OpenRaiser/Intern-Atlas huggingface dataset:
Supervised learning of spatial features with STDP and homeostasis using Spiking Neural Networks on SpiNNaker
Venue: arXiv cs.NE 2024
Year: 2024

Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) have gained significant popularity thanks to their ability to learn using the well-known backpropagation algorithm. Conversely, Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), despite having broader capabilities than ANNs, have always posed challenges in the training phase. This paper shows a new method to perform supervised learning on SNNs, using Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity (STDP) and homeostasis, aiming at training the network to identify spatial patterns. Spatial patterns refer to spike patterns without a time component, where all spike events occur simultaneously. The method is tested using the SpiNNaker digital architecture. A SNN is trained to recognise one or multiple patterns and performance metrics are extracted to measure the performance of the network. Some considerations are drawn from the results showing that, in the case of a single trained pattern, the network behaves as the ideal detector, with 100% accuracy in detecting the trained pattern. However, as the number of trained patterns on a single network increases, the accuracy of identification is linked to the similarities between these patterns. This method of training an SNN to detect spatial patterns may be applied to pattern recognition in static images or traffic analysis in computer networks, where each network packet represents a spatial pattern. It will be stipulated that the homeostatic factor may enable the network to detect patterns with some degree of similarity, rather than only perfectly matching patterns.The principles outlined in this article serve as the fundamental building blocks for more complex systems that utilise both spatial and temporal patterns by converting specific features of input signals into spikes.One example of such a system is a computer network packet classifier, tasked with real-time identification of packet streams based on features within the packet content
PULSAR: Simultaneous Many-Row Activation for Reliable and High-Performance Computing in Off-the-Shelf DRAM Chips
Venue: arXiv cs.AR 2024
Year: 2024

Data movement between the processor and the main memory is a first-order obstacle against improving performance and energy efficiency in modern systems. To address this obstacle, Processing-using-Memory (PuM) is a promising approach where bulk-bitwise operations are performed leveraging intrinsic analog properties within the DRAM array and massive parallelism across DRAM columns. Unfortunately, 1) modern off-the-shelf DRAM chips do not officially support PuM operations, and 2) existing techniques of performing PuM operations on off-the-shelf DRAM chips suffer from two key limitations. First, these techniques have low success rates, i.e., only a small fraction of DRAM columns can correctly execute PuM operations because they operate beyond manufacturer-recommended timing constraints, causing these operations to be highly susceptible to noise and process variation. Second, these techniques have limited compute primitives, preventing them from fully leveraging parallelism across DRAM columns and thus hindering their performance benefits. We propose PULSAR, a new technique to enable high-success-rate and high-performance PuM operations in off-the-shelf DRAM chips. PULSAR leverages our new observation that a carefully crafted sequence of DRAM commands simultaneously activates up to 32 DRAM rows. PULSAR overcomes the limitations of existing techniques by 1) replicating the input data to improve the success rate and 2) enabling new bulk bitwise operations (e.g., many-input majority, Multi-RowInit, and Bulk-Write) to improve the performance. Our analysis on 120 off-the-shelf DDR4 chips from two major manufacturers shows that PULSAR achieves a 24.18% higher success rate and 121% higher performance over seven arithmetic-logic operations compared to FracDRAM, a state-of-the-art off-the-shelf DRAM-based PuM technique.
Beyond Isolation: Multi-Agent Synergy for Improving Knowledge Graph Construction
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2024
Year: 2024

This paper introduces CooperKGC, a novel framework challenging the conventional solitary approach of large language models (LLMs) in knowledge graph construction (KGC). CooperKGC establishes a collaborative processing network, assembling a team capable of concurrently addressing entity, relation, and event extraction tasks. Experimentation demonstrates that fostering collaboration within CooperKGC enhances knowledge selection, correction, and aggregation capabilities across multiple rounds of interactions.
Multitask Learning Can Improve Worst-Group Outcomes
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

In order to create machine learning systems that serve a variety of users well, it is vital to not only achieve high average performance but also ensure equitable outcomes across diverse groups. However, most machine learning methods are designed to improve a model's average performance on a chosen end task without consideration for their impact on worst group error. Multitask learning (MTL) is one such widely used technique. In this paper, we seek not only to understand the impact of MTL on worst-group accuracy but also to explore its potential as a tool to address the challenge of group-wise fairness. We primarily consider the standard setting of fine-tuning a pre-trained model, where, following recent work \citep{gururangan2020don, dery2023aang}, we multitask the end task with the pre-training objective constructed from the end task data itself. In settings with few or no group annotations, we find that multitasking often, but not consistently, achieves better worst-group accuracy than Just-Train-Twice (JTT; \citet{pmlr-v139-liu21f}) -- a representative distributionally robust optimization (DRO) method. Leveraging insights from synthetic data experiments, we propose to modify standard MTL by regularizing the joint multitask representation space. We run a large number of fine-tuning experiments across computer vision and natural language processing datasets and find that our regularized MTL approach \emph{consistently} outperforms JTT on both average and worst-group outcomes. Our official code can be found here: \href{https://github.com/atharvajk98/MTL-group-robustness.git}{\url{https://github.com/atharvajk98/MTL-group-robustness}}.
ViscoNet: Bridging and Harmonizing Visual and Textual Conditioning for ControlNet
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2024
Year: 2024

