OpenRaiser/Intern-Atlas huggingface dataset:
CSI: Enhancing the Robustness of 3D Point Cloud Recognition against Corruption
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2023
Year: 2023

Despite recent advancements in deep neural networks for point cloud recognition, real-world safety-critical applications present challenges due to unavoidable data corruption. Current models often fall short in generalizing to unforeseen distribution shifts. In this study, we harness the inherent set property of point cloud data to introduce a novel critical subset identification (CSI) method, aiming to bolster recognition robustness in the face of data corruption. Our CSI framework integrates two pivotal components: density-aware sampling (DAS) and self-entropy minimization (SEM), which cater to static and dynamic CSI, respectively. DAS ensures efficient robust anchor point sampling by factoring in local density, while SEM is employed during training to accentuate the most salient point-to-point attention. Evaluations reveal that our CSI approach yields error rates of 18.4\% and 16.3\% on ModelNet40-C and PointCloud-C, respectively, marking a notable improvement over state-of-the-art methods by margins of 5.2\% and 4.2\% on the respective benchmarks. Code is available at \href{https://github.com/masterwu2115/CSI/tree/main}{https://github.com/masterwu2115/CSI/tree/main}
Design Optimizer for Planar Soft-Growing Robot Manipulators
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2023
Year: 2023

Soft-growing robots are innovative devices that feature plant-inspired growth to navigate environments. Thanks to their embodied intelligence of adapting to their surroundings and the latest innovation in actuation and manufacturing, it is possible to employ them for specific manipulation tasks. The applications of these devices include exploration of delicate/dangerous environments, manipulation of items, or assistance in domestic environments. This work presents a novel approach for design optimization of soft-growing robots, which will be used prior to manufacturing to suggest engineers -- or robot designer enthusiasts -- the optimal dimension of the robot to be built for solving a specific task. I modeled the design process as a multi-objective optimization problem, in which I optimize the kinematic chain of a soft manipulator to reach targets and avoid unnecessary overuse of material and resources. The method exploits the advantages of population-based optimization algorithms, in particular evolutionary algorithms, to transform the problem from multi-objective into a single-objective thanks to an efficient mathematical formulation, the novel rank-partitioning algorithm, and obstacle avoidance integrated within the optimizer operators. I tested the proposed method on different tasks to access its optimality, which showed significant performance in solving the problem. Finally, comparative experiments showed that the proposed method works better than the one existing in the literature in terms of precision, resource consumption, and run time.
The North System for Formosa Speech Recognition Challenge 2023
Venue: arXiv cs.CL 2023
Year: 2023

This report provides a concise overview of the proposed North system, which aims to achieve automatic word/syllable recognition for Taiwanese Hakka (Sixian). The report outlines three key components of the system: the acquisition, composition, and utilization of the training data; the architecture of the model; and the hardware specifications and operational statistics. The demonstration of the system has been made public at https://asrvm.iis.sinica.edu.tw/hakka_sixian.
The Blame Problem in Evaluating Local Explanations, and How to Tackle it
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2023
Year: 2023

The number of local model-agnostic explanation techniques proposed has grown rapidly recently. One main reason is that the bar for developing new explainability techniques is low due to the lack of optimal evaluation measures. Without rigorous measures, it is hard to have concrete evidence of whether the new explanation techniques can significantly outperform their predecessors. Our study proposes a new taxonomy for evaluating local explanations: robustness, evaluation using ground truth from synthetic datasets and interpretable models, model randomization, and human-grounded evaluation. Using this proposed taxonomy, we highlight that all categories of evaluation methods, except those based on the ground truth from interpretable models, suffer from a problem we call the "blame problem." In our study, we argue that this category of evaluation measure is a more reasonable method for evaluating local model-agnostic explanations. However, we show that even this category of evaluation measures has further limitations. The evaluation of local explanations remains an open research problem.
FPT Approximations for Packing and Covering Problems Parameterized by Elimination Distance and Even Less
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2023
Year: 2023

