K-Nearest Neighbors

The algorithm caches all training samples and predicts the response for a new sample by analyzing a certain number (K) of the nearest neighbors of the sample using voting, calculating weighted sum, and so on. The method is sometimes referred to as “learning by example” because for prediction it looks for the feature vector with a known response that is closest to the given vector.

CvKNearest

class CvKNearest : public CvStatModel

The class implements K-Nearest Neighbors model as described in the beginning of this section.

Note

• (Python) An example of digit recognition using KNearest can be found at opencv_source/samples/python2/digits.py
• (Python) An example of grid search digit recognition using KNearest can be found at opencv_source/samples/python2/digits_adjust.py
• (Python) An example of video digit recognition using KNearest can be found at opencv_source/samples/python2/digits_video.py

CvKNearest::CvKNearest

Default and training constructors.

C++: CvKNearest::CvKNearest()

C++: CvKNearest::CvKNearest(const Mat& trainData, const Mat& responses, const Mat& sampleIdx=Mat(), bool isRegression=false, int max_k=32 )

C++: CvKNearest::CvKNearest(const CvMat* trainData, const CvMat* responses, const CvMat* sampleIdx=0, bool isRegression=false, int max_k=32 )

See CvKNearest::train() for additional parameters descriptions.

CvKNearest::train

Trains the model.

C++: bool CvKNearest::train(const Mat& trainData, const Mat& responses, const Mat& sampleIdx=Mat(), bool isRegression=false, int maxK=32, bool updateBase=false )

C++: bool CvKNearest::train(const CvMat* trainData, const CvMat* responses, const CvMat* sampleIdx=0, bool is_regression=false, int maxK=32, bool updateBase=false )

Python: cv2.KNearest.train(trainData, responses[, sampleIdx[, isRegression[, maxK[, updateBase]]]]) → retval

Parameters:

• isRegression – Type of the problem: true for regression and false for classification.
• maxK – Number of maximum neighbors that may be passed to the method CvKNearest::find_nearest().
• updateBase – Specifies whether the model is trained from scratch (update_base=false), or it is updated using the new training data (update_base=true). In the latter case, the parameter maxK must not be larger than the original value.

The method trains the K-Nearest model. It follows the conventions of the generic CvStatModel::train() approach with the following limitations:

• Only CV_ROW_SAMPLE data layout is supported.
• Input variables are all ordered.
• Output variables can be either categorical ( is_regression=false ) or ordered ( is_regression=true ).
• Variable subsets (var_idx) and missing measurements are not supported.

CvKNearest::find_nearest

Finds the neighbors and predicts responses for input vectors.

C++: float CvKNearest::find_nearest(const Mat& samples, int k, Mat* results=0, const float** neighbors=0, Mat* neighborResponses=0, Mat* dist=0 ) const

C++: float CvKNearest::find_nearest(const Mat& samples, int k, Mat& results, Mat& neighborResponses, Mat& dists) const

C++: float CvKNearest::find_nearest(const CvMat* samples, int k, CvMat* results=0, const float** neighbors=0, CvMat* neighborResponses=0, CvMat* dist=0 ) const

Python: cv2.KNearest.find_nearest(samples, k[, results[, neighborResponses[, dists]]]) → retval, results, neighborResponses, dists

Parameters:

• samples – Input samples stored by rows. It is a single-precision floating-point matrix of size.
• k – Number of used nearest neighbors. It must satisfy constraint: CvKNearest::get_max_k().
• results – Vector with results of prediction (regression or classification) for each input sample. It is a single-precision floating-point vector with number_of_samples elements.
• neighbors – Optional output pointers to the neighbor vectors themselves. It is an array of k*samples->rows pointers.
• neighborResponses – Optional output values for corresponding neighbors. It is a single-precision floating-point matrix of size.
• dist – Optional output distances from the input vectors to the corresponding neighbors. It is a single-precision floating-point matrix of size.

For each input vector (a row of the matrix samples), the method finds the k nearest neighbors. In case of regression, the predicted result is a mean value of the particular vector’s neighbor responses. In case of classification, the class is determined by voting.

For each input vector, the neighbors are sorted by their distances to the vector.

