diff --git a/xbob/machine/activation.cpp b/xbob/machine/activation.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..a06e7f1a274d87d07150cf9ea9c5aa2706181ef5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xbob/machine/activation.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,364 @@
+/**
+ * @author Andre Anjos <andre.anjos@idiap.ch>
+ * @date Fri 10 Jan 2014 14:26:25 CET
+ *
+ * @brief Python bindings for the machine activation
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2011-2014 Idiap Research Institute, Martigny, Switzerland
+ */
+
+#include <cleanup.h>
+#include <bob/machine/Activation.h>
+#include <boost/function.hpp>
+#include <structmember.h>
+
+/*******************************************
+ * Implementation of Activation base class *
+ *******************************************/
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(s_activation_str, XBOB_EXT_MODULE_PREFIX ".Activation");
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(s_activation_doc,
+"Base class for activation functions (actually, *functors*).\n\
+\n\
+.. warning::\n\
+\n\
+ You cannot instantiate an object of this type directly, you must\n\
+ use it through one of the inherited types.\n\
+\n\
+.. warning::\n\
+\n\
+ You cannot create classes in Python that derive from this one and\n\
+ expect them to work fine with the C++ code, as no hook is\n\
+ implemented as of this time to allow for this. You must create\n\
+ a class that inherits from the C++\n\
+ :cpp:type:`bob::machine::Activation` in C++ and then bind it to\n\
+ Python like we have done for the classes available in these\n\
+ bindings.\n\
+\n\
+");
+
+static int PyBobMachineActivation_init(PyBobMachineActivationObject* self, PyObject*, PyObject*) {
+
+ PyErr_Format(PyExc_NotImplementedError, "cannot initialize object of base type `%s' - use one of the inherited classes", s_activation_str);
+ return -1;
+
+}
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(s_call_str, "f");
+PyDoc_STRVAR(s_call_doc,
+"o.f(z, [res]) -> array | scalar
+
+Computes the activated value, given an input array or scalar\n\
+``z``, placing results in ``res`` (and returning it).
+
+If ``z`` is an array, then you can pass another array in ``res``\n\
+to store the results and, in this case, we won't allocate a new\n\
+one for that purpose. This can be a speed-up in certain scenarios.\n\
+Note this does not work for scalars as it makes little sense to\n\
+avoid scalar allocation at this level.\n\
+\n\
+If you decide to pass an array in ``res``, note this array should\n\
+have the exact same dimensions as the input array ``z``. It is an
+error otherwise.\n\
+\n\
+.. note::\n\
+\n\
+ This method only accepts 64-bit float arrays as input or\n\
+ output.\n\
+\n\
+");
+
+/**
+ * Maps all elements of arr through function() into retval
+ */
+static int apply(boost::function<double (double)> function,
+ PyBlitzArrayObject* z, PyBlitzArrayObject* res) {
+
+ if (arr->ndim == 1) {
+ blitz::Array<double,1>* z_ = PyBlitzArrayCxx_AsBlitz<double,1>(z);
+ blitz::Array<double,1>* res_ = PyBlitzArrayCxx_AsBlitz<double,1>(res);
+ for (int k=0; k<z_->extent(0); ++k)
+ res_->operator()(k) = function(z_->operator()(k));
+ return 1;
+ }
+
+ else if (array->ndim == 2) {
+ blitz::Array<double,2>* z_ = PyBlitzArrayCxx_AsBlitz<double,2>(z);
+ blitz::Array<double,2>* res_ = PyBlitzArrayCxx_AsBlitz<double,2>(res);
+ for (int k=0; k<z_->extent(0); ++k)
+ for (int l=0; l<z_->extent(1); ++l)
+ res_->operator()(k,l) = function(z_->operator()(k,l));
+ return 1;
+ }
+
+ else if (array->ndim == 3) {
+ blitz::Array<double,3>* z_ = PyBlitzArrayCxx_AsBlitz<double,3>(z);
