Enhancing dynamic ensemble selection: combining self-generating prototypes and meta-classifier for data classification

In dynamic ensemble selection (DES) techniques, the competence level of each classifier is estimated from a pool of classifiers, and only the most competent ones are selected to classify a specific test sample and predict its class labels. A significant challenge in DES is efficiently estimating classifier competence for accurate prediction, especially when these techniques employ the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithm to define the competence region of a test sample based on a validation set (known as the dynamic selection dataset or DSEL). This challenge is exacerbated when the DSEL does not accurately reflect the original data distribution or contains noisy data. Such conditions can reduce the precision of the system, induce unexpected behaviors, and compromise stability. To address these issues, this paper introduces the self-generating prototype ensemble selection (SGP.DES) framework, which combines meta-learning with prototype selection. The proposed meta-classifier of SGP.DES supports multiple classification algorithms and utilizes meta-features from prototypes derived from the original training set, enhancing the selection of the best classifiers for a test sample. The method improves the efficiency of KNN in defining competence regions by generating a reduced and noise-free DSEL set that preserves the original data distribution. Furthermore, the SGP.DES framework facilitates tailored optimization for specific classification challenges through the use of hyperparameters that control prototype selection and the meta-classifier operation mode to select the most appropriate classification algorithm for dynamic selection. Empirical evaluations of twenty-four classification problems have demonstrated that SGP.DES outperforms state-of-the-art DES methods as well as traditional single-model and ensemble methods in terms of accuracy, confirming its effectiveness across a wide range of classification contexts.