OpenRaiser/Intern-Atlas huggingface dataset:
Localizable Button Click Rendering via Active Lateral Force Feedback
Venue: arXiv cs.HC 2020
Year: 2020

We have developed a novel button click rendering mechanism based on active lateral force feedback. The effect can be localized because electroadhesion between a finger and a surface can be localized. Psychophysical experiments were conducted to evaluate the quality of a rendered button click, which subjects judged to be acceptable. Both the experiment results and the subjects' comments confirm that this button click rendering mechanism has the ability to generate a range of realistic button click sensations that could match subjects' different preferences. We can thus generate a button click on a flat surface without macroscopic motion of the surface in the lateral or normal direction, and we can localize this haptic effect to an individual finger.
Collective Entity Alignment via Adaptive Features
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2020
Year: 2020

Entity alignment (EA) identifies entities that refer to the same real-world object but locate in different knowledge graphs (KGs), and has been harnessed for KG construction and integration. When generating EA results, current solutions treat entities independently and fail to take into account the interdependence between entities. To fill this gap, we propose a collective EA framework. We first employ three representative features, i.e., structural, semantic and string signals, which are adapted to capture different aspects of the similarity between entities in heterogeneous KGs. In order to make collective EA decisions, we formulate EA as the classical stable matching problem, which is further effectively solved by deferred acceptance algorithm. Our proposal is evaluated on both cross-lingual and mono-lingual EA benchmarks against state-of-the-art solutions, and the empirical results verify its effectiveness and superiority.
Graph Learning Under Partial Observability
Venue: arXiv cs.MA 2020
Year: 2020

Many optimization, inference and learning tasks can be accomplished efficiently by means of decentralized processing algorithms where the network topology (i.e., the graph) plays a critical role in enabling the interactions among neighboring nodes. There is a large body of literature examining the effect of the graph structure on the performance of decentralized processing strategies. In this article, we examine the inverse problem and consider the reverse question: How much information does observing the behavior at the nodes of a graph convey about the underlying topology? For large-scale networks, the difficulty in addressing such inverse problems is compounded by the fact that usually only a limited fraction of the nodes can be probed, giving rise to a second important question: Despite the presence of unobserved nodes, can partial observations still be sufficient to discover the graph linking the probed nodes? The article surveys recent advances on this challenging learning problem and related questions.
A Cross-Modal Image Fusion Method Guided by Human Visual Characteristics
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2020
Year: 2020

The characteristics of feature selection, nonlinear combination and multi-task auxiliary learning mechanism of the human visual perception system play an important role in real-world scenarios, but the research of image fusion theory based on the characteristics of human visual perception is less. Inspired by the characteristics of human visual perception, we propose a robust multi-task auxiliary learning optimization image fusion theory. Firstly, we combine channel attention model with nonlinear convolutional neural network to select features and fuse nonlinear features. Then, we analyze the impact of the existing image fusion loss on the image fusion quality, and establish the multi-loss function model of unsupervised learning network. Secondly, aiming at the multi-task auxiliary learning mechanism of human visual perception system, we study the influence of multi-task auxiliary learning mechanism on image fusion task on the basis of single task multi-loss network model. By simulating the three characteristics of human visual perception system, the fused image is more consistent with the mechanism of human brain image fusion. Finally, in order to verify the superiority of our algorithm, we carried out experiments on the combined vision system image data set, and extended our algorithm to the infrared and visible image and the multi-focus image public data set for experimental verification. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our fusion theory over state-of-arts in generality and robustness.
Hierarchical Deep Q-Network from Imperfect Demonstrations in Minecraft
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2020
Year: 2020

We present Hierarchical Deep Q-Network (HDQfD) that took first place in the MineRL competition. HDQfD works on imperfect demonstrations and utilizes the hierarchical structure of expert trajectories. We introduce the procedure of extracting an effective sequence of meta-actions and subgoals from demonstration data. We present a structured task-dependent replay buffer and adaptive prioritizing technique that allow the HDQfD agent to gradually erase poor-quality expert data from the buffer. In this paper, we present the details of the HDQfD algorithm and give the experimental results in the Minecraft domain.
5G Positioning and Mapping with Diffuse Multipath
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2020
Year: 2020

5G mmWave communication is useful for positioning due to the geometric connection between the propagation channel and the propagation environment. Channel estimation methods can exploit the resulting sparsity to estimate parameters(delay and angles) of each propagation path, which in turn can be exploited for positioning and mapping. When paths exhibit significant spread in either angle or delay, these methods breakdown or lead to significant biases. We present a novel tensor-based method for channel estimation that allows estimation of mmWave channel parameters in a non-parametric form. The method is able to accurately estimate the channel, even in the absence of a specular component. This in turn enables positioning and mapping using only diffuse multipath. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.
Dense networks with scale-free feature
Venue: arXiv cs.SI 2020
Year: 2020

