# Modeling Object Recognition in Newborn Chicks using Deep Neural Networks

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2106.07185 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.07185/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 6 of its 31 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 14 Jun 2021.

## Builds on (most cited first, 6 of 6)

- [Deep Residual Learning for Image Recognition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1512.03385/) (2015)
- [Adam: A Method for Stochastic Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1412.6980/) (2014)
- [A Simple Framework for Contrastive Learning of Visual Representations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2002.05709/) (2020)
- [Auto-Encoding Variational Bayes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1312.6114/) (2013)
- [Unity: A General Platform for Intelligent Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1809.02627/) (2018)
- [Deep Neural Networks Rival the Representation of Primate IT Cortex for Core Visual Object Recognition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1406.3284/) (2014)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Are Vision Transformers More Data Hungry Than Newborn Visual Systems?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.02843/) (2023)
- [A newborn embodied Turing test for view-invariant object recognition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.05582/) (2023)

## Abstract (arXiv)

In recent years, the brain and cognitive sciences have made great strides developing a mechanistic understanding of object recognition in mature brains. Despite this progress, fundamental questions remain about the origins and computational foundations of object recognition. What learning algorithms underlie object recognition in newborn brains? Since newborn animals learn largely through unsupervised learning, we explored whether unsupervised learning algorithms can be used to predict the view-invariant object recognition behavior of newborn chicks. Specifically, we used feature representations derived from unsupervised deep neural networks (DNNs) as inputs to cognitive models of categorization. We show that features derived from unsupervised DNNs make competitive predictions about chick behavior compared to supervised features. More generally, we argue that linking controlled-rearing studies to image-computable DNN models opens new experimental avenues for studying the origins and computational basis of object recognition in newborn animals.