For numerous graph problems in the realm of parameterized algorithms, using the size of a smallest deletion set (called a modulator) into well-understood graph families as parameterization has led to a long and successful line of research. Recently, however, there has been an extensive study of structural parameters that are potentially much smaller than the modulator size. In particular, recent papers [Jansen et al. STOC 2021; Agrawal et al. SODA 2022] have studied parameterization by the size of the modulator to a graph family $\mathcal{H}$ ($\textbf{mod}_{\mathcal{H}}$), elimination distance to $\mathcal{H}$ ($\textbf{ed}_{\mathcal{H}}$), and $\mathcal{H}$-treewidth ($\textbf{tw}_{\mathcal{H}}$). While these new parameters have been successfully exploited to design fast exact algorithms their utility (especially that of latter two) in the context of approximation algorithms is mostly unexplored. The conceptual contribution of this paper is to present novel algorithmic meta-theorems that expand the impact of these structural parameters to the area of FPT Approximation, mirroring their utility in the design of exact FPT algorithms. Precisely, we show that if a covering or packing problem is definable in Monadic Second Order Logic and has a property called Finite Integer Index, then the existence of an FPT Approximation Scheme (FPT-AS, i.e., ($1\pm ε$)-approximation) parameterized these three parameters is in fact equivalent. As concrete exemplifications of our meta-theorems, we obtain FPT-ASes for well-studied graph problems such as Vertex Cover, Feedback Vertex Set, Cycle Packing and Dominating Set, parameterized by these three parameters.
Cyber Physical System Information Collection: Robot Location and Navigation Method Based on QR Code
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2023
Year: 2023

In this paper, we propose a method to estimate the exact location of a camera in a cyber-physical system using the exact geographic coordinates of four feature points stored in QR codes(Quick response codes) and the pixel coordinates of four feature points analyzed from the QR code images taken by the camera. Firstly, the P4P(Perspective 4 Points) algorithm is designed to uniquely determine the initial pose estimation value of the QR coordinate system relative to the camera coordinate system by using the four feature points of the selected QR code. In the second step, the manifold gradient optimization algorithm is designed. The rotation matrix and displacement vector are taken as the initial values of iteration, and the iterative optimization is carried out to improve the positioning accuracy and obtain the rotation matrix and displacement vector with higher accuracy. The third step is to convert the pose of the QR coordinate system with respect to the camera coordinate system to the pose of the AGV(Automated Guided Vehicle) with respect to the world coordinate system. Finally, the performance of manifold gradient optimization algorithm and P4P analytical algorithm are simulated and compared under the same conditions.One can see that the performance of the manifold gradient optimization algorithm proposed in this paper is much better than that of the P4P analytic algorithm when the signal-to-noise ratio is small.With the increase of the signal-to-noise ratio,the performance of the P4P analytic algorithm approaches that of the manifold gradient optimization algorithm.when the noise is same,the performance of manifold gradient optimization algorithm is better when there are more feature points.
Controllable Multi-document Summarization: Coverage & Coherence Intuitive Policy with Large Language Model Based Rewards
Venue: arXiv cs.CL 2023
Year: 2023

Memory-efficient large language models are good at refining text input for better readability. However, controllability is a matter of concern when it comes to text generation tasks with long inputs, such as multi-document summarization. In this work, we investigate for a generic controllable approach for multi-document summarization that leverages the capabilities of LLMs to refine the text. In particular, we train a controllable content extraction scheme to extract the text that will be refined by an LLM. The scheme is designed with a novel coverage and coherence intuitive policy, which is duly rewarded by a passively trained LLM. Our approach yields competitive results in the evaluation using ROUGE metrics and outperforms potential baselines in coherence, as per human evaluation.
How the level sampling process impacts zero-shot generalisation in deep reinforcement learning
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2023
Year: 2023

A key limitation preventing the wider adoption of autonomous agents trained via deep reinforcement learning (RL) is their limited ability to generalise to new environments, even when these share similar characteristics with environments encountered during training. In this work, we investigate how a non-uniform sampling strategy of individual environment instances, or levels, affects the zero-shot generalisation (ZSG) ability of RL agents, considering two failure modes: overfitting and over-generalisation. As a first step, we measure the mutual information (MI) between the agent's internal representation and the set of training levels, which we find to be well-correlated to instance overfitting. In contrast to uniform sampling, adaptive sampling strategies prioritising levels based on their value loss are more effective at maintaining lower MI, which provides a novel theoretical justification for this class of techniques. We then turn our attention to unsupervised environment design (UED) methods, which adaptively generate new training levels and minimise MI more effectively than methods sampling from a fixed set. However, we find UED methods significantly shift the training distribution, resulting in over-generalisation and worse ZSG performance over the distribution of interest. To prevent both instance overfitting and over-generalisation, we introduce self-supervised environment design (SSED). SSED generates levels using a variational autoencoder, effectively reducing MI while minimising the shift with the distribution of interest, and leads to statistically significant improvements in ZSG over fixed-set level sampling strategies and UED methods.
Exploring DINO: Emergent Properties and Limitations for Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2023
Year: 2023

