Space-Time Domain Tensor Neural Networks: An Application on Human Pose Recognition

Recent advances in sensing technologies require the design and development of pattern recognition models capable of processing spatiotemporal data efficiently. In this work, we propose a spatially and temporally aware tensor-based neural network for human pose recognition using three-dimensional skeleton data. Our model employs three novel components. First, an input layer capable of constructing highly discriminative spatiotemporal features. Second, a tensor fusion operation that produces compact yet rich representations of the data, and third, a tensor-based neural network that processes data representations in their original tensor form. Our model is end-to-end trainable and characterized by a small number of trainable parameters making it suitable for problems where the annotated data is limited. Experimental validation of the proposed model indicates that it can achieve state-of-the-art performance. Although in this study, we consider the problem of human pose recognition, our methodology is general enough to be applied to any pattern recognition problem spatiotemporal data from sensor networks.