🔴 Developing a GAN for High-Resolution Image Synthesis

Developing a GAN for High-Resolution Image Synthesis

Objective

Create a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) capable of generating high-resolution, realistic images. This project involves implementing advanced GAN architectures such as StyleGAN2 or BigGAN, training the model on a large image dataset, and overcoming challenges like mode collapse and training instability.


Learning Outcomes

By completing this project, you will:

  • Understand GAN architectures and the challenges in training them.
  • Implement advanced GAN models capable of high-resolution image synthesis.
  • Gain experience with training techniques specific to GANs.
  • Learn to handle large-scale image data and optimize data pipelines.
  • Evaluate generative models using metrics like FID and Inception Score.
  • Develop problem-solving skills for issues like mode collapse and convergence.

Prerequisites and Theoretical Foundations

1. Advanced Python Programming

  • Deep Learning Frameworks: Proficiency with PyTorch.
  • Efficient Data Loading: Experience with PyTorch Datasets and DataLoaders.
  • Parallel Computing: Knowledge of multi-GPU training.

2. Mathematics and Machine Learning Foundations

  • Generative Models:
    • Understanding of GANs, VAEs.
  • Optimization Techniques:
    • Knowledge of adversarial training, loss functions.
  • Computer Vision:
    • Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs).
    • Image preprocessing and augmentation.

3. Understanding of Advanced GAN Architectures

  • StyleGAN and StyleGAN2:
    • Style-based generators.
    • Mapping networks and adaptive instance normalization.
  • BigGAN:
    • Class-conditional GANs.
    • Techniques for stable training at high resolutions.

4. Experience with Image Datasets

  • Dataset Handling:
    • ImageNet, CelebA-HQ, or custom datasets.
  • Data Augmentation:
    • Techniques to enhance training data variability.

Tools Required

  • Programming Language: Python 3.8+
  • Libraries and Frameworks:
    • PyTorch: Deep learning framework (pip install torch>=1.9.0)
    • Torchvision: For datasets and image transformations (pip install torchvision>=0.10.0)
    • NVIDIA Apex: For mixed-precision training
git clone https://github.com/NVIDIA/apex
cd apex
pip install -v --disable-pip-version-check --no-cache-dir --no-build-isolation --config-settings "--build-option=--cpp_ext" --config-settings "--build-option=--cuda_ext" ./
  • Hardware:
    • High-end GPUs: Multiple GPUs with large memory (e.g., NVIDIA RTX 3090).
    • CUDA Requirements: CUDA 11.1+ and cuDNN 8.0.5+
  • Dataset:

Project Structure

gan_image_synthesis/
│
├── data/
│   └── dataset_name/
│       └── images/
│
├── src/
│   ├── dataset.py
│   ├── generator.py
│   ├── discriminator.py
│   ├── train.py
│   ├── utils.py
│   └── fid_score.py
│
└── notebooks/
    └── exploration.ipynb

Steps and Tasks

1. Data Preparation

Tasks:

  • Download and Preprocess the Dataset:
    • Ensure images are resized and normalized.
  • Create Custom Dataset Class:
    • Handle data loading efficiently.

Implementation:

from torchvision import transforms
from torchvision.datasets import ImageFolder

transform = transforms.Compose([
    transforms.Resize(256),
    transforms.CenterCrop(256),
    transforms.ToTensor(),
    transforms.Normalize([0.5]*3, [0.5]*3)
])

dataset = ImageFolder(root='data/dataset_name/', transform=transform)
dataloader = torch.utils.data.DataLoader(dataset, batch_size=32, shuffle=True, num_workers=4)

2. Implementing the GAN Architecture

Tasks:

  • Define the Generator and Discriminator:
    • Implement architectures from StyleGAN2 or BigGAN.
  • Use Spectral Normalization:
    • Stabilize the discriminator.

Implementation:

import torch.nn as nn

class Generator(nn.Module):
    def __init__(self):
        super(Generator, self).__init__()
        # Define layers based on chosen architecture

    def forward(self, z):
        # Generate images from noise vector z
        return img

class Discriminator(nn.Module):
    def __init__(self):
        super(Discriminator, self).__init__()
        # Define layers with spectral normalization

    def forward(self, img):
        # Discriminate real vs. fake images
        return validity

3. Setting Up the Training Loop

Tasks:

  • Define Loss Functions:
    • Use loss functions like Wasserstein loss with gradient penalty.
  • Implement Training Steps:
    • Alternate between updating the generator and discriminator.
  • Handle Model Initialization:
    • Initialize weights appropriately.

