Clustering with adaptive graph learning and spectral rotation

Abstract

Prototype-based clustering algorithms have garnered considerable attention in the field of machine learning due to their efficiency and interpretability. Nonetheless, these algorithms often face performance degradation when confronted with high-dimensional or non-ellipsoidal data distributions. To surmount these challenges, this study introduces a novel clustering approach, dubbed Clustering with Adaptive Graph learning and Spectral Rotation (CAGSR). In CAGSR, the imposed spectral rotation operation mitigates the discrepancy between the membership matrix, which adheres to the notion of fuzzy clustering, and the spectral representations derived from an adaptive graph rather than a predefined one. This enables the generation of a comprehensive representation of the data across multiple spaces. Furthermore, the clustering and graph learning tasks are jointly optimized in a projected subspace, which can effectively reduce the adverse impact caused by irrelevant features in the original space. The proposed method seamlessly integrates fuzzy clustering, graph structure learning, and spectral rotation into a unified model, facilitating the detection of intrinsic structures. Experimental evaluations conducted on benchmark data sets substantiate the effectiveness of CAGSR when compared to related clustering approaches.