Learning apparatus and learning method

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a learning apparatus and a learning method capable of appropriately learning pieces of data that belong to the same category and are acquired under different conditions. In a learning apparatus according a first aspect of the present invention, first data and second data are respectively input to a first input layer and a second input layer that are independent of each other, and feature quantities are calculated. Thus, the feature quantity calculation in one of the first and second input layers is not affected by the feature quantity calculation in the other input layer. In addition to feature extraction performed in the input layers, each of a first intermediate feature quantity calculation process and a second intermediate feature quantity calculation process is performed at least once in an intermediate layer that is shared by the first and second input layers. Thus, the feature quantities calculated from the first data and the second data in the respective input layers can be reflected in the intermediate feature quantity calculation in the intermediate layer. Consequently, pieces of data that belong to the same category and are acquired under different conditions can be appropriately learned.