This paper introduces ViscoNet, a novel one-branch-adapter architecture for concurrent spatial and visual conditioning. Our lightweight model requires trainable parameters and dataset size multiple orders of magnitude smaller than the current state-of-the-art IP-Adapter. However, our method successfully preserves the generative power of the frozen text-to-image (T2I) backbone. Notably, it excels in addressing mode collapse, a pervasive issue previously overlooked. Our novel architecture demonstrates outstanding capabilities in achieving a harmonious visual-text balance, unlocking unparalleled versatility in various human image generation tasks, including pose re-targeting, virtual try-on, stylization, person re-identification, and textile transfer.Demo and code are available from project page https://soon-yau.github.io/visconet/ .
Evaluation of human-model prediction difference on the Internet Scale of Data
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

Evaluating models on datasets often fails to capture their behavior when faced with unexpected and diverse types of inputs. It would be beneficial if we could evaluate the difference between human annotation and model prediction for an internet number of inputs, or more generally, for an input space that enumeration is computationally impractical. Traditional model evaluation methods rely on precision and recall (PR) as metrics, which are typically estimated by comparing human annotations with model predictions on a specific dataset. This is feasible because enumerating thousands of test inputs is manageable. However, estimating PR across a large input space is challenging because enumeration becomes computationally infeasible. We propose OmniInput, a novel approach to evaluate and compare NNs by the PR of an input space. OmniInput is distinctive from previous works as its estimated PR reflects the estimation of the differences between human annotation and model prediction in the input space which is usually too huge to be enumerated. We empirically validate our method within an enumerable input space, and our experiments demonstrate that OmniInput can effectively estimate and compare precision and recall for (large) language models within a broad input space that is not enumerable.
Behavioral Authentication for Security and Safety
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2024
Year: 2024

The issues of both system security and safety can be dissected integrally from the perspective of behavioral \emph{appropriateness}. That is, a system is secure or safe can be judged by whether the behavior of certain agent(s) is \emph{appropriate} or not. Specifically, a so-called \emph{appropriate behavior} involves the right agent performing the right actions at the right time under certain conditions. Then, according to different levels of appropriateness and degrees of custodies, behavioral authentication can be graded into three levels, i.e., the authentication of behavioral \emph{Identity}, \emph{Conformity}, and \emph{Benignity}. In a broad sense, for the security and safety issue, behavioral authentication is not only an innovative and promising method due to its inherent advantages but also a critical and fundamental problem due to the ubiquity of behavior generation and the necessity of behavior regulation in any system. By this classification, this review provides a comprehensive examination of the background and preliminaries of behavioral authentication. It further summarizes existing research based on their respective focus areas and characteristics. The challenges confronted by current behavioral authentication methods are analyzed, and potential research directions are discussed to promote the diversified and integrated development of behavioral authentication.
Testing Connectedness of Images
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2024
Year: 2024

We investigate algorithms for testing whether an image is connected. Given a proximity parameter $ε\in(0,1)$ and query access to a black-and-white image represented by an $n\times n$ matrix of Boolean pixel values, a (1-sided error) connectedness tester accepts if the image is connected and rejects with probability at least 2/3 if the image is $ε$-far from connected. We show that connectedness can be tested nonadaptively with $O(\frac 1{ε^2})$ queries and adaptively with $O(\frac{1}{ε^{3/2}} \sqrt{\log\frac{1}ε})$ queries. The best connectedness tester to date, by Berman, Raskhodnikova, and Yaroslavtsev (STOC 2014) had query complexity $O(\frac 1{ε^2}\log \frac 1ε)$ and was adaptive. We also prove that every nonadaptive, 1-sided error tester for connectedness must make $Ω(\frac 1ε\log \frac 1ε)$ queries.
Canonization of a random graph by two matrix-vector multiplications
Venue: arXiv cs.CC 2024
Year: 2024

We show that a canonical labeling of a random $n$-vertex graph can be obtained by assigning to each vertex $x$ the triple $(w_1(x),w_2(x),w_3(x))$, where $w_k(x)$ is the number of walks of length $k$ starting from $x$. This takes time $O(n^2)$, where $n^2$ is the input size, by using just two matrix-vector multiplications. The linear-time canonization of a random graph is the classical result of Babai, Erdős, and Selkow. For this purpose they use the well-known combinatorial color refinement procedure, and we make a comparative analysis of the two algorithmic approaches.
PROMISE: A Framework for Developing Complex Conversational Interactions (Technical Report)
Venue: arXiv cs.CL 2024
Year: 2024