Implementation:

# Loss functions
adversarial_loss = nn.BCEWithLogitsLoss()

# Optimizers
optimizer_G = torch.optim.Adam(generator.parameters(), lr=0.0001, betas=(0.0, 0.99))
optimizer_D = torch.optim.Adam(discriminator.parameters(), lr=0.0001, betas=(0.0, 0.99))

# Training loop
for epoch in range(num_epochs):
    for i, (imgs, _) in enumerate(dataloader):
        # Update Discriminator
        optimizer_D.zero_grad()
        # Compute loss and backpropagate
        # ...

        # Update Generator
        optimizer_G.zero_grad()
        # Compute loss and backpropagate
        # ...

4. Implementing Training Techniques

Tasks:

  • Apply Gradient Penalty:
    • Enforce Lipschitz constraint in the discriminator.
  • Use Progressive Growing:
    • Start with low-resolution images and progressively increase resolution.
  • Implement Mixed-Precision Training:
    • Use NVIDIA Apex or PyTorch’s AMP.

Implementation:

# Gradient penalty
def compute_gradient_penalty(D, real_samples, fake_samples):
    # Compute interpolation
    # Compute gradients
    # Return gradient penalty term
    return gradient_penalty

# Progressive growing
# Adjust model architecture dynamically during training

5. Evaluating the Model

Tasks:

  • Calculate FID and Inception Score:
    • Quantify the quality of generated images.
  • Visual Inspection:
    • Regularly generate images to monitor training progress.

Implementation:

# Generate samples
with torch.no_grad():
    generated_imgs = generator(fixed_noise)

# Save images
save_image(generated_imgs, 'images/generated.png', nrow=8, normalize=True)

# Compute FID
from fid_score import calculate_fid_given_paths

fid_value = calculate_fid_given_paths(['path/to/real', 'path/to/fake'], batch_size, device)
print(f"FID: {fid_value}")

6. Addressing Training Challenges

Tasks:

  • Handle Mode Collapse:
    • Implement techniques like minibatch discrimination.
  • Stabilize Training:
    • Use learning rate schedules and regularization.
  • Monitor Convergence:
    • Keep track of losses and adjust hyperparameters as needed.

Implementation:

# Minibatch discrimination
class Discriminator(nn.Module):
    def __init__(self):
        super(Discriminator, self).__init__()
        # Add minibatch discrimination layer

# Learning rate scheduler
scheduler_G = torch.optim.lr_scheduler.StepLR(optimizer_G, step_size=10, gamma=0.5)
scheduler_D = torch.optim.lr_scheduler.StepLR(optimizer_D, step_size=10, gamma=0.5)

7. Optimization and Scaling

Tasks:

  • Implement Distributed Training:
    • Use PyTorch’s DistributedDataParallel.
  • Experiment with Larger Models:
    • Increase depth and capacity for better quality.
  • Use Data Augmentation:
    • Apply techniques like ADA (Adaptive Discriminator Augmentation).

Implementation:

# Distributed training setup
torch.distributed.init_process_group(backend='nccl')

# ADA
# Apply random augmentations to real and fake images during training

8. Documentation and Reporting

Tasks:

  • Document Model Architecture and Training Process:
    • Provide detailed explanations.
  • Visualize Training Progress:
    • Create image grids over epochs.
  • Prepare a Project Report:
    • Summarize objectives, methods, results, and insights.

Further Enhancements

  • Implement Style Mixing:
    • Allow mixing of styles at different layers.
  • Explore Conditional GANs:
    • Generate images conditioned on class labels.
  • Integrate with Applications:
    • Use the model for tasks like image editing or super-resolution.
  • Research Novel Training Methods:
    • Experiment with techniques like GAN inversion or CycleGAN.

Conclusion

In this advanced project, you have:

  • Developed a high-resolution GAN for image synthesis.
  • Implemented advanced architectures and training techniques.
  • Overcome challenges associated with GAN training.
  • Evaluated the model’s performance using quantitative metrics.

This project provides deep practical experience with generative models and prepares you for research or development roles in computer vision and generative AI.

Additional Resources

Reference Implementations

Evaluation Metrics

Documentation