OpenRaiser/Intern-Atlas huggingface dataset:
Distributed Stochastic Approximation with Local Projections
Venue: arXiv cs.SY 2017
Year: 2017

We propose a distributed version of a stochastic approximation scheme constrained to remain in the intersection of a finite family of convex sets. The projection to the intersection of these sets is also computed in a distributed manner and a `nonlinear gossip' mechanism is employed to blend the projection iterations with the stochastic approximation using multiple time scales
Integrated Speech Enhancement Method Based on Weighted Prediction Error and DNN for Dereverberation and Denoising
Venue: arXiv cs.SD 2017
Year: 2017

Both reverberation and additive noises degrade the speech quality and intelligibility. Weighted prediction error (WPE) method performs well on the dereverberation but with limitations. First, WPE doesn't consider the influence of the additive noise which degrades the performance of dereverberation. Second, it relies on a time-consuming iterative process, and there is no guarantee or a widely accepted criterion on its convergence. In this paper, we integrate deep neural network (DNN) into WPE for dereverberation and denoising. DNN is used to suppress the background noise to meet the noise-free assumption of WPE. Meanwhile, DNN is applied to directly predict spectral variance of the target speech to make the WPE work without iteration. The experimental results show that the proposed method has a significant improvement in speech quality and runs fast.
Megatrend and Intervention Impact Analyser for Jobs: A European Big Data Hackathon Entry
Venue: arXiv cs.SI 2017
Year: 2017

This paper presents results of a European Big Data Hackathon entry to facilitate data analysis and visualization of patterns in provided and external datasets about European jobs and skills mismatch and labour market in general. The main contributions of this work are: the development of a method to represent the complex labour market internal structure from the perspective of occupations sharing skills; developing and presenting the prototype, together with an extended description of constructing a graph and related necessary data processing. Since labour market is not an isolated phenomenon and is constantly impacted with external trends and interventions, the presented tool is designed to enable adding extra layers of external information: what is the impact of a megatrend or an intervention to the labour market? Which parts of labour market of what country is most vulnerable to approaching megatrend or planned intervention? A case of analysing the labour market together with the megatrend of automation and computerization of jobs is presented. The source code of the prototype is released as open source for better repeat-ability.
Study of the US Road Network based on Social Network Analysis
Venue: arXiv cs.SI 2017
Year: 2017

The complexity of big data structures and networks demands more research in terms of analysing and representing data for a better comprehension and usage. In this regard, there are several types of model to represent a structure. The aim of this article is to use a social network topology to analyse road network for the following States in the United States, US: California, Pennsylvania and Texas. Our approach mainly focuses on clustering of road network data in order to create "communities".
On Type-Aware Entity Retrieval
Venue: arXiv cs.IR 2017
Year: 2017

Today, the practice of returning entities from a knowledge base in response to search queries has become widespread. One of the distinctive characteristics of entities is that they are typed, i.e., assigned to some hierarchically organized type system (type taxonomy). The primary objective of this paper is to gain a better understanding of how entity type information can be utilized in entity retrieval. We perform this investigation in an idealized "oracle" setting, assuming that we know the distribution of target types of the relevant entities for a given query. We perform a thorough analysis of three main aspects: (i) the choice of type taxonomy, (ii) the representation of hierarchical type information, and (iii) the combination of type-based and term-based similarity in the retrieval model. Using a standard entity search test collection based on DBpedia, we find that type information proves most useful when using large type taxonomies that provide very specific types. We provide further insights on the extensional coverage of entities and on the utility of target types.
Explainable Artificial Intelligence: Understanding, Visualizing and Interpreting Deep Learning Models
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2017
Year: 2017

With the availability of large databases and recent improvements in deep learning methodology, the performance of AI systems is reaching or even exceeding the human level on an increasing number of complex tasks. Impressive examples of this development can be found in domains such as image classification, sentiment analysis, speech understanding or strategic game playing. However, because of their nested non-linear structure, these highly successful machine learning and artificial intelligence models are usually applied in a black box manner, i.e., no information is provided about what exactly makes them arrive at their predictions. Since this lack of transparency can be a major drawback, e.g., in medical applications, the development of methods for visualizing, explaining and interpreting deep learning models has recently attracted increasing attention. This paper summarizes recent developments in this field and makes a plea for more interpretability in artificial intelligence. Furthermore, it presents two approaches to explaining predictions of deep learning models, one method which computes the sensitivity of the prediction with respect to changes in the input and one approach which meaningfully decomposes the decision in terms of the input variables. These methods are evaluated on three classification tasks.
Co-simulation for Cyber Security Analysis: Data Attacks against Energy Management System
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2017
Year: 2017