In case of C++ interface you can use output pointers to empty matrices and the function will allocate memory itself.

If only a single input vector is passed, all output matrices are optional and the predicted value is returned by the method.

The function is parallelized with the TBB library.

CvKNearest::get_max_k

Returns the number of maximum neighbors that may be passed to the method CvKNearest::find_nearest().

C++: int CvKNearest::get_max_k() const

CvKNearest::get_var_count

Returns the number of used features (variables count).

C++: int CvKNearest::get_var_count() const

CvKNearest::get_sample_count

Returns the total number of train samples.

C++: int CvKNearest::get_sample_count() const

CvKNearest::is_regression

Returns type of the problem: true for regression and false for classification.

C++: bool CvKNearest::is_regression() const

The sample below (currently using the obsolete CvMat structures) demonstrates the use of the k-nearest classifier for 2D point classification:

#include "ml.h"
#include "highgui.h"

int main( int argc, char** argv )
{
    const int K = 10;
    int i, j, k, accuracy;
    float response;
    int train_sample_count = 100;
    CvRNG rng_state = cvRNG(-1);
    CvMat* trainData = cvCreateMat( train_sample_count, 2, CV_32FC1 );
    CvMat* trainClasses = cvCreateMat( train_sample_count, 1, CV_32FC1 );
    IplImage* img = cvCreateImage( cvSize( 500, 500 ), 8, 3 );
    float _sample[2];
    CvMat sample = cvMat( 1, 2, CV_32FC1, _sample );
    cvZero( img );

    CvMat trainData1, trainData2, trainClasses1, trainClasses2;

    // form the training samples
    cvGetRows( trainData, &trainData1, 0, train_sample_count/2 );
    cvRandArr( &rng_state, &trainData1, CV_RAND_NORMAL, cvScalar(200,200), cvScalar(50,50) );

    cvGetRows( trainData, &trainData2, train_sample_count/2, train_sample_count );
    cvRandArr( &rng_state, &trainData2, CV_RAND_NORMAL, cvScalar(300,300), cvScalar(50,50) );

    cvGetRows( trainClasses, &trainClasses1, 0, train_sample_count/2 );
    cvSet( &trainClasses1, cvScalar(1) );

    cvGetRows( trainClasses, &trainClasses2, train_sample_count/2, train_sample_count );
    cvSet( &trainClasses2, cvScalar(2) );

    // learn classifier
    CvKNearest knn( trainData, trainClasses, 0, false, K );
    CvMat* nearests = cvCreateMat( 1, K, CV_32FC1);

    for( i = 0; i < img->height; i++ )
    {
        for( j = 0; j < img->width; j++ )
        {
            sample.data.fl[0] = (float)j;
            sample.data.fl[1] = (float)i;

            // estimate the response and get the neighbors' labels
            response = knn.find_nearest(&sample,K,0,0,nearests,0);

            // compute the number of neighbors representing the majority
            for( k = 0, accuracy = 0; k < K; k++ )
            {
                if( nearests->data.fl[k] == response)
                    accuracy++;
            }
            // highlight the pixel depending on the accuracy (or confidence)
            cvSet2D( img, i, j, response == 1 ?
                (accuracy > 5 ? CV_RGB(180,0,0) : CV_RGB(180,120,0)) :
                (accuracy > 5 ? CV_RGB(0,180,0) : CV_RGB(120,120,0)) );
        }
    }

    // display the original training samples
    for( i = 0; i < train_sample_count/2; i++ )
    {
        CvPoint pt;
        pt.x = cvRound(trainData1.data.fl[i*2]);
        pt.y = cvRound(trainData1.data.fl[i*2+1]);
        cvCircle( img, pt, 2, CV_RGB(255,0,0), CV_FILLED );
        pt.x = cvRound(trainData2.data.fl[i*2]);
        pt.y = cvRound(trainData2.data.fl[i*2+1]);
        cvCircle( img, pt, 2, CV_RGB(0,255,0), CV_FILLED );
    }

    cvNamedWindow( "classifier result", 1 );
    cvShowImage( "classifier result", img );
    cvWaitKey(0);

    cvReleaseMat( &trainClasses );
    cvReleaseMat( &trainData );
    return 0;
}