While previous works have shown that an overwhelming number of scale-free networks are sparse, there still exist some real-world networks including social networks, urban networks, information networks, which are by observation dense. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for generating scale-free graphs with dense feature using two simple yet helpful operations, first-order subdivision and Line-operation. From the theoretical point of view, our method can be used not only to produce desired scale-free graphs with density feature, i.e. power-law exponent $γ$ falling into the interval $1<γ\leq2$, but also to establish many other unexpected networked models, for instance, power-law models having large diameter. In addition, the networked models generated upon our framework show especially assortative structure. That is, their own Pearson correlation coefficients are able to achieve the theoretical upper bound. Last but not the least, we find the sizes of community in the proposed models to follow power-law in form with respect to modularity maximization.
Deep Reinforcement Learning Designed Shinnar-Le Roux RF Pulse using Root-Flipping: DeepRF_SLR
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2020
Year: 2020

A novel approach of applying deep reinforcement learning to an RF pulse design is introduced. This method, which is referred to as DeepRF_SLR, is designed to minimize the peak amplitude or, equivalently, minimize the pulse duration of a multiband refocusing pulse generated by the Shinar Le-Roux (SLR) algorithm. In the method, the root pattern of SLR polynomial, which determines the RF pulse shape, is optimized by iterative applications of deep reinforcement learning and greedy tree search. When tested for the designs of the multiband factors of three and seven RFs, DeepRF_SLR demonstrated improved performance compared to conventional methods, generating shorter duration RF pulses in shorter computational time. In the experiments, the RF pulse from DeepRF_SLR produced a slice profile similar to the minimum-phase SLR RF pulse and the profiles matched to that of the computer simulation. Our approach suggests a new way of designing an RF by applying a machine learning algorithm, demonstrating a machine-designed MRI sequence.
SCAttNet: Semantic Segmentation Network with Spatial and Channel Attention Mechanism for High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2020
Year: 2020

High-resolution remote sensing images (HRRSIs) contain substantial ground object information, such as texture, shape, and spatial location. Semantic segmentation, which is an important task for element extraction, has been widely used in processing mass HRRSIs. However, HRRSIs often exhibit large intraclass variance and small interclass variance due to the diversity and complexity of ground objects, thereby bringing great challenges to a semantic segmentation task. In this paper, we propose a new end-to-end semantic segmentation network, which integrates lightweight spatial and channel attention modules that can refine features adaptively. We compare our method with several classic methods on the ISPRS Vaihingen and Potsdam datasets. Experimental results show that our method can achieve better semantic segmentation results. The source codes are available at https://github.com/lehaifeng/SCAttNet.
Optimal Tree Decompositions Revisited: A Simpler Linear-Time FPT Algorithm
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2020
Year: 2020

In 1996, Bodlaender showed the celebrated result that an optimal tree decomposition of a graph of bounded treewidth can be found in linear time. The algorithm is based on an algorithm of Bodlaender and Kloks that computes an optimal tree decomposition given a non-optimal tree decomposition of bounded width. Both algorithms, in particular the second, are hardly accessible. In our review, we present them in a much simpler way than the original presentations. In our description of the second algorithm, we start by explaining how all tree decompositions of subtrees defined by the nodes of the given tree decomposition can be enumerated. We group tree decompositions into equivalence classes depending on the current node of the given tree decomposition, such that it suffices to enumerate one tree decomposition per equivalence class and, for each node of the given tree decomposition, there are only a constant number of classes which can be represented in constant space. Our description of the first algorithm further simplifies Perkovic and Reed's simplification.
Improved quantum algorithm for the random subset sum problem
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2020
Year: 2020

Solving random subset sum instances plays an important role in constructing cryptographic systems. For the random subset sum problem, in 2013 Bernstein et al. proposed a quantum algorithm with heuristic time complexity $\widetilde{O}(2^{0.241n})$, where the "$\widetilde{O}$" symbol is used to omit poly($\log n$) factors. In 2018, Helm and May proposed another quantum algorithm that reduces the heuristic time and memory complexity to $\widetilde{O}(2^{0.226n})$. In this paper, a new quantum algorithm is proposed, with heuristic time and memory complexity $\widetilde{O}(2^{0.209n})$.
CacheQuery: Learning Replacement Policies from Hardware Caches
Venue: arXiv cs.PL 2020
Year: 2020

We show how to infer deterministic cache replacement policies using off-the-shelf automata learning and program synthesis techniques. For this, we construct and chain two abstractions that expose the cache replacement policy of any set in the cache hierarchy as a membership oracle to the learning algorithm, based on timing measurements on a silicon CPU. Our experiments demonstrate an advantage in scope and scalability over prior art and uncover 2 previously undocumented cache replacement policies.
Circ-Tree: A B+-Tree Variant with Circular Design for Persistent Memory
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2020
Year: 2020