It is challenging to assess the vulnerability of a cyber-physical power system to data attacks from an integral perspective. In order to support vulnerability assessment except analytic analysis, suitable platform for security tests needs to be developed. In this paper we analyze the cyber security of energy management system (EMS) against data attacks. First we extend our analytic framework that characterizes data attacks as optimization problems with the objectives specified as security metrics and constraints corresponding to the communication network properties. Second, we build a platform in the form of co-simulation - coupling the power system simulator DIgSILENT PowerFactory with communication network simulator OMNeT++, and Matlab for EMS applications (state estimation, optimal power flow). Then the framework is used to conduct attack simulations on the co-simulation based platform for a power grid test case. The results indicate how vulnerable of EMS to data attacks and how co-simulation can help assess vulnerability.
Cyber Risk Analysis of Combined Data Attacks Against Power System State Estimation
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2017
Year: 2017

Understanding smart grid cyber attacks is key for developing appropriate protection and recovery measures. Advanced attacks pursue maximized impact at minimized costs and detectability. This paper conducts risk analysis of combined data integrity and availability attacks against the power system state estimation. We compare the combined attacks with pure integrity attacks - false data injection (FDI) attacks. A security index for vulnerability assessment to these two kinds of attacks is proposed and formulated as a mixed integer linear programming problem. We show that such combined attacks can succeed with fewer resources than FDI attacks. The combined attacks with limited knowledge of the system model also expose advantages in keeping stealth against the bad data detection. Finally, the risk of combined attacks to reliable system operation is evaluated using the results from vulnerability assessment and attack impact analysis. The findings in this paper are validated and supported by a detailed case study.
Recent implementations, applications, and extensions of the Locally Optimal Block Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient method (LOBPCG)
Venue: arXiv cs.NA 2017
Year: 2017

Since introduction [A. Knyazev, Toward the optimal preconditioned eigensolver: Locally optimal block preconditioned conjugate gradient method, SISC (2001) DOI:10.1137/S1064827500366124] and efficient parallel implementation [A. Knyazev et al., Block locally optimal preconditioned eigenvalue xolvers (BLOPEX) in HYPRE and PETSc, SISC (2007) DOI:10.1137/060661624], LOBPCG has been used is a wide range of applications in mechanics, material sciences, and data sciences. We review its recent implementations and applications, as well as extensions of the local optimality idea beyond standard eigenvalue problems.
Design Decisions for Weave: A Real-Time Web-based Collaborative Visualization Framework
Venue: arXiv cs.SE 2017
Year: 2017

There are many web-based visualization systems available to date, each having its strengths and limitations. The goals these systems set out to accomplish influence design decisions and determine how reusable and scalable they are. Weave is a new web-based visualization platform with the broad goal of enabling visualization of any available data by anyone for any purpose. Our open source framework supports highly interactive linked visualizations for users of varying skill levels. What sets Weave apart from other systems is its consideration for real-time remote collaboration with session history. We provide a detailed account of the various framework designs we considered with comparisons to existing state-of-the-art systems.
Verified Correctness and Security of mbedTLS HMAC-DRBG
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2017
Year: 2017

We have formalized the functional specification of HMAC-DRBG (NIST 800-90A), and we have proved its cryptographic security--that its output is pseudorandom--using a hybrid game-based proof. We have also proved that the mbedTLS implementation (C program) correctly implements this functional specification. That proof composes with an existing C compiler correctness proof to guarantee, end-to-end, that the machine language program gives strong pseudorandomness. All proofs (hybrid games, C program verification, compiler, and their composition) are machine-checked in the Coq proof assistant. Our proofs are modular: the hybrid game proof holds on any implementation of HMAC-DRBG that satisfies our functional specification. Therefore, our functional specification can serve as a high-assurance reference.
Curriculum Learning for Multi-Task Classification of Visual Attributes
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2017
Year: 2017

