Informed Machine Learning - A Taxonomy and Survey of Integrating Prior Knowledge into Learning Systems

TLDR

Machine learning struggles with limited data, and incorporating prior knowledge—forming informed machine learning—offers a promising remedy. This paper offers a structured overview, definition, and taxonomy of informed machine learning, and surveys related research. The authors propose a taxonomy that classifies approaches by knowledge source, representation, and integration into the learning pipeline, and use it to survey how algebraic equations, logic rules, and simulation results can be incorporated. Evaluating numerous studies through this taxonomy reveals key methods and insights in the field of informed machine learning.

Abstract

Despite its great success, machine learning can have its limits when dealing with insufficient training data. A potential solution is the additional integration of prior knowledge into the training process which leads to the notion of informed machine learning. In this paper, we present a structured overview of various approaches in this field. We provide a definition and propose a concept for informed machine learning which illustrates its building blocks and distinguishes it from conventional machine learning. We introduce a taxonomy that serves as a classification framework for informed machine learning approaches. It considers the source of knowledge, its representation, and its integration into the machine learning pipeline. Based on this taxonomy, we survey related research and describe how different knowledge representations such as algebraic equations, logic rules, or simulation results can be used in learning systems. This evaluation of numerous papers on the basis of our taxonomy uncovers key methods in the field of informed machine learning.