Shift Quality Classifier Using Deep Neural Networks on Small Data with Dropout and Semi-Supervised Learning

In this paper, we apply two methods in machine learning, dropout and semi-supervised learning, to a recently proposed method called CSQ-SDL which uses deep neural networks for evaluating shift quality from time-series measurement data. When developing a new Automatic Transmission (AT), calibration takes place where many parameters of the AT are adjusted to realize pleasant driving experience in all situations that occur on all roads around the world. Calibration requires an expert to visually assess the shift quality from the time-series measurement data of the experiments each time the parameters are changed, which is iterative and time-consuming. The CSQ-SDL was developed to shorten time consumed by the visual assessment, and its effectiveness depends on acquiring a sufficient number of data points. In practice, however, data amounts are often insufficient. The methods proposed here can handle such cases. For the cases wherein only a small number of labeled data points is available, we propose a method that uses dropout. For those cases wherein the number of labeled data points is small but the number of unlabeled data is suffi- cient, we propose a method that uses semi-supervised learning. Experiments show that while the former gives moderate improvement, the latter offers a significant performance improvement.