Hi,
I think this video explains it quite nicely too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6r3ekreRzY

Gari


On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 10:35 AM, Michael Ferrier <[email protected]
> wrote:

> Hi Jeff,
>
> That is what the spatial pooler does. See pages 21-22 of the white paper
> for more details. Each column in an HTM region receives input from a unique
> subset of input bits, so when the region receives a pattern of input bits,
> regardless of what percentage of the input bits are on, some columns will
> receive more excitation than others. Only the 2% of columns that receive
> the highest amount of excitation will be activated. So regardless of what
> proportion of input bits are active, the region will end up with a sparse
> distributed representation of the input, with 2% of columns active.
>
> -Mike
>
> _____________
> Michael Ferrier
> Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown
> University
> [email protected]
>
>
> On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 9:40 PM, Jeff Fohl <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>  Hello -
>>
>> I hope this is not being posted to the wrong list. This is my first post
>> here. Please let me know if there is a more appropriate place for this
>> question.
>>
>> In preparation for learning NuPIC, I have read "On Intelligence", and I
>> am now reading the HTM white paper put out by Numenta.
>>
>> Making my way through the white paper, I got stuck on one passage, which
>> I can't really make sense of. Wondering if anyone can help me through this
>> part. The passage in question is on pages 11-12 of the white paper PDF -
>> specifically the second paragraph included below.
>>
>> *HTM regions also use sparse distributed representations. In fact, the
>> memory mechanisms within an HTM region are dependent on using sparse
>> distributed representations, and wouldn’t work otherwise. The input to an
>> HTM region is always a distributed representation, but it may not be
>> sparse, so the first thing an HTM region does is to convert its input into
>> a sparse distributed representation.*
>>
>> *For example, a region might receive 20,000 input bits. The percentage
>> of input bits that are “1” and “0” might vary significantly over time. One
>> time there might be 5,000 “1” bits and another time there might be 9,000
>> “1” bits. The HTM region could convert this input into an internal
>> representation of 10,000 bits of which 2%, or 200, are active at once,
>> regardless of how many of the input bits are “1”. As the input to the HTM
>> region varies over time, the internal representation also will change, but
>> there always will be about 200 bits out of 10,000 active. *
>>
>> So, what exactly is going on here? How does a fluctuating input flow of
>> 20,000 bits get converted into 200 bits? Obviously there is something
>> important going on here, but I don't understand what it is. Any help
>> illuminating this would be greatly appreciated!
>>
>> Many thanks,
>>
>> Jeff
>>
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>>
>
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