Self-supervised learning (SSL) models have recently demonstrated remarkable performance across various tasks, including image segmentation. This study delves into the emergent characteristics of the Self-Distillation with No Labels (DINO) algorithm and its application to Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. We pre-train a vision transformer (ViT)-based DINO model using unlabeled SAR data, and later fine-tune the model to predict high-resolution land cover maps. We rigorously evaluate the utility of attention maps generated by the ViT backbone and compare them with the model's token embedding space. We observe a small improvement in model performance with pre-training compared to training from scratch and discuss the limitations and opportunities of SSL for remote sensing and land cover segmentation. Beyond small performance increases, we show that ViT attention maps hold great intrinsic value for remote sensing, and could provide useful inputs to other algorithms. With this, our work lays the groundwork for bigger and better SSL models for Earth Observation.
Digital Twin-Empowered Smart Attack Detection System for 6G Edge of Things Networks
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2023
Year: 2023

As global Internet of Things (IoT) devices connectivity surges, a significant portion gravitates towards the Edge of Things (EoT) network. This shift prompts businesses to deploy infrastructure closer to end-users, enhancing accessibility. However, the growing EoT network expands the attack surface, necessitating robust and proactive security measures. Traditional solutions fall short against dynamic EoT threats, highlighting the need for proactive and intelligent systems. We introduce a digital twin-empowered smart attack detection system for 6G EoT networks. Leveraging digital twin and edge computing, it monitors and simulates physical assets in real time, enhancing security. An online learning module in the proposed system optimizes the network performance. Our system excels in proactive threat detection, ensuring 6G EoT network security. The performance evaluations demonstrate its effectiveness, robustness, and adaptability using real datasets.
Mobility Segregation Dynamics and Residual Isolation During Pandemic Interventions
Venue: arXiv cs.SI 2023
Year: 2023

External shocks embody an unexpected and disruptive impact on the regular life of people. This was the case during the COVID-19 outbreak that rapidly led to changes in the typical mobility patterns in urban areas. In response, people reorganised their daily errands throughout space. However, these changes might not have been the same across socioeconomic classes leading to possibile additional detrimental effects on inequality due to the pandemic. In this paper we study the reorganisation of mobility segregation networks due to external shocks and show that the diversity of visited places in terms of locations and socioeconomic status is affected by the enforcement of mobility restriction during pandemic. We use the case of COVID-19 as a natural experiment in several cities to observe not only the effect of external shocks but also its mid-term consequences and residual effects. We build on anonymised and privacy-preserved mobility data in four cities: Bogota, Jakarta, London, and New York. We couple mobility data with socioeconomic information to capture inequalities in mobility among different socioeconomic groups and see how it changes dynamically before, during, and after different lockdown periods. We find that the first lockdowns induced considerable increases in mobility segregation in each city, while loosening mobility restrictions did not necessarily diminished isolation between different socioeconomic groups, as mobility mixing has not recovered fully to its pre-pandemic level even weeks after the interruption of interventions. Our results suggest that a one fits-all policy does not equally affect the way people adjust their mobility, which calls for socioeconomically informed intervention policies in the future.
A note on a gap in the proof of the minimum distance for Projective Reed-Muller Codes
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2023
Year: 2023

The note clarifies a gap in the proof of the minimum distance for Projective Reed-Muller Codes. The gap was identified by S.Ghorpade and R.Ludhani in a recent article. Here the original thoughts are explained and the gap closed.
Targeted Adversarial Attacks on Generalizable Neural Radiance Fields
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2023
Year: 2023

Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs) have recently emerged as a powerful tool for 3D scene representation and rendering. These data-driven models can learn to synthesize high-quality images from sparse 2D observations, enabling realistic and interactive scene reconstructions. However, the growing usage of NeRFs in critical applications such as augmented reality, robotics, and virtual environments could be threatened by adversarial attacks. In this paper we present how generalizable NeRFs can be attacked by both low-intensity adversarial attacks and adversarial patches, where the later could be robust enough to be used in real world applications. We also demonstrate targeted attacks, where a specific, predefined output scene is generated by these attack with success.
Open RAN for 5G Supply Chain Diversification: The BEACON-5G Approach and Key Achievements
Venue: arXiv cs.NI 2023
Year: 2023

Open RAN brings multi-vendor diversity and interoperability to mobile/cellular networks. It is becoming part of governmental strategies for diversifying telecoms supply chains. This paper describes the approach and key achievements of the BEACON-5G project, jointly funded by the UK government and industry. The BEACON-5G project aims at developing a competitive edge for 5G Open RAN and contributing toward its maturity. It addresses some of the key challenges in this respect and provides various innovations for system integration, network slicing, marketplace integration, cyber security, and white-box RAN. It also conducts real-world technology trials for urban use-cases. The paper also captures some of the key lessons learned during delivery, the main outcomes, and highlights potential impact on the wider UK 5G diversification strategy.
SoK: Decentralized Sequencers for Rollups
Venue: arXiv cs.NI 2023
Year: 2023

