nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Multivariate optimization for multifractal-based texture segmentation

This work aims to segment a texture into different regions, each characterized by a priori unknown multifractal properties. The multifractal properties are quantified using the multiscale function C1,j that quantifies the evolution along analysis scales 2j of the empirical mean of the log of the wavelet leaders. The segmentation procedure is applied to local estimate of C1,j. It involves a multivariate Mumford-Shah relaxation formulated as a convex optimization problem involving a structure tensor penalization and an efficient algorithmic solution based on primal-dual proximal algorithm. The performances are evaluated on synthetic textures.
Non-smooth convex optimization for an efficient reconstruction in structured illumination microscopy

This work aims at proposing a new reconstruction procedure for structured illumination microscopy. The proposed method is based on some recent development in non-smooth convex optimization that allows to deal with Poisson negative log-likelihood as data fidelity term and with regularization terms allowing to extract sharp features. The performances of the proposed method are compared to the state-of-the-art of SIM reconstruction techniques.
An improved variational mode decomposition method for internal waves separation

This paper proposes to revisit the 2-D Variational Mode Decomposition (2-D-VMD) in order to separate the incident and reflected waves in experimental images of internal waves velocity field. 2-D-VMD aims at splitting an image into a sequence of oscillating components which are centered around specific spatial frequencies. In this work we develop a proximal algorithm with local convergence guarantees, allowing more flexibility in order to deal with modes having different spectral properties and to add some optional constraints modeling prior informations. Our method is compared with the standard 2-D-VMD and with a Hilbert based strategy usually employed for processing internal waves images.
Proximal method for geometry and texture image decomposition

We propose a variational method for decomposing an image into a geometry and a texture component. Our model involves the sum of two functions promoting separately properties of each component, and of a coupling function modeling the interaction between the components. None of these functions is required to be differentiable, which significantly broadens the range of decompositions achievable through variational approaches. The convergence of the proposed proximal algorithm is guaranteed under suitable assumptions. Numerical examples are provided that show an application of the algorithm to image decomposition and restoration in the presence of Poisson noise.
Parallel Proximal Algorithm for Image Restoration Using Hybrid Regularization

Regularization approaches have demonstrated their effectiveness for solving ill-posed problems. However, in the context of variational restoration methods, a challenging question remains, namely how to find a good regularizer. While total variation introduces staircase effects, wavelet-domain regularization brings other artefacts, e.g., ringing. However, a tradeoff can be made by introducing a hybrid regularization including several terms not necessarily acting in the same domain (e.g., spatial and wavelet transform domains). While this approach was shown to provide good results for solving deconvolution problems in the presence of additive Gaussian noise, an important issue is to efficiently deal with this hybrid regularization for more general noise models. To solve this problem, we adopt a convex optimization framework where the criterion to be minimized is split in the sum of more than two terms. For spatial domain regularization, isotropic or anisotropic total variation definitions using various gradient filters are considered. An accelerated version of the Parallel Proximal Algorithm is proposed to perform the minimization. Some difficulties in the computation of the proximity operators involved in this algorithm are also addressed in this paper. Numerical experiments performed in the context of Poisson data recovery, show the good behavior of the algorithm as well as promising results concerning the use of hybrid regularization techniques.
Temporal wavelet denoising of PET sinograms and images

The level of noise in PET dynamic studies makes it difficult to provide accurate and robust kinetic parameters from time activity curves, particularly at the voxel level. Several approaches have been followed to lower noise: denoising reconstructed images with spatial wavelets, adding a priori information during reconstruction about the signal without noise, including the temporal dimension during reconstruction. In this work, we propose to use a temporal wavelet denoising approach, based on the characteristics of PET time activity curves in sinograms (or reconstructed images). This approach has recently been proposed in image processing and relies on discriminating signal from noise by including relevant “a priori” information (on the statistical distribution of the wavelet coefficient for a whole sinogram or reconstructed image), as well as appropriate noise formation model in the time domain. This approach is tested in a 2D spatial + 1D time Monte Carlo simulation mimicking brain, and compared with a standard denoising approach : SUREShrink. Preliminary results indicate that better performances are obtained for sinogram denoising with the proposed approach compared with SUREShrink, and that the resulting sinograms can be reconstructed with a weighted least-squares (WLS) algorithm for all techniques. Denoising in the reconstructed images with this approach was also investigated.
Random primal-dual proximal iterations for sparse multiclass SVM

Sparsity-inducing penalties are useful tools in variational methods for machine learning. In this paper, we propose two block-coordinate descent strategies for learning a sparse multiclass support vector machine. The first one works by selecting a subset of features to be updated at each iteration, while the second one performs the selection among the training samples. These algorithms can be efficiently implemented thanks to the flexibility offered by recent randomized primal-dual proximal methods. Experiments carried out for the supervised classification of handwritten digits demonstrate the interest of considering the primal-dual approach in the context of block-coordinate descent. The efficiency of the proposed algorithms is assessed through a comparison of execution times and classification errors.
Bayesian Selection for the $\ell _2$ -Potts Model Regularization Parameter: 1-D Piecewise Constant Signal Denoising

Piecewise constant denoising can be solved either by deterministic optimization approaches, based on the Potts model, or by stochastic Bayesian procedures. The former lead to low computational time but require the selection of a regularization parameter, whose value significantly impacts the achieved solution, and whose automated selection remains an involved and challenging problem. Conversely, fully Bayesian formalisms encapsulate the regularization parameter selection into hierarchical models, at the price of high computational costs. This contribution proposes an operational strategy that combines hierarchical Bayesian and Potts model formulations, with the double aim of automatically tuning the regularization parameter and maintaining computational efficiency. The proposed procedure relies on formally connecting a Bayesian framework to a $\ell _2$ -Potts functional. Behaviors and performance for the proposed piecewise constant denoising and regularization parameter tuning techniques are studied qualitatively and assessed quantitatively, and shown to compare favorably against those of a fully Bayesian hierarchical procedure, both in accuracy and computational load.
Two-step calibration method for multi-algorithm score-based face recognition systems by minimizing discrimination loss