Several B+-tree variants have been developed to exploit the performance potential of byte-addressable non-volatile memory (NVM). In this paper, we attentively investigate the properties of B+-tree and find that, a conventional B+-tree node is a linear structure in which key-value (KV) pairs are maintained from the zero offset of the node. These pairs are shifted in a unidirectional fashion for insertions and deletions. Inserting and deleting one KV pair may inflict a large amount of write amplifications due to shifting KV pairs. This badly impairs the performance of in-NVM B+-tree. In this paper, we propose a novel circular design for B+-tree. With regard to NVM's byte-addressability, our Circ-tree design embraces tree nodes in a circular structure without a fixed base address, and bidirectionally shifts KV pairs in a node for insertions and deletions to minimize write amplifications. We have implemented a prototype for Circ-Tree and conducted extensive experiments. Experimental results show that Circ-Tree significantly outperforms two state-of-the-art in-NVM B+-tree variants, i.e., NV-tree and FAST+FAIR, by up to 1.6x and 8.6x, respectively, in terms of write performance. The end-to-end comparison by running YCSB to KV store systems built on NV-tree, FAST+FAIR, and Circ-Tree reveals that Circ-Tree yields up to 29.3% and 47.4% higher write performance, respectively, than NV-tree and FAST+FAIR.
Lightweight and Unobtrusive Data Obfuscation at IoT Edge for Remote Inference
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2020
Year: 2020

Executing deep neural networks for inference on the server-class or cloud backend based on data generated at the edge of Internet of Things is desirable due primarily to the limited compute power of edge devices and the need to protect the confidentiality of the inference neural networks. However, such a remote inference scheme incurs concerns regarding the privacy of the inference data transmitted by the edge devices to the curious backend. This paper presents a lightweight and unobtrusive approach to obfuscate the inference data at the edge devices. It is lightweight in that the edge device only needs to execute a small-scale neural network; it is unobtrusive in that the edge device does not need to indicate whether obfuscation is applied. Extensive evaluation by three case studies of free spoken digit recognition, handwritten digit recognition, and American sign language recognition shows that our approach effectively protects the confidentiality of the raw forms of the inference data while effectively preserving the backend's inference accuracy.
Hierarchical Character Embeddings: Learning Phonological and Semantic Representations in Languages of Logographic Origin using Recursive Neural Networks
Venue: arXiv cs.CL 2020
Year: 2020

Logographs (Chinese characters) have recursive structures (i.e. hierarchies of sub-units in logographs) that contain phonological and semantic information, as developmental psychology literature suggests that native speakers leverage on the structures to learn how to read. Exploiting these structures could potentially lead to better embeddings that can benefit many downstream tasks. We propose building hierarchical logograph (character) embeddings from logograph recursive structures using treeLSTM, a recursive neural network. Using recursive neural network imposes a prior on the mapping from logographs to embeddings since the network must read in the sub-units in logographs according to the order specified by the recursive structures. Based on human behavior in language learning and reading, we hypothesize that modeling logographs' structures using recursive neural network should be beneficial. To verify this claim, we consider two tasks (1) predicting logographs' Cantonese pronunciation from logographic structures and (2) language modeling. Empirical results show that the proposed hierarchical embeddings outperform baseline approaches. Diagnostic analysis suggests that hierarchical embeddings constructed using treeLSTM is less sensitive to distractors, thus is more robust, especially on complex logographs.
Improved Upper and Lower Bounds for LR Drawings of Binary Trees
Venue: arXiv cs.CG 2020
Year: 2020

In SODA'99, Chan introduced a simple type of planar straight-line upward order-preserving drawings of binary trees, known as LR drawings: such a drawing is obtained by picking a root-to-leaf path, drawing the path as a straight line, and recursively drawing the subtrees along the paths. Chan proved that any binary tree with $n$ nodes admits an LR drawing with $O(n^{0.48})$ width. In SODA'17, Frati, Patrignani, and Roselli proved that there exist families of $n$-node binary trees for which any LR drawing has $Ω(n^{0.418})$ width. In this note, we improve Chan's upper bound to $O(n^{0.437})$ and Frati et al.'s lower bound to $Ω(n^{0.429})$.
Machine Translation with Cross-lingual Word Embeddings
Venue: arXiv cs.CL 2020
Year: 2020

Learning word embeddings using distributional information is a task that has been studied by many researchers, and a lot of studies are reported in the literature. On the contrary, less studies were done for the case of multiple languages. The idea is to focus on a single representation for a pair of languages such that semantically similar words are closer to one another in the induced representation irrespective of the language. In this way, when data are missing for a particular language, classifiers from another language can be used.
PANNs: Large-Scale Pretrained Audio Neural Networks for Audio Pattern Recognition
Venue: arXiv cs.SD 2020
Year: 2020