Visual attributes, from simple objects (e.g., backpacks, hats) to soft-biometrics (e.g., gender, height, clothing) have proven to be a powerful representational approach for many applications such as image description and human identification. In this paper, we introduce a novel method to combine the advantages of both multi-task and curriculum learning in a visual attribute classification framework. Individual tasks are grouped based on their correlation so that two groups of strongly and weakly correlated tasks are formed. The two groups of tasks are learned in a curriculum learning setup by transferring the acquired knowledge from the strongly to the weakly correlated. The learning process within each group though, is performed in a multi-task classification setup. The proposed method learns better and converges faster than learning all the tasks in a typical multi-task learning paradigm. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on the publicly available, SoBiR, VIPeR and PETA datasets and report state-of-the-art results across the board.
Multi-Stage Feature Selection Based Intelligent Classifier for Classification of Incipient Stage Fire in Building
Venue: arXiv cs.CY 2017
Year: 2017

In this study, an early fire detection algorithm has been proposed based on low cost array sensing system, utilizing gas sensors, dust particles and ambient sensors such as temperature and humidity sensor. The odor or smell-print emanated from various fire sources and building construction materials at early stage are measured. For this purpose, odor profile data from five common fire sources and three common building construction materials were used to develop the classification model. Normalized feature extractions of the smell print data were performed before subjected to prediction classifier. These features represent the odor signals in the time domain. The obtained features undergo the proposed multi-stage feature selection technique and lastly, further reduced by Principal Component Analysis (PCA), a dimension reduction technique. The hybrid PCA-PNN based approach has been applied on different datasets from in-house developed system and the portable electronic nose unit. Experimental classification results show that the dimension reduction process performed by PCA has improved the classification accuracy and provided high reliability, regardless of ambient temperature and humidity variation, baseline sensor drift, the different gas concentration level and exposure towards different heating temperature range.
Persuasive Technology For Human Development: Review and Case Study
Venue: arXiv cs.CY 2017
Year: 2017

Technology is an extremely potent tool that can be leveraged for human development and social good. Owing to the great importance of environment and human psychology in driving human behavior, and the ubiquity of technology in modern life, there is a need to leverage the insights and capabilities of both fields together for nudging people towards a behavior that is optimal in some sense (personal or social). In this regard, the field of persuasive technology, which proposes to infuse technology with appropriate design and incentives using insights from psychology, behavioral economics, and human-computer interaction holds a lot of promise. Whilst persuasive technology is already being developed and is at play in many commercial applications, it can have the great social impact in the field of Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICTD) which uses Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for human developmental ends such as education and health. In this paper we will explore what persuasive technology is and how it can be used for the ends of human development. To develop the ideas in a concrete setting, we present a case study outlining how persuasive technology can be used for human development in Pakistan, a developing South Asian country, that suffers from many of the problems that plague typical developing country.
Anomaly Detection: Review and preliminary Entropy method tests
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2017
Year: 2017

Anomalies are strange data points; they usually represent an unusual occurrence. Anomaly detection is presented from the perspective of Wireless sensor networks. Different approaches have been taken in the past, as we will see, not only to identify outliers, but also to establish the statistical properties of the different methods. The usual goal is to show that the approach is asymptotically efficient and that the metric used is unbiased or maybe biased. This project is based on a work done by [1]. The approach is based on the principle that the entropy of the data is increased when an anomalous data point is measured. The entropy of the data set is thus to be estimated. In this report however, preliminary efforts at confirming the results of [1] is presented. To estimate the entropy of the dataset, since no parametric form is assumed, the probability density function of the data set is first estimated using data split method. This estimated pdf value is then plugged-in to the entropy estimation formula to estimate the entropy of the dataset. The data (test signal) used in this report is Gaussian distributed with zero mean and variance 4. Results of pdf estimation using the k-nearest neighbour method using the entire dataset, and a data-split method are presented and compared based on how well they approximate the probability density function of a Gaussian with similar mean and variance. The number of nearest neighbours chosen for the purpose of this report is 8. This is arbitrary, but is reasonable since the number of anomalies introduced is expected to be less than this upon data-split. The data-split method is preferred and rightly so.
Stock Trading via Feedback Control: Stochastic Model Predictive or Genetic?
Venue: arXiv cs.CE 2017
Year: 2017