+ blitz::Array<double,3>* res_ = PyBlitzArrayCxx_AsBlitz<double,3>(res);
+ for (int k=0; k<z_->extent(0); ++k)
+ for (int l=0; l<z_->extent(1); ++l)
+ for (int m=0; m<z_->extent(2); ++m)
+ res_->operator()(k,l,m) = function(z_->operator()(k,l,m));
+ return 1;
+ }
+
+ else if (array->ndim == 4) {
+ blitz::Array<double,4>* z_ = PyBlitzArrayCxx_AsBlitz<double,4>(z);
+ blitz::Array<double,4>* res_ = PyBlitzArrayCxx_AsBlitz<double,4>(res);
+ for (int k=0; k<z_->extent(0); ++k)
+ for (int l=0; l<z_->extent(1); ++l)
+ for (int m=0; m<z_->extent(2); ++m)
+ for (int n=0; n<z_->extent(3); ++n)
+ res_->operator()(k,l,m,n) = function(z_->operator()(k,l,m,n));
+ return 1;
+ }
+
+ return 0;
+
+}
+
+static PyObject* PyBobMachineActivation_call1(PyBobMachineActivationObject* o,
+ PyObject* args, PyObject* kwds) {
+
+ PyObject* z = 0;
+
+ if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "O", kwlist, &z)) return 0;
+
+ //protects acquired resources through this scope
+ auto z_ = make_safe(z);
+
+ if (PyBlitzArray_Check(z) || PyArray_Check(z)) {
+
+ PyBlitzArrayObject* z_converted = 0;
+ PyBlitzArray_Converter(z, &z_converted);
+ auto z_converted_ = make_safe(z_converted);
+
+ if (z_converted->type_num != NPY_FLOAT64) {
+ PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "Activation function only supports 64-bit float arrays for input array `z'");
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ if (z_converted->ndim < 1 || z_converted->ndim > 4) {
+ PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "Activation function only accepts 1, 2, 3 or 4-dimensional arrays (not %" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "dD arrays)", z_converted->ndim);
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ // creates output array
+ PyObject* res = PyBlitzArray_SimpleNew(NPY_FLOAT64, z_converted->ndim,
+ z_converted->shape);
+ auto res_ = make_safe(res);
+
+ // processes the data
+ int ok = apply(boost::bind(&bob::machine::Activation::f, *(o->base), _1), z_converted, res);
+
+ if (!ok) {
+ PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, "unexpected error occurred applying C++ activation function to input array (DEBUG ME)");
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ Py_INCREF(res);
+ return res;
+
+ }
+
+ else if (PyNumber_Check(z)) {
+
+ PyObject* z_float = PyNumber_Float(z);
+ auto z_float_ = make_safe(z_float);
+ double res_c = o->base->f(PyFloat_AsDouble(z_float);
+ return PyFloat_FromDouble(res_c);
+
+ }
+
+ PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "Activation function is not capable to process input objects of type `%s'", z->ob_type->tp_name);
+ return 0;
+
+}
+
+static PyObject* PyBobMachineActivation_call2(PyBobMachineActivationObject* o,
+ PyObject* args, PyObject* kwds) {
+
+ /* Parses input arguments in a single shot */
+ static const char* const_kwlist[] = {"z", "res", 0};
+ static char** kwlist = const_cast<char**>(const_kwlist);
+
+ PyBlitzArrayObject* z = 0;
+ PyBlitzArrayObject* res = 0;
+
+ if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "O&O&", kwlist,
+ &PyBlitzArray_Converter, &z,
+ &PyBlitzArray_OutputConverter, &res
+ )) return 0;
+
+ //protects acquired resources through this scope
+ auto z_ = make_safe(z);
+ auto res_ = make_safe(res);
+
+ if (z->type_num != NPY_FLOAT64) {
+ PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "Activation function only supports 64-bit float arrays for input array `z'");
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ if (res->type_num != NPY_FLOAT64) {
+ PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "Activation function only supports 64-bit float arrays for output array `res'");
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ if (z->ndim < 1 || z->ndim > 4) {
+ PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "Activation function only accepts 1, 2, 3 or 4-dimensional arrays (not %" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "dD arrays)", z->ndim);
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ if (z->ndim != res->ndim) {
+ PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Input and output arrays should have matching number of dimensions, but input array `z' has %" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "d dimensions while output array `res' has %" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "d dimensions", z->ndim, res->ndim);
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ for (Py_ssize_t i=0; i<z->ndim; ++i) {
+
+ if (z->shape[i] != res->shape[i]) {
+ PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Input and output arrays should have matching sizes, but dimension %" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "d of input array `z' has %" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "d positions while output array `res' has %" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "d positions", z->shape[i], res->shape[i]);
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ }
+
+ //at this point all checks are done, we can proceed into calling C++
+ int ok = apply(boost::bind(&bob::machine::Activation::f, *(o->base), _1), z, res);
+
+ if (!ok) {
+ PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, "unexpected error occurred applying C++ activation function to input array (DEBUG ME)");
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ Py_INCREF(res);
+ return res;
+
+}
+
+static PyObject* PyBobMachineActivation_call(PyBobMachineActivationObject* o,
+ PyObject* args, PyObject* kwds) {
+
+ Py_ssize_t nargs = args?PyTuple_Size(args):0 + kwds?PyDict_Size(kwds):0;
+
+ switch (nargs) {
+
+ case 1:
+ return PyBobMachineActivation_call1(self, args, kwds);
+ break;
+
+ case 2:
+ return PyBobMachineActivation_call2(self, args, kwds);
+ break;
+
+ default:
+
+ PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "number of arguments mismatch - %s requires 1 or 2 arguments, but you provided %" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "d (see help)", s_call_str, nargs);
+
+ }
+
+ return 0;
+
+}
+
+static PyMethodDef PyBobMachineActivation_methods[] = {
+ {
+ s_call_str,
+ (PyCFunction)PyBobMachineActivation_call,
+ METH_VARARGS|METH_KEYWORDS,
+ s_call_doc
+ },
+ {0} /* Sentinel */
+}
+
+static int PyBobMachineActivation_Check(PyObject* o) {
+ return PyObject_IsInstance(o, reinterpret_cast<PyObject*>(&PyBobMachineActivation_Type));
+}
+
+static PyObject* PyBobMachineActivation_RichCompare (PyBobMachineActivationObject* self, PyObject* other, int op) {
+
+ if (!PyBobMachineActivation_Check(other)) {
+ PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "cannot compare `%s' with `%s'",
+ s_activation_str, other->ob_type->tp_name);
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ PyBobMachineActivationObject* other_ = reinterpret_cast<PyBobMachineActivationObject*>(other);
+
+ switch (op) {
+ case Py_EQ:
+ if (*(self->base) == *(other_->base)) Py_RETURN_TRUE;
+ Py_RETURN_FALSE;
+ break;
+ case Py_NE:
+ if (*(self->base) != *(other_->base)) Py_RETURN_TRUE;
+ Py_RETURN_FALSE;
+ break;
+ default:
+ Py_INCREF(Py_NotImplemented);
+ return Py_NotImplemented;
+ }
+
+}
+
+PyTypeObject PyBobMachineActivation_Type = {
+ PyObject_HEAD_INIT(0)
+ 0, /* ob_size */
+ s_activation_str, /* tp_name */
+ sizeof(PyBobMachineActivationObject), /* tp_basicsize */
+ 0, /* tp_itemsize */