The advent of increasingly powerful language models has raised expectations for language-based interactions. However, controlling these models is a challenge, emphasizing the need to be able to investigate the feasibility and value of their application. We present PROMISE, a framework that facilitates the development of complex language-based interactions with information systems. Its use of state machine modeling concepts enables model-driven, dynamic prompt orchestration across hierarchically nested states and transitions. This improves the control of the behavior of language models and thus enables their effective and efficient use. In this technical report we show the benefits of PROMISE in the context of application scenarios within health information systems and demonstrate its ability to handle complex interactions. We also include code examples and present default user interfaces available as part of PROMISE.
Comparative Analysis of ChatGPT, GPT-4, and Microsoft Bing Chatbots for GRE Test
Venue: arXiv cs.CL 2024
Year: 2024

This research paper presents an analysis of how well three artificial intelligence chatbots: Bing, ChatGPT, and GPT-4, perform when answering questions from standardized tests. The Graduate Record Examination is used in this paper as a case study. A total of 137 questions with different forms of quantitative reasoning and 157 questions with verbal categories were used to assess their capabilities. This paper presents the performance of each chatbot across various skills and styles tested in the exam. The proficiency of these chatbots in addressing image-based questions is also explored, and the uncertainty level of each chatbot is illustrated. The results show varying degrees of success across the chatbots, where GPT-4 served as the most proficient, especially in complex language understanding tasks and image-based questions. Results highlight the ability of these chatbots to pass the GRE with a high score, which encourages the use of these chatbots in test preparation. The results also show how important it is to ensure that, if the test is administered online, as it was during COVID, the test taker is segregated from these resources for a fair competition on higher education opportunities.
Computation of the optimal error exponent function for fixed-length lossy source coding in discrete memoryless sources
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2024
Year: 2024

Marton's optimal error exponent for the lossy source coding problem is defined as a non-convex optimization problem. This fact had prevented us to develop an efficient algorithm to compute it. This problem is caused by the fact that the rate-distortion function $R(Δ|P)$ is potentially non-concave in the probability distribution $P$ for a fixed distortion level $Δ$. The main contribution of this paper is the development of a parametric expression that is in perfect agreement with the inverse function of the Marton exponent. This representation has two layers. The inner layer is convex optimization and can be computed efficiently. The outer layer, on the other hand, is a non-convex optimization with respect to two parameters. We give a method for computing the Marton exponent based on this representation.
A Pseudo-Semantic Loss for Autoregressive Models with Logical Constraints
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

Neuro-symbolic AI bridges the gap between purely symbolic and neural approaches to learning. This often requires maximizing the likelihood of a symbolic constraint w.r.t the neural network's output distribution. Such output distributions are typically assumed to be fully-factorized. This limits the applicability of neuro-symbolic learning to the more expressive autoregressive distributions, e.g., transformers. Under such distributions, computing the likelihood of even simple constraints is #P-hard. Instead of attempting to enforce the constraint on the entire output distribution, we propose to do so on a random, local approximation thereof. More precisely, we optimize the likelihood of the constraint under a pseudolikelihood-based approximation centered around a model sample. Our approximation is factorized, allowing the reuse of solutions to sub-problems, a main tenet for efficiently computing neuro-symbolic losses. Moreover, it is a local, high-fidelity approximation of the likelihood, exhibiting low entropy and KL-divergence around the model sample. We evaluate our approach on Sudoku and shortest-path prediction cast as autoregressive generation, and observe that we greatly improve upon the base model's ability to predict logically-consistent outputs. We also evaluate on the task of detoxifying large language models. Using a simple constraint disallowing a list of toxic words, we are able to steer the model's outputs away from toxic generations, achieving SoTA detoxification compared to previous approaches.
Data Safety vs. App Privacy: Comparing the Usability of Android and iOS Privacy Labels
Venue: arXiv cs.HC 2024
Year: 2024

Privacy labels -- standardized, compact representations of data collection and data use practices -- are often presented as a solution to the shortcomings of privacy policies. Apple introduced mandatory privacy labels for apps in its App Store in December 2020; Google introduced mandatory labels for Android apps in July 2022. iOS app privacy labels have been evaluated and critiqued in prior work. In this work, we evaluated Android Data Safety Labels and explored how differences between the two label designs impact user comprehension and label utility. We conducted a between-subjects, semi-structured interview study with 12 Android users and 12 iOS users. While some users found Android Data Safety Labels informative and helpful, other users found them too vague. Compared to iOS App Privacy Labels, Android users found the distinction between data collection groups more intuitive and found explicit inclusion of omitted data collection groups more salient. However, some users expressed skepticism regarding elided information about collected data type categories. Most users missed critical information due to not expanding the accordion interface, and they were surprised by collection practices excluded from Android's definitions. Our findings also revealed that Android users generally appreciated information about security practices included in the labels, and iOS users wanted that information added.
Modeling and Numerical Analysis of Kangaroo Lower Body based on Constrained Dynamics of Hybrid Serial-Parallel Floating-Base Systems
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2024
Year: 2024

This paper presents the modeling and numerical analysis of the Kangaroo lower body prototype, a novel bipedal humanoid robot developed and manufactured by PAL Robotics. Kangaroo features high-power linear electric actuators combined with unique serial-parallel hybrid chains, which allow for the positioning of all the leg actuators near the base of the robot in order to improve the overall mass distribution. To model and analyze such complex nonlinear mechanisms, we employ a constrained formulation that is extended to account for floating-base systems in contact with the environment. A comparison is made to demonstrate the significant improvements achieved with TALOS, another humanoid bipedal robot designed by PAL Robotics, in terms of equivalent Cartesian inertia at the feet and centroidal angular momentum. Finally, the paper includes numerical experiments conducted through simulation and preliminary tests performed on the actual Kangaroo platform.
Enhanced Uplink Data Detection for Massive MIMO with 1-Bit ADCs: Analysis and Joint Detection
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2024
Year: 2024

We present a new analytical framework on the uplink data detection for massive multiple-input multiple-output systems with 1-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). We first characterize the expected values of the soft-estimated symbols (after the linear receiver and prior to the data detection), which are affected by the 1-bit quantization during both the channel estimation and the uplink data transmission. In our analysis, we consider conventional receivers such as maximum ratio combining (MRC), zero forcing, and minimum mean squared error (MMSE), with multiple user equipments (UEs) and correlated Rayleigh fading. Additionally, we design a linear minimum mean dispersion (LMMD) receiver tailored for the data detection with 1-bit ADCs, which exploits the expected values of the soft-estimated symbols previously derived. Then, we propose a joint data detection (JD) strategy that exploits the interdependence among the soft-estimated symbols of the interfering UEs, along with its low-complexity variant. These strategies are compared with the robust maximum likelihood data detection with 1-bit ADCs. Numerical results examining the symbol error rate show that MMSE exhibits a considerable performance gain over MRC, whereas the proposed LMMD receiver significantly outperforms all the conventional receivers. Lastly, the proposed JD and its low-complexity variant provide a significant boost in comparison with the single-UE data detection.
GPT-4V with Emotion: A Zero-shot Benchmark for Generalized Emotion Recognition
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2024
Year: 2024

Recently, GPT-4 with Vision (GPT-4V) has demonstrated remarkable visual capabilities across various tasks, but its performance in emotion recognition has not been fully evaluated. To bridge this gap, we present the quantitative evaluation results of GPT-4V on 21 benchmark datasets covering 6 tasks: visual sentiment analysis, tweet sentiment analysis, micro-expression recognition, facial emotion recognition, dynamic facial emotion recognition, and multimodal emotion recognition. This paper collectively refers to these tasks as ``Generalized Emotion Recognition (GER)''. Through experimental analysis, we observe that GPT-4V exhibits strong visual understanding capabilities in GER tasks. Meanwhile, GPT-4V shows the ability to integrate multimodal clues and exploit temporal information, which is also critical for emotion recognition. However, it's worth noting that GPT-4V is primarily designed for general domains and cannot recognize micro-expressions that require specialized knowledge. To the best of our knowledge, this paper provides the first quantitative assessment of GPT-4V for GER tasks. We have open-sourced the code and encourage subsequent researchers to broaden the evaluation scope by including more tasks and datasets. Our code and evaluation results are available at: https://github.com/zeroQiaoba/gpt4v-emotion.
Generating Illustrated Instructions
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2024
Year: 2024

We introduce the new task of generating Illustrated Instructions, i.e., visual instructions customized to a user's needs. We identify desiderata unique to this task, and formalize it through a suite of automatic and human evaluation metrics, designed to measure the validity, consistency, and efficacy of the generations. We combine the power of large language models (LLMs) together with strong text-to-image generation diffusion models to propose a simple approach called StackedDiffusion, which generates such illustrated instructions given text as input. The resulting model strongly outperforms baseline approaches and state-of-the-art multimodal LLMs; and in 30% of cases, users even prefer it to human-generated articles. Most notably, it enables various new and exciting applications far beyond what static articles on the web can provide, such as personalized instructions complete with intermediate steps and pictures in response to a user's individual situation.