Audio pattern recognition is an important research topic in the machine learning area, and includes several tasks such as audio tagging, acoustic scene classification, music classification, speech emotion classification and sound event detection. Recently, neural networks have been applied to tackle audio pattern recognition problems. However, previous systems are built on specific datasets with limited durations. Recently, in computer vision and natural language processing, systems pretrained on large-scale datasets have generalized well to several tasks. However, there is limited research on pretraining systems on large-scale datasets for audio pattern recognition. In this paper, we propose pretrained audio neural networks (PANNs) trained on the large-scale AudioSet dataset. These PANNs are transferred to other audio related tasks. We investigate the performance and computational complexity of PANNs modeled by a variety of convolutional neural networks. We propose an architecture called Wavegram-Logmel-CNN using both log-mel spectrogram and waveform as input feature. Our best PANN system achieves a state-of-the-art mean average precision (mAP) of 0.439 on AudioSet tagging, outperforming the best previous system of 0.392. We transfer PANNs to six audio pattern recognition tasks, and demonstrate state-of-the-art performance in several of those tasks. We have released the source code and pretrained models of PANNs: https://github.com/qiuqiangkong/audioset_tagging_cnn.
Shared Autonomy in Web-based Human Robot Interaction
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2020
Year: 2020

In this paper, we aim to achieve a human-robot work balance by implementing shared autonomy through a web interface. Shared autonomy integrates user input with the autonomous capabilities of the robot and therefore increases the overall performance of the robot. Presenting only the relevant information to the user on the web page lowers the cognitive load of the operator. Through our web interface, we provide a mechanism for the operator to directly interact using the displayed information by applying a point-and-click paradigm. Further, we present our idea to employ a human-robot mutual adaptation in a shared autonomy setting through our web interface for effective team collaboration.
\emph{cm}SalGAN: RGB-D Salient Object Detection with Cross-View Generative Adversarial Networks
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2020
Year: 2020

Image salient object detection (SOD) is an active research topic in computer vision and multimedia area. Fusing complementary information of RGB and depth has been demonstrated to be effective for image salient object detection which is known as RGB-D salient object detection problem. The main challenge for RGB-D salient object detection is how to exploit the salient cues of both intra-modality (RGB, depth) and cross-modality simultaneously which is known as cross-modality detection problem. In this paper, we tackle this challenge by designing a novel cross-modality Saliency Generative Adversarial Network (\emph{cm}SalGAN). \emph{cm}SalGAN aims to learn an optimal view-invariant and consistent pixel-level representation for RGB and depth images via a novel adversarial learning framework, which thus incorporates both information of intra-view and correlation information of cross-view images simultaneously for RGB-D saliency detection problem. To further improve the detection results, the attention mechanism and edge detection module are also incorporated into \emph{cm}SalGAN. The entire \emph{cm}SalGAN can be trained in an end-to-end manner by using the standard deep neural network framework. Experimental results show that \emph{cm}SalGAN achieves the new state-of-the-art RGB-D saliency detection performance on several benchmark datasets.
Safe and Fast Tracking on a Robot Manipulator: Robust MPC and Neural Network Control
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2020
Year: 2020

Fast feedback control and safety guarantees are essential in modern robotics. We present an approach that achieves both by combining novel robust model predictive control (MPC) with function approximation via (deep) neural networks (NNs). The result is a new approach for complex tasks with nonlinear, uncertain, and constrained dynamics as are common in robotics. Specifically, we leverage recent results in MPC research to propose a new robust setpoint tracking MPC algorithm, which achieves reliable and safe tracking of a dynamic setpoint while guaranteeing stability and constraint satisfaction. The presented robust MPC scheme constitutes a one-layer approach that unifies the often separated planning and control layers, by directly computing the control command based on a reference and possibly obstacle positions. As a separate contribution, we show how the computation time of the MPC can be drastically reduced by approximating the MPC law with a NN controller. The NN is trained and validated from offline samples of the MPC, yielding statistical guarantees, and used in lieu thereof at run time. Our experiments on a state-of-the-art robot manipulator are the first to show that both the proposed robust and approximate MPC schemes scale to real-world robotic systems.
Hiding Data in Images Using Cryptography and Deep Neural Network
Venue: arXiv cs.MM 2020
Year: 2020

Steganography is an art of obscuring data inside another quotidian file of similar or varying types. Hiding data has always been of significant importance to digital forensics. Previously, steganography has been combined with cryptography and neural networks separately. Whereas, this research combines steganography, cryptography with the neural networks all together to hide an image inside another container image of the larger or same size. Although the cryptographic technique used is quite simple, but is effective when convoluted with deep neural nets. Other steganography techniques involve hiding data efficiently, but in a uniform pattern which makes it less secure. This method targets both the challenges and make data hiding secure and non-uniform.