Hyp-UML: Hyperbolic Image Retrieval with Uncertainty-aware Metric Learning

Metric learning plays a critical role in training image retrieval and classification. It is also a key algorithm in representation learning, e.g., for feature learning and its alignment in metric space. Hyperbolic embedding has been recently developed, compared to the conventional Euclidean embedding in most of the previously developed models, and can be more effective in representing the hierarchical data structure. Second, uncertainty estimation/measurement is a long-lasting challenge in artificial intelligence. Successful uncertainty estimation can improve a machine learning model's performance, robustness, and security. In Hyperbolic space, uncertainty measurement is at least with equivalent, if not more, critical importance. In this paper, we develop a Hyperbolic image embedding with uncertainty-aware metric learning for image retrieval. We call our method Hyp-UML: Hyperbolic Uncertainty-aware Metric Learning. Our contribution are threefold: we propose an image embedding algorithm based on Hyperbolic space, with their corresponding uncertainty value; we propose two types of uncertainty-aware metric learning, for the popular Contrastive learning and conventional margin-based metric learning, respectively. We perform extensive experimental validations to prove that the proposed algorithm can achieve state-of-the-art results among related methods. The comprehensive ablation study validates the effectiveness of each component of the proposed algorithm.