Markov-Embedded Affinity Learning with Connectivity Constraints for Subspace Clustering

Abstract

Subspace clustering algorithms have demonstrated remarkable success across diverse fields, including object segmentation, gene clustering, and recommendation systems. However, they often face challenges, such as omitting cluster information and the neglect of higher-order neighbor relationships within the data. To address these issues, a novel subspace clustering method named Markov-Embedded Affinity Learning with Connectivity Constraints for Subspace Clustering is proposed. This method seamlessly embeds Markov transition probability information into the self-expression, leveraging a fine-grained neighbor matrix to uncover latent data structures. This matrix preserves crucial high-order local information and complementary details, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the data. To effectively handle complex nonlinear relationships, the method learns the underlying manifold structure from a cross-order local neighbor graph. Additionally, connectivity constraints are applied to the affinity matrix, enhancing the group structure and further improving the clustering performance. Extensive experiments demonstrate the superiority of this novel method over baseline approaches, validating its effectiveness and practical utility.