arXiv:2607.06634cs.LG2026-07

几何代数在深层旋转组合任务中表现更优,低数据下胜过传统方法。

When Do Geometric Algebra Layers Beat Scalarization? A Controlled Study on SO(3)-Equivariant Vector Laws

  • 用克莱夫代数构造网络,可精确保持三维旋转对称性。
  • 100样本时性能超基线3000样本,深度旋转链任务优势明显。
  • 适合处理多层旋转或向量场耦合的复杂3D物理建模场景。

基于克利福德代数Cl(3,0)的紧凑网络能精确保持SO(3)对称性,并从少量样本中学习合成3D向量律。我们对比了仅通过不变点积输入小MLP输出等变基{v_i, v_i × v_j}的最小标量化基线,该基线同样精确保持对称性。在单阶段律(轴角旋转、叉积、中心力)上,标量化方法在极低训练成本下表现相当甚至更优,说明几何代数无额外增益。但在嵌套群运算的复合目标(如连续应用两步旋转、局部力经方向映射后求力矩)中,克利福德网络在低数据下胜出一个数量级:仅需100样本即可达到基线3000样本的性能,且该差距在增强基线(三重积不变量、17倍参数、外部向量神经元、e3nn基线、乘法系数网络)后依然存在。消融实验表明所需网络深度与旋转链长度匹配,标量化在四步旋转链中性能低于常数预测器。优势并非来自组合本身:在无旋转的嵌套叉积任务(可化为多项式不变量系数)中,标量化仍胜出24倍。所有测试模型均无法外推不变量大小:在半径与距离偏移下,归一化误差后所有模型均劣于常数预测器。结论:几何代数非通用低数据3D学习捷径,仅在深层群元素复合任务中真正有效。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

Compact networks built from Clifford algebra Cl(3,0) primitives are exactly SO(3)-equivariant and learn synthetic 3D vector laws from few samples. We ask whether the geometric algebra structure itself contributes anything beyond exact equivariance. We compare against a minimal scalarization baseline: invariant dot products fed to a small MLP that outputs coefficients on the equivariant basis {v_i, v_i x v_j}, which is also exactly equivariant. On single-stage laws (rotation by axis-angle, cross product, central force), scalarization matches or beats the Cl(3,0) network at a fraction of the training cost, so the geometric algebra adds nothing there. On compositional targets whose computation graph nests group operations (apply R2 R1 to a point; map a local force through an orientation, then take a torque), the Cl(3,0) network beats scalarization by an order of magnitude in the low-data regime, reaching with 100 samples what the baseline needs 3000 for, and the gap survives strengthening the baseline with the triple-product invariant and 17x more parameters, external Vector Neurons and e3nn baselines, and a multiplicative coefficient network. Ablations show the required network depth tracks the rotation chain length, and scalarization falls below the constant predictor on chains of four rotations. The advantage is not composition per se: on a rotation-free nested cross product, which flattens into polynomial invariant coefficients, scalarization wins by 24x. No tested model, equivariant or not, extrapolates invariant magnitudes: on radius and separation shifts every model is worse than a constant predictor once errors are normalized. We conclude that geometric algebra layers are not a general shortcut for low-data 3D learning, but become useful precisely when the target composes group elements in depth.

几何代数3D学习等变网络低数据

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