We propose a new method for combining multi-algorithm score-based face recognition systems, which we call the two-step calibration method. Typically, algorithms for face recognition systems produce dependent scores. The two-step method is based on parametric copulas to handle this dependence. Its goal is to minimize discrimination loss. For synthetic and real databases (NIST-face and Face3D) we will show that our method is accurate and reliable using the cost of log likelihood ratio and the information-theoretical empirical cross-entropy (ECE).
Verifying a User in a Personal Face Space

For user verification on a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fast and simple system is developed. In the enrollment phase, face detection and registration are done by a Viola-Jones based method, taking advantage of its accuracy and speed. The face feature vectors obtained this way are then used to build up a face space specific to the user by principal component analysis (PCA). Furthermore, the face variations caused by small registration shifts are also modeled, in order to better capture the variation in the face space, and simplify the enrollment. Current experiments show that this system is fast, efficient, and accurate
Biometric Systems under Morphing Attacks: Assessment of Morphing Techniques and Vulnerability Reporting

With the widespread deployment of biometric recognition systems, the interest in attacking these systems is increasing. One of the easiest ways to circumvent a biometric recognition system are so-called presentation attacks, in which artefacts are presented to the sensor to either impersonate another subject or avoid being recognised. In the recent past, the vulnerabilities of biometric systems to so-called morphing attacks have been unveiled. In such attacks, biometric samples of multiple subjects are merged in the signal or feature domain, in order to allow a successful verification of all contributing subjects against the morphed identity. Being a recent area of research, there is to date no standardised manner to evaluate the vulnerability of biometric systems to these attacks. Hence, it is not yet possible to establish a common benchmark between different morph detection algorithms. In this paper, we tackle this issue proposing new metrics for vulnerability reporting, which build upon our joint experience in researching this challenging attack scenario. In addition, recommendations on the assessment of morphing techniques and morphing detection metrics are given.
A landmark paper in face recognition

Good registration (alignment to a reference) is essential for accurate face recognition. The effects of the number of landmarks on the mean localization error and the recognition performance are studied. Two landmarking methods are explored and compared for that purpose: (1) the most likely-landmark locator (MLLL), based on maximizing the likelihood ratio, and (2) Viola-Jones detection. Both use the locations of facial features (eyes, nose, mouth, etc) as landmarks. Further, a landmark-correction method (BILBO) based on projection into a subspace is introduced. The MLLL has been trained for locating 17 landmarks and the Viola-Jones method for 5. The mean localization errors and effects on the verification performance have been measured. It was found that on the eyes, the Viola-Jones detector is about 1% of the interocular distance more accurate than the MLLL-BILBO combination. On the nose and mouth, the MLLL-BILBO combination is about 0.5% of the inter-ocular distance more accurate than the Viola-Jones detector. Using more landmarks will result in lower equal-error rates, even when the landmarking is not so accurate. If the same landmarks are used, the most accurate landmarking method gives the best verification performance
Face reconstruction from image sequences for forensic face comparison

The authors explore the possibilities of a dense model-free three-dimensional (3D) face reconstruction method, based on image sequences from a single camera, to improve the current state of forensic face comparison. They propose a new model-free 3D reconstruction method for faces, based on the Lambertian reflectance model to estimate the albedo and to refine the 3D shape of the face. This method avoids any form of bias towards face models and is therefore suitable in a forensic face comparison process. The proposed method can reconstruct frontal albedo images, from multiple non-frontal images. Also a dense 3D shape model of the face is reconstructed, which can be used to generate faces under pose. In the authors’ experiments, the proposed method is able to improve the face recognition scores in more than 90% of the cases. Using the likelihood ratio framework, they show for the same experiment that for data initially unsuitable for forensic use, the reconstructions become meaningful in a forensic context in more than 60% of the cases.
Multi-algorithm fusion with template protection

The popularity of biometrics and its widespread use introduces privacy risks. To mitigate these risks, solutions such as the helper-data system, fuzzy vault, fuzzy extractors, and cancelable biometrics were introduced, also known as the field of template protection. In parallel to these developments, fusion of multiple sources of biometric information have shown to improve the verification performance of the biometric system. In this work we analyze fusion of the protected template from two 3D recognition algorithms (multi-algorithm fusion) at feature-, score-, and decision-level. We show that fusion can be applied at the known fusion-levels with the template protection technique known as the Helper-Data System. We also illustrate the required changes of the Helper-Data System and its corresponding limitations. Furthermore, our experimental results, based on 3D face range images of the FRGC v2 dataset, show that indeed fusion improves the verification performance.
Making 2D face recognition more robust using AAMs for pose compensation

The problem of pose in 2D face recognition is widely acknowledged. Commercial systems are limited to near frontal face images and cannot deal with pose deviations larger than 15 degrees from the frontal view. This is a problem, when using face recognition for surveillance applications in which people can move freely. We suggest a preprocessing step to warp faces from a non frontal pose to a near frontal pose. We use view-based active appearance models to fit to a novel face image under a random pose. The model parameters are adjusted to correct for the pose and used to reconstruct the face under a novel pose. This preprocessing makes face recognition more robust with respect to variations in the pose. An improvement in the identification rate of 60% (from 15% to 75%) is obtained for faces under a pose of 45 degrees
Spectral minutiae: A fixed-length representation of a minutiae set

Minutