Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Community discovery in dynamic, rich-context social networks

My research interest has been in understanding the human communities formed through interpersonal social activities. Participation in online communities on social network sites such as Twitter has been observed to influence people's behavior in diverse ways including financial decision-making and political choices, suggesting the rich potential for diverse applications ranging from information search, organization, to organizational study and reform. My work focuses on computational problems relating to extracting and tracking active communities from large-scale, dynamic, and context-rich social data. First, how can one discover communities from online social actions? I introduce mutual awareness and transitive awareness to discover communities from online users' actions. Extensive experiments on real-world blog datasets show that an efficient algorithm based on these ideas discovers communities with excellent results. Second, how can one extract sustained evolving communities? I present FacetNet, the first generative framework, to extract communities with sustained membership and to analyze their evolutions in a unified process. The experiments suggest that by incorporating historic membership into discovering new communities, FacetNet's results are more accurate, more robust to noise than prior methods. Third, how can one extract communities with rich contexts? I present MetaFac, the first graph-based tensor factorization framework for analyzing the dynamics of rich-context social networks. Metafac consists of a novel relational hypergraph representation for modeling social data of arbitrarily many dimensions or relations and an efficient factorization method for community extraction on a given metagraph. It can discover community evolution along multiple dimensions, and the extracted community structures can be employed to predict users' potential interests on media objects such as news stories. The prediction results significantly outperform the baseline methods by an order of magnitude, suggesting the utility of leveraging rich-context with community analysis to inform future decision-making. Finally, I present two applications that leverage community analysis into understanding patterns of users' activities. COLACT discovers multi-relational structures from social media streams. ContexTour efficiently tracks the community evolution, smoothly adapts to the community changes, and visualizes the community activities in various dimensions through a novel "contextual contour map".
Contributions au RGBD-SLAM

Pour assurer la navigation autonome d’un robot mobile, les traitements effectues pour sa localisation doivent etre faits en ligne et doivent garantir une precision suffisante pour permettre au robot d’effectuer des tâches de haut niveau pour la navigation et l’evitement d’obstacles. Les auteurs de travaux bases sur le SLAM visuel (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) tentent depuis quelques annees de garantir le meilleur compromis rapidite/precision. La majorite des solutions SLAM visuel existantes sont basees sur une representation eparse de l’environnement. En suivant des primitives visuelles sur plusieurs images, il est possible d’estimer la position 3D de ces primitives ainsi que les poses de la camera. La communaute du SLAM visuel a concentre ses efforts sur l’augmentation du nombre de primitives visuelles suivies et sur l’ajustement de la carte 3D, afin d’ameliorer l’estimation de la trajectoire de la camera et les positions 3D des primitives. Cependant, la localisation par SLAM visuel presente souvent des derives dues au cumul d’erreurs, et dans le cas du SLAM visuel monoculaire, la position de la camera n’est connue qu’a un facteur d’echelle pres. Ce dernier peut etre fixe initialement mais derive au cours du temps.Pour faire face a ces limitations, nous avons centre nos travaux de these sur la problematique suivante : integrer des informations supplementaires dans un algorithme de SLAM visuel monoculaire afin de mieux contraindre la trajectoire de la camera et la reconstruction 3D. Ces contraintes ne doivent pas deteriorer les performances calculatoires de l’algorithme initial et leur absence ne doit pas mettre l’algorithme en echec. C’est pour cela que nous avons choisi d’integrer l’information de profondeur fournie par un capteur 3D (e.g. Microsoft Kinect) et des informations geometriques sur la structure de la scene.La premiere contribution de cette these est de modifier l’algorithme SLAM visuel monoculaire propose par Mouragnon et al. (2006b) pour prendre en compte la mesure de profondeur fournie par un capteur 3D, en proposant particulierement un ajustement de faisceaux qui combine, d’une maniere simple, des informations visuelles et des informations de profondeur. La deuxieme contribution est de proposer une nouvelle fonction de cout du meme ajustement de faisceaux qui integre, en plus des contraintes sur les profondeurs des points, des contraintes geometriques d’appartenance aux plans de la scene.Les solutions proposees ont ete validees sur des sequences de synthese et sur des sequences reelles, representant des environnements varies. Ces solutions ont ete comparees aux recentes methodes de l’etat de l’art. Les resultats obtenus montrent que les differentes contraintes developpees permettent d’ameliorer significativement la precision de la localisation du SLAM. De plus les solutions proposees sont faciles a deployer et peu couteuses en temps de calcul.
Case studies in Bayesian statistical modelling and analysis

Provides an accessible foundation to Bayesian analysis using real world models This book aims to present an introduction to Bayesian modelling and computation, by considering real case studies drawn from diverse fields spanning ecology, health, genetics and finance. Each chapter comprises a description of the problem, the corresponding model, the computational method, results and inferences as well as the issues that arise in the implementation of these approaches. Case Studies in Bayesian Statistical Modelling and Analysis: •Illustrates how to do Bayesian analysis in a clear and concise manner using real-world problems. •Each chapter focuses on a real-world problem and describes the way in which the problem may be analysed using Bayesian methods. •Features approaches that can be used in a wide area of application, such as, health, the environment, genetics, information science, medicine, biology, industry and remote sensing. Case Studies in Bayesian Statistical Modelling and Analysis is aimed at statisticians, researchers and practitioners who have some expertise in statistical modelling and analysis, and some understanding of the basics of Bayesian statistics, but little experience in its application. Graduate students of statistics and biostatistics will also find this book beneficial.
The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates

"The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates" is the most widely used and cited atlas of the mouse brain in print. It provides researchers and students with both accurate stereotaxic coordinates for laboratory use, and detailed delineations and indexing of structures for reference. The accompanying DVD provides drawings of brains structures that can be used as templates for making figures for publication. The 3rd edition is both a major revision and an expansion of previous editions. Delineations and photographs in the horizontal plane of section now complement the coronal and sagittal series, and all the tissue sections are now shown in high resolution digital color photography. The photographs of the sections and the intermediate sections are also provided on the accompanying DVD in high-resolution JP 2000 format. The delineations of structures have been revised, and naming conventions made consistent with Paxinos and Watson's "Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates, 6th Edition". The 3rd edition of this atlas is now in more practical 14"x11" format for convenient lab use. This edition is in full color throughout. It includes a CD of all plates and diagrams, as well as Adobe Illustrator files of the diagrams, and a variety of additional useful material. Coronal and sagittal diagrams are completely reworked and updated. Rhombomeric borders are included in sagittal figures, for the first time in mammals. Microscopic plates are scanned with a new method in much higher quality.
Activity Centered Design: An Ecological Approach to Designing Smart Tools and Usable Systems

Activity Centered Design: An Ecological Approach to Designing Smart Tools and Usable Systems Geri Gay and Helene Hembrooke Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2004 ISBN 0-262-07248-3 135 pages, cloth, illustrated, $30.00 Developed by Russian psychologists, Activity Theory became a popular framework for the design of HCI (Human Computer Interaction), especially CSCW (Computer Supported Collaborative Work) and mobile computing system for its emphasis on the social factors of human activities and the context of use. Activity Centered Design: An Ecological Approach to Designing Smart Tools and Usable Systems provides a good opportunity to see how the Activity Centered Design compensates for the User Centered Design (UCD) approach with regard to 'usefulness. ' The heavy emphasis on individual user's usable interactions in UCD is often criticized for its under representation of other relevant user groups' interests in a social context and the system's overall usefulness for them. In this book, the focus of discussion in designing user interface is shifted from the individual user-centered view in a laboratory setting to cooperation of different user groups doing cross-boundary tasks in networked contexts. The major concern of this book (and the projects from Cornell HCI lab also) is how the mediating devices used for communication and learning affect outcomes, process and motivation. The authors start their analysis from an introductory chapter on Activity Theory and Ecological principles, the two basic frameworks of this book. They apply Engestrom's Activity Analysis to the topic of communication and learning, along with three key concepts from Activity Theory: Mediation, Object-Orientedness and Disturbance. Ecological theories are quoted for the adaptive aspect of their interactive systems. The mediation of human beings and objects by tools and its development over time, the major Activity Theory concept, are illustrated in the later chapters with projects from the Cornell HCI lab. E-Graffiti, a project, demonstrates what can happen when people meet a new technology without knowing how to use it. Another example, the Handscape project, shows different attitudes and expectations toward emerging technology before and after users tested prototypes. This project also served as an example of user-involved (not 'centered') design process by engaging various stakeholders (museum professionals, museum patrons, system designers) and their needs in its early stage of development. However, the examples and discussions in this book need more depth. The discoveries of NOMAD project - the ambivalent effect of mobile computing on learning °(TM) are rather predictable. The discussion of CampusAware, another project, includes differences between the insiders' notes about certain locations (more informal and opinionated) from the outsiders', clearly exemplifying that user knowledge provides another context of use in this system. …
Evaluating how different video features influence the visual quality of resultant motiongrams

Motiongrams are visual representations of human motion, generated from regular video recordings. This paper evaluates how different video features may inﬂuence the generated motiongram: inversion, colour, ﬁltering, background, lighting, clothing, video size and compression. It is argued that the proposed motiongram implementation is capable of visualising the main motion features even with quite drastic changes in all of the above mentioned variables.
Specimen Holder to Critical-Point Dry Microorganisms for Scanning Electron Microscopy

Critical-point drying of microorganisms for scanning electron microscopy can be rapidly and effectively accomplished by use of a newly described specimen holder. Up to eight different samples of spores or vegetative cells are placed between polycarbonate membrane filters in the holder and processed through solvent dehydration and critical-point drying using carbon dioxide without loss or cross contamination of microorganisms. Yeasts, molds, bacteria, and actinomycetes have been successfully processed.
Artificial neural networks for phoneme recognition

This paper describes the use of a backpropagation artificial neural network (ANN) to recognize sustained phonemes. The inputs to the neural network were taken from 74 points of an LPC spectrum. This LPC data was augmented by adding slope information to each point in an attempt to add knowledge of the shape of the spectrum. The approach was verified by merging the ANN into an existing speech therapy product, IBM SpeechViewer II, and then testing the ANN with a number of male and female speakers. Results are shown which demonstrate the viability of the approach. It was also discovered that the ANN was able to function in a speaker independent manner. However, results are also shown which point out limitations of ANNs in classifying phonemes which are quite similar such as the m and n phonemes. <<ETX>>
Conditional Modeling and the Jitter Method of Spike Re-sampling: Supplement

This technical report accompanies the manuscript "Conditional Modeling and the Jitter Method of Spike Re-sampling. " It contains further details, comments, references, and equations concerning various simulations and data analyses presented in that manuscript, as well as a self-contained Mathematical Appendix that provides a formal treatment of jitter-based spike re-sampling methods.
Mathematical Modeling: The Whewellian Influence on Maxwell’s Geometrical Analogies

A critical look at James Clerk Maxwell's usage of mathematical modeling for his thoeretical style. Specific insight highlighted by exposing Maxwell's relationship to William Whewell. Conclusions drawn from works including Maxwell's "Paper of the Description of Oval Curves", "On Faraday's Lines of Force", "Analogies in Nature", The Theory of Molecules, and Whewell's "On Mathemataical Reasoning".
Network functions and signalling for personal roaming between digital cellular standards

A possible short-term solution for creating an inter-cellular standard roaming service is presented. An inter-cellular standard roaming service is, for example, the service whereby a GSM mobile subscriber can roam into a PDC network operator by means of a user identity module. For interconnecting the different cellular systems, two network nodes called "interworking location register (ILR)" and "interworking mobile services switching center (IMSC)" are proposed. These network nodes are designed to cause no modifications in the original cellular system. With this in mind, the network architecture of the digital cellular standards is considered. Furthermore, the outline of the basic call procedures for the roaming subscribers based on the proposed network architecture model is described.
Conversation Analysis of Computer‐Mediated Interactions

This entry provides a brief overview of research which has been conducted using a conversation analysis (CA) approach to understand computer-mediated interactions (henceforth CMIs). An increasing number of researchers use CA to investigate CMIs, because this methodology engages in systematic analysis of talk in everyday naturally occurring situations of social and institutional interaction. CA's central concern with interaction between human beings has provided researchers with a robust methodological foundation, based on previous work on phone and face-to-face conversation, to investigate new and unique forms of interaction in online settings, where participants are using either their first, additional or a foreign language (L1 or L2). Keywords: computer mediated communication; language and social interaction; second language acquisition
Fast Finite-Time Consensus Tracking of First-Order Multi-Agent Systems with a Virtual Leader

This paper proposes a novel finite-time consensus tracking protocol for guaranteeing first-order multi-agent systems with a virtual leader to achieve the fast finite-time consensus tracking. The Lyapunov function method, algebra graph theory, homogeneity with dilation and some other techniques are employed to prove that first-order multi-agent systems with a virtual leader applying the proposed protocol can reach the finite-time consensus tracking. Furthermore, theoretical analysis and numerical simulations show that compared with the traditional finite-time consensus tracking protocols, the proposed protocol can accelerate the convergence speed of achieving the finite-time consensus tracking.
Context-Aware Security using Gimbal based Sensor Control System

Objectives: In order to provide efficient knowledge for location aware computing system in mobile applications, this paper proposes an experimental analysis considering user's location information. Methods/Analysis: These systems can entail information from array of sensors. Context aware management system combining central, distributed management scheme along with sensors, which can be utilized for location application. In order to provide better context/location aware management system, sensors (magnetometers) are mounted on Gimbal platform. This sensor platform synchronizes the device direction in all three axes. Findings: Magnetometer sensor can detect ground changes with respect to orientation angle with maximum accuracy. These possessions are validated with magnetic field intensity&rotation headings towards the north direction. Calibration of magnetometer reduces the noise and drift variations in the output. Conclusion :The proposed analysis offers displacement of the device and ensures the quality of service.
Reliable reconstruction of buildings for digital map revision

This paper describes a framework for automatic reconstruction of buildings in order to correct and update an initial 2-D vector data set and to derive a 3-D model for visualization. The color images of a stereo model are used to calculate a digital surface model and an orthophoto. A procedure for blob detection from the calculated digital surface model as well as unsupervised multichannel classification are used to produce additional approximate vector data. This allows to introduce buildings to the data set that were not yet included. Methods of digital image processing are used to improve planar location, rotation and scales of the vector data for each single building. The solutions are rated in order to keep the good results and to reject inaccurate or wrong data automatically. Finally one representative height for each building is derived from the digital surface model. The accuracy of the building reconstruction is determined by quantitative comparison with reference data, and the rating procedure is checked. The described system neither requires large image scales nor threefold up to sixfold overlap nor laser scanner data nor infrared information to automatically revise the initial vector data and to produce a coarse 3-D city model. Approximation vector data can be used, but it is not mandatory.
SLS-Lite : enabling spoken language systems design for non-experts

In this thesis, I designed and implemented SLS-Lite, a utility for allowing non-experts to build and run spoken language systems. This involved the creation of both a web interface for the developer and a set of programs to support the construction and execution of the required internal systems. We concentrated on simplifying the task of configuring the language understanding components of a spoken language system. Any application-specific functionality required could be provided by the developer in a simple, CGI-based back-end. By learning the required grammar from a set of simple concepts and sentence examples provided by the developer, we were able to build a system where non-experts could build grammars and speech systems. Developers could also easily specify hierarchy in domains where a more complex grammar was appropriate. We demonstrated SLS-Lite by building several domains ourselves, and allowing others to build their own. These included domains for controlling the appliances in a house, querying a directory of people in MIT's Laboratory for Computer Science, manipulating fictional objects, asking questions about music, and planning airline flights. Thesis Supervisor: James R. Glass Title: Principal Research Scientist
Emotion by motion: expression simulation in virtual ballet

Learning and teaching choreographies can be an arduous task. In ballet, most dancers learn by emulation i.e. "watch, copy and learn". The teaching process not only instructs the order of steps but also requires explaining the quality required for the performance. Notational systems are used in almost all fields of study, and dance notation with inferred domain rules are used to aid in the teaching of choreographies and dance. Few professional performers can read written choreography let alone visualise the movements involved, and this represents a considerable barrier to the utility of choreography in its written form. Real-time computer graphics are ideally suited to bridge the gap between written choreographic notation and performance, via the creation of a virtual dncer. It would be useful for professionals to better understand choreography and notated ballet scores as well as assisting to teach dance at all levels. To understand the needs and derive methods for a virtual ballet dancer system, there are three distinct parts and these provide the structure for this thesis. The first part researches into the fidelity that is required for a virtual ballet dancer. From this analysis, expressive motions are parameterised using Laban's effort parameters and results presented how participants distinguished between the different emotions performed at various levels of fidelity. The results provide understanding on how Laban's parameters define variations performed during the different expressive movement and the level of interpolation required for a user to distinguish the expressive performances. The second part presents methods for setting and evaluation of specified ballet positions (key poses) which form the foundation for ballet steps. Mathematical rules are developed and explained within the context of the ballet domain rules being represented. The resulting poses defined by the dance notation and the mathematical descriptions are evaluated by professional teachers and notators. The results are presented showing how basic ballet positions are accurately posed for a perfect dancer and variations from the perfect pose to the real-world. These poses are used as the foundation for layering the expressive algorithm on. The final part presents how Laban's Effort factors can be used for expressive interpolation between key poses, i.e. the quality of movement. Methods are analysed and algorithms implemented to develop variations in the movement between the set dance positions. These variations are matched to the expressive performances of real dancers analysed in the first part of this research in order to evaluate the algorithms derived with actual expressive performances. The results presented are the first major steps to produce an animated "virtual ballet dancer".