        outputs = model(images)  # Forward pass
        loss = criterion(outputs, labels)  
        loss.backward()  # Backward pass
        optimizer.step()  # Update weights
        
    print(f'Epoch [{epoch+1}/{num_epochs}], Loss: {loss.item():.4f}')
    

5. Evaluating the Model

Evaluate the trained model using the test dataset.

python
# Evaluate the model
model.eval()  # Switch to evaluation mode
with torch.no_grad():
    correct = 0
    total = 0
    for images, labels in test_loader:
        outputs = model(images)
        _, predicted = torch.max(outputs.data, 1)
        total += labels.size(0)
        correct += (predicted == labels).sum().item()
        
    print(f'Accuracy of the model on the test images: {100 * correct / total:.2f}%')
    

Conclusion

This article helped to understand the basic concepts and algorithms of deep learning through the process of
implementing an MNIST handwritten digit classifier using PyTorch.
PyTorch provides powerful features while being easy to use, making it an appropriate tool for various
deep learning projects. Continue to experiment with the diverse functionalities and latest models of PyTorch to
further advance your deep learning skills.

References