How to visualize a neural network

Question

I want to draw a dynamic picture for a neural network to watch the weights changed and the activation of neurons during learning. How could I simulate the process in Python?

Answer 1

To implement what Mykhaylo has suggested, I've slightly modified the Milo's code in order to allow providing weghts as an argument which will affect every line's width. This argument is optional, as there's no sense of providing weights for the last layer. All this to be able to visualize my solution to this exercise on neural networks. I've given binary weights (either 0 or 1), so that lines with zero weight not be drawn at all (to make an image more clear).

from matplotlib import pyplot
from math import cos, sin, atan
import numpy as np


class Neuron():
    def __init__(self, x, y):
        self.x = x
        self.y = y

    def draw(self):
        circle = pyplot.Circle((self.x, self.y), radius=neuron_radius, fill=False)
        pyplot.gca().add_patch(circle)


class Layer():
    def __init__(self, network, number_of_neurons, weights):
        self.previous_layer = self.__get_previous_layer(network)
        self.y = self.__calculate_layer_y_position()
        self.neurons = self.__intialise_neurons(number_of_neurons)
        self.weights = weights

    def __intialise_neurons(self, number_of_neurons):
        neurons = []
        x = self.__calculate_left_margin_so_layer_is_centered(number_of_neurons)
        for iteration in range(number_of_neurons):
            neuron = Neuron(x, self.y)
            neurons.append(neuron)
            x += horizontal_distance_between_neurons
        return neurons

    def __calculate_left_margin_so_layer_is_centered(self, number_of_neurons):
        return horizontal_distance_between_neurons * (number_of_neurons_in_widest_layer - number_of_neurons) / 2

    def __calculate_layer_y_position(self):
        if self.previous_layer:
            return self.previous_layer.y + vertical_distance_between_layers
        else:
            return 0

    def __get_previous_layer(self, network):
        if len(network.layers) > 0:
            return network.layers[-1]
        else:
            return None

    def __line_between_two_neurons(self, neuron1, neuron2, linewidth):
        angle = atan((neuron2.x - neuron1.x) / float(neuron2.y - neuron1.y))
        x_adjustment = neuron_radius * sin(angle)
        y_adjustment = neuron_radius * cos(angle)
        line_x_data = (neuron1.x - x_adjustment, neuron2.x + x_adjustment)
        line_y_data = (neuron1.y - y_adjustment, neuron2.y + y_adjustment)
        line = pyplot.Line2D(line_x_data, line_y_data, linewidth=linewidth)
        pyplot.gca().add_line(line)

    def draw(self):
        for this_layer_neuron_index in range(len(self.neurons)):
            neuron = self.neurons[this_layer_neuron_index]
            neuron.draw()
            if self.previous_layer:
                for previous_layer_neuron_index in range(len(self.previous_layer.neurons)):
                    previous_layer_neuron = self.previous_layer.neurons[previous_layer_neuron_index]
                    weight = self.previous_layer.weights[this_layer_neuron_index, previous_layer_neuron_index]
                    self.__line_between_two_neurons(neuron, previous_layer_neuron, weight)


class NeuralNetwork():
    def __init__(self):
        self.layers = []

    def add_layer(self, number_of_neurons, weights=None):
        layer = Layer(self, number_of_neurons, weights)
        self.layers.append(layer)

    def draw(self):
        for layer in self.layers:
            layer.draw()
        pyplot.axis('scaled')
        pyplot.show()


if __name__ == "__main__":
    vertical_distance_between_layers = 6
    horizontal_distance_between_neurons = 2
    neuron_radius = 0.5
    number_of_neurons_in_widest_layer = 4
    network = NeuralNetwork()
    # weights to convert from 10 outputs to 4 (decimal digits to their binary representation)
    weights1 = np.array([\
                         [0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1],\
                         [0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0],\
                         [0,0,1,1,0,0,1,1,0,0],\
                         [0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1]])
    network.add_layer(10, weights1)
    network.add_layer(4)
    network.draw()