+ 0, /* tp_dealloc */
+ 0, /* tp_print */
+ 0, /* tp_getattr */
+ 0, /* tp_setattr */
+ 0, /* tp_compare */
+ 0, /* tp_repr */
+ 0, /* tp_as_number */
+ 0, /* tp_as_sequence */
+ 0, /* tp_as_mapping */
+ 0, /* tp_hash */
+ 0, /* tp_call */
+ 0, /* tp_str */
+ 0, /* tp_getattro */
+ 0, /* tp_setattro */
+ 0, /* tp_as_buffer */
+ Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT | Py_TPFLAGS_BASETYPE, /* tp_flags */
+ s_activation_doc, /* tp_doc */
+ 0, /* tp_traverse */
+ 0, /* tp_clear */
+ (richcmpfunc)PyBobMachineActivation_RichCompare, /* tp_richcompare */
+ 0, /* tp_weaklistoffset */
+ 0, /* tp_iter */
+ 0, /* tp_iternext */
+ PyBobMachineActivation_methods, /* tp_methods */
+ 0, /* tp_members */
+ 0, /* tp_getset */
+ 0, /* tp_base */
+ 0, /* tp_dict */
+ 0, /* tp_descr_get */
+ 0, /* tp_descr_set */
+ 0, /* tp_dictoffset */
+ (initproc)PyBobMachineActivation_init, /* tp_init */
+ 0, /* tp_alloc */
+ 0, /* tp_new */
+};
+
+/**
+ .def("__call__", &activation_f_ndarray_1, (arg("self"), arg("z"), arg("res")), "Computes the activated value, given an input array ``z``, placing results in ``res`` (and returning it)")
+ .def("__call__", &activation_f_ndarray_2, (arg("self"), arg("z")), "Computes the activated value, given an input array ``z``. Returns a newly allocated array with the same size as ``z``")
+ .def("__call__", &bob::machine::Activation::f, (arg("self"), arg("z")), "Computes the activated value, given an input ``z``")
+ .def("f_prime", &activation_f_prime_ndarray_1, (arg("self"), arg("z"), arg("res")), "Computes the derivative of the activated value, placing results in ``res`` (and returning it)")
+ .def("f_prime", &activation_f_prime_ndarray_2, (arg("self"), arg("z")), "Computes the derivative of the activated value, given an input array ``z``. Returns a newly allocated array with the same size as ``z``")
+ .def("f_prime", &bob::machine::Activation::f_prime, (arg("self"), arg("z")), "Computes the derivative of the activated value.")
+ .def("f_prime_from_f", &activation_f_prime_from_f_ndarray_1, (arg("self"), arg("a"), arg("res")), "Computes the derivative of the activated value, given **the activated value** ``a``, placing results in ``res`` (and returning it)")
+ .def("f_prime_from_f", &activation_f_prime_from_f_ndarray_2, (arg("self"), arg("z")), "Computes the derivative of the activated value, given **the activated value** ``a``. Returns a newly allocated array with the same size as ``a`` with the answer.")
+ .def("f_prime_from_f", &bob::machine::Activation::f_prime_from_f, (arg("self"), arg("a")), "Computes the derivative of the activation value, given **the activated value** ``a``.")
+ .def("save", &bob::machine::Activation::save, (arg("self"), arg("h5f")),
+ "Saves itself to a :py:class:`bob.io.HDF5File`")
+ .def("load", &bob::machine::Activation::load, (arg("self"), arg("h5f")),
+ "Loads itself from a :py:class:`bob.io.HDF5File`")
+ .def("unique_identifier",
+ &bob::machine::Activation::unique_identifier, (arg("self")),
+ "Returns a unique identifier, used by this class in connection to the Activation registry.")
+ .def("__str__", &bob::machine::Activation::str)
+**/
diff --git a/xbob/machine/include/xbob.machine/api.h b/xbob/machine/include/xbob.machine/api.h
index c951ade48ca1b9ace5b37a5877682f09a47f089b..26cc62ab442e7c08936214620c1c8a598c937fe7 100644
--- a/xbob/machine/include/xbob.machine/api.h
+++ b/xbob/machine/include/xbob.machine/api.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ typedef struct {
PyObject_HEAD
/* Type-specific fields go here. */
- boost::shared_ptr<bob::machine::Activation> o;
+ bob::machine::Activation* base;
} PyBobMachineActivation;