Generating data using Hidden Markov Models
A Hidden Markov Model (HMM) is a powerful analysis technique for analyzing sequential data. It assumes that the system being modeled is a Markov process with hidden states. This means that the underlying system can be one among a set of possible states.
It goes through a sequence of state transitions, thereby producing a sequence of outputs. We can only observe the outputs but not the states. Hence these states are hidden from us. Our goal is to model the data so that we can infer the state transitions of unknown data.
In order to understand HMMs, let's consider a version of the traveling salesman problem (TSP). In this example, a salesman must travel between the following three cities for his job — London, Barcelona, and New York. His goal is to minimize the traveling time so that he can be the most efficient. Considering his work commitments and schedule, we have a set of probabilities that dictate the chances of ...