Hilbert space

In words...

Hilbert spaces are a generalization of the usual Euclidean spaces (such as $\R$ or $\R^2$) to higher and possibly infinite dimensions. This generalization comes with natural extensions of concepts from linear algebra, such as inner products and norms.

Infinite-dimensional spaces are also called function spaces. Indeed, a function can be identified with its values taken at all points of its domain, just as a vector can be identified with the values of its components. If the domain contains an infinite number of points, then there are an infinite number of values defining a function.

Formally, a Hilbert space is a vector space equipped with an inner product inducing a norm with respect to which the space is complete. Completeness means that every converging sequence of elements of the space converges to an element which also belongs to the space.

In pictures...

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In maths...

Definition

A Hilbert space $\H$ is a vector space equipped with an inner product $\inner{\cdot}{\cdot}_{\H}$ inducing a norm $$ \|x\|_{\H} = \sqrt{\inner{x}{x}_{\H}} $$ with respect to which the space is complete.
Here, completeness means that converging sequences of elements in $\H$ converge in $\H$, i.e., $$ \lim_{n\to +\infty} x_n \in\H $$ for any sequence $(x_n)$ of elements in $\H$ satisfying $$ \lim_{n\to +\infty} \sup_{p,q > n} \|x_p - x_q\|_{\H} = 0 . $$

Function spaces

The definition of Hilbert spaces does not impose a finite dimension on $\H$. Thus, we can define infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces, which we call function spaces. Indeed, a function $f : \X\rightarrow \R$ can be identified with its values $f(\g x)$ taken at all points $\g x\in\X$, just as a vector $\g x$ can be identified with the values $x_j$ of its components. If $\X$ is a subset of $\R^d$, then there is an infinite number of points and values.

Given an input space $\X\subseteq \R^d$, a typical Hilbert space of functions is the space of real-valued and square-integrable functions $L^2(\X)$, which is equipped with the inner product defined by $$ \forall f \in L^2(\X),\ g \in L^2(\X),\quad \inner{f}{g} = \int_{\X} f(\g x) g(\g x) \ d\g x . $$ This inner product induces the $L^2$-norm $$ \|f\|_{L^2(\X)} = \sqrt{\inner{f}{f}} = \sqrt{\int_{\X} f(\g x)^2 \ d\g x }. $$