We seek a discussion about the most suitable feedback control structure for stock trading under the consideration of proportional transaction costs. Suitability refers to robustness and performance capability. Both are tested by considering different one-step ahead prediction qualities, including the ideal case, correct prediction of the direction of change in daily stock prices and the worst-case. Feedback control structures are partitioned into two general classes: stochastic model predictive control (SMPC) and genetic. For the former class three controllers are discussed, whereby it is distinguished between two Markowitz- and one dynamic hedging-inspired SMPC formulation. For the latter class five trading algorithms are disucssed, whereby it is distinguished between two different moving average (MA) based, two trading range (TR) based, and one strategy based on historical optimal (HistOpt) trajectories. This paper also gives a preliminary discussion about how modified dynamic hedging-inspired SMPC formulations may serve as alternatives to Markowitz portfolio optimization. The combinations of all of the eight controllers with five different one-step ahead prediction methods are backtested for daily trading of the 30 components of the German stock market index DAX for the time period between November 27, 2015 and November 25, 2016.
Driving Style Analysis Using Primitive Driving Patterns With Bayesian Nonparametric Approaches
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2017
Year: 2017

Analysis and recognition of driving styles are profoundly important to intelligent transportation and vehicle calibration. This paper presents a novel driving style analysis framework using the primitive driving patterns learned from naturalistic driving data. In order to achieve this, first, a Bayesian nonparametric learning method based on a hidden semi-Markov model (HSMM) is introduced to extract primitive driving patterns from time series driving data without prior knowledge of the number of these patterns. In the Bayesian nonparametric approach, we utilize a hierarchical Dirichlet process (HDP) instead of learning the unknown number of smooth dynamical modes of HSMM, thus generating the primitive driving patterns. Each primitive pattern is clustered and then labeled using behavioral semantics according to drivers' physical and psychological perception thresholds. For each driver, 75 primitive driving patterns in car-following scenarios are learned and semantically labeled. In order to show the HDP-HSMM's utility to learn primitive driving patterns, other two Bayesian nonparametric approaches, HDP-HMM and sticky HDP-HMM, are compared. The naturalistic driving data of 18 drivers were collected from the University of Michigan Safety Pilot Model Deployment (SPDM) database. The individual driving styles are discussed according to distribution characteristics of the learned primitive driving patterns and also the difference in driving styles among drivers are evaluated using the Kullback-Leibler divergence. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed primitive pattern-based method can allow one to semantically understand driver behaviors and driving styles.
Deep Residual Bidir-LSTM for Human Activity Recognition Using Wearable Sensors
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2017
Year: 2017

Human activity recognition (HAR) has become a popular topic in research because of its wide application. With the development of deep learning, new ideas have appeared to address HAR problems. Here, a deep network architecture using residual bidirectional long short-term memory (LSTM) cells is proposed. The advantages of the new network include that a bidirectional connection can concatenate the positive time direction (forward state) and the negative time direction (backward state). Second, residual connections between stacked cells act as highways for gradients, which can pass underlying information directly to the upper layer, effectively avoiding the gradient vanishing problem. Generally, the proposed network shows improvements on both the temporal (using bidirectional cells) and the spatial (residual connections stacked deeply) dimensions, aiming to enhance the recognition rate. When tested with the Opportunity data set and the public domain UCI data set, the accuracy was increased by 4.78% and 3.68%, respectively, compared with previously reported results. Finally, the confusion matrix of the public domain UCI data set was analyzed.
Analyzing Cloud Optical Properties Using Sky Cameras
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2017
Year: 2017

Clouds play a significant role in the fluctuation of solar radiation received by the earth's surface. It is important to study the various cloud properties, as it impacts the total solar irradiance falling on the earth's surface. One of such important optical properties of the cloud is the Cloud Optical Thickness (COT). It is defined with the amount of light that can pass through the clouds. The COT values are generally obtained from satellite images. However, satellite images have a low temporal- and spatial- resolutions; and are not suitable for study in applications as solar energy generation and forecasting. Therefore, ground-based sky cameras are now getting popular in such fields. In this paper, we analyze the cloud optical thickness value, from the ground-based sky cameras, and provide future research directions.
Modelling Protagonist Goals and Desires in First-Person Narrative
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2017
Year: 2017

Many genres of natural language text are narratively structured, a testament to our predilection for organizing our experiences as narratives. There is broad consensus that understanding a narrative requires identifying and tracking the goals and desires of the characters and their narrative outcomes. However, to date, there has been limited work on computational models for this problem. We introduce a new dataset, DesireDB, which includes gold-standard labels for identifying statements of desire, textual evidence for desire fulfillment, and annotations for whether the stated desire is fulfilled given the evidence in the narrative context. We report experiments on tracking desire fulfillment using different methods, and show that LSTM Skip-Thought model achieves F-measure of 0.7 on our corpus.