FLAT FINE-GRAINED IMAGE CLASSIFICATION WITH PROGRESSIVE PRECISION

Progressive precision image classifier and method of training include storing a dataset of labeled images, training a neural network to generate a classification vector comprising a plurality of confidence values, each confidence value corresponding to a classification, validating the trained neural network, calculating fine-grained confidence thresholds for each classification, wherein each classification represents a leaf-level classification in a hierarchical classification structure, and calculating coarse-level confidence thresholds for at least one parent class in the hierarchical classification structure, wherein each parent class defines a group of at least one leaf-level classification. Each label in the training data identifies a leaf-level classification in the hierarchical classification structure, and the classification vector includes a 1xN vector of confidence values, where N represents a number of leaf-level classifications output by the trained neural network. The neural network may be implemented as a convolution neural network with a single output head.