Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)
Definition
A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is a type of deep learning model that is specifically designed for processing data with a grid-like topology, such as an image. CNNs use a special operation called a "convolution" to automatically and adaptively learn a hierarchy of features from the input.
Why It Matters
CNNs have revolutionized computer vision. They are the technology behind image classification, object detection, and facial recognition, achieving state-of-the-art performance on these tasks.
Contextual Example
In an image recognition task, the first layers of a CNN might learn to detect simple features like edges and corners. Deeper layers combine these to detect more complex features like eyes and shapes, and even deeper layers learn to recognize objects like faces or cats.
Common Misunderstandings
- The key components of a CNN are convolutional layers, pooling layers, and fully connected layers.
- They are inspired by the organization of the animal visual cortex.