Key Real-World Applications of Classifier Ensembles

Broad classes of statistical classification algorithms have beendeveloped and applied successfully to a wide range of real worlddomains. In general, ensuring that the particular classificationalgorithm matches the properties of the data is crucial inproviding results that meet the needs of the particular applicationdomain. One way in which the impact of this algorithm/applicationmatch can be alleviated is by using ensembles of classifiers, wherea variety of classifiers (either different types of classifiers ordifferent instantiations of the same classifier) are pooled before afinal classification decision is made. Intuitively, classifierensembles allow the different needs of a difficult problem to behandled by classifiers suited to those particular needs.Mathematically, classifier ensembles provide an extra degree offreedom in the classical bias/variance tradeoff, allowing solutionsthat would be difficult (if not impossible) to reach with only asingle classifier. Because of these advantages, classifier ensembles have been applied to many difficult real world problems. In this paper, we surveyselect applications of ensemble methods to problems that havehistorically been most representative of the difficulties inclassification. In particular, we survey applications of ensemblemethods to remote sensing, person recognition, one vs. allrecognition, and medicine.