Deep learning: Using machine learning to study biological vision

Abstract

Today many vision-science presentations employ machine learning and especially \"deep learning\", one of the more recent and successful variants. Many neuroscientists use machine learning to decode neural responses. Many perception scientists try to understand how living organisms recognize objects. To them, deep neural networks offer several benchmark accuracies for recognition of learned stimuli. Originally machine learning was inspired by the brain. Today, machine learning is used as a statistical tool to decode brain activity. Tomorrow, deep neural networks might become our best model of brain function. This brief overview of the use of machine learning in biological vision touches on its strengths, weaknesses, milestones, controversies, and current directions. Here, we hope to help vision scientists assess what role machine learning should play in their research.