Rollups have emerged as a promising solution to enhance blockchain scalability, offering increased throughput, reduced latency, and lower transaction fees. However, they currently rely on a centralized sequencer to determine transaction ordering, compromising the decentralization principle of blockchain systems. Recognizing this, there is a clear need for decentralized sequencers in rollups. However, designing such a system is intricate. This paper presents a comprehensive exploration of decentralized sequencers in rollups, formulating their ideal properties, dissecting their core components, and synthesizing community insights. Our findings emphasize the imperative for an adept sequencer design, harmonizing with the overarching goals of the blockchain ecosystem, and setting a trajectory for subsequent research endeavors.
CLASSify: A Web-Based Tool for Machine Learning
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2023
Year: 2023

Machine learning classification problems are widespread in bioinformatics, but the technical knowledge required to perform model training, optimization, and inference can prevent researchers from utilizing this technology. This article presents an automated tool for machine learning classification problems to simplify the process of training models and producing results while providing informative visualizations and insights into the data. This tool supports both binary and multiclass classification problems, and it provides access to a variety of models and methods. Synthetic data can be generated within the interface to fill missing values, balance class labels, or generate entirely new datasets. It also provides support for feature evaluation and generates explainability scores to indicate which features influence the output the most. We present CLASSify, an open-source tool for simplifying the user experience of solving classification problems without the need for knowledge of machine learning.
Belief Expansion in Subset Models
Venue: arXiv cs.LO 2023
Year: 2023

Subset models provide a new semantics for justifcation logic. The main idea of subset models is that evidence terms are interpreted as sets of possible worlds. A term then justifies a formula if that formula is true in each world of the interpretation of the term. In this paper, we introduce a belief expansion operator for subset models. We study the main properties of the resulting logic as well as the differences to a previous (symbolic) approach to belief expansion in justification logic.
Extreme sparsification of physics-augmented neural networks for interpretable model discovery in mechanics
Venue: arXiv cs.CE 2023
Year: 2023

Data-driven constitutive modeling with neural networks has received increased interest in recent years due to its ability to easily incorporate physical and mechanistic constraints and to overcome the challenging and time-consuming task of formulating phenomenological constitutive laws that can accurately capture the observed material response. However, even though neural network-based constitutive laws have been shown to generalize proficiently, the generated representations are not easily interpretable due to their high number of trainable parameters. Sparse regression approaches exist that allow to obtaining interpretable expressions, but the user is tasked with creating a library of model forms which by construction limits their expressiveness to the functional forms provided in the libraries. In this work, we propose to train regularized physics-augmented neural network-based constitutive models utilizing a smoothed version of $L^{0}$-regularization. This aims to maintain the trustworthiness inherited by the physical constraints, but also enables interpretability which has not been possible thus far on any type of machine learning-based constitutive model where model forms were not assumed a-priory but were actually discovered. During the training process, the network simultaneously fits the training data and penalizes the number of active parameters, while also ensuring constitutive constraints such as thermodynamic consistency. We show that the method can reliably obtain interpretable and trustworthy constitutive models for compressible and incompressible hyperelasticity, yield functions, and hardening models for elastoplasticity, for synthetic and experimental data.
MapperGPT: Large Language Models for Linking and Mapping Entities
Venue: arXiv cs.CL 2023
Year: 2023

Aligning terminological resources, including ontologies, controlled vocabularies, taxonomies, and value sets is a critical part of data integration in many domains such as healthcare, chemistry, and biomedical research. Entity mapping is the process of determining correspondences between entities across these resources, such as gene identifiers, disease concepts, or chemical entity identifiers. Many tools have been developed to compute such mappings based on common structural features and lexical information such as labels and synonyms. Lexical approaches in particular often provide very high recall, but low precision, due to lexical ambiguity. As a consequence of this, mapping efforts often resort to a labor intensive manual mapping refinement through a human curator. Large Language Models (LLMs), such as the ones employed by ChatGPT, have generalizable abilities to perform a wide range of tasks, including question-answering and information extraction. Here we present MapperGPT, an approach that uses LLMs to review and refine mapping relationships as a post-processing step, in concert with existing high-recall methods that are based on lexical and structural heuristics. We evaluated MapperGPT on a series of alignment tasks from different domains, including anatomy, developmental biology, and renal diseases. We devised a collection of tasks that are designed to be particularly challenging for lexical methods. We show that when used in combination with high-recall methods, MapperGPT can provide a substantial improvement in accuracy, beating state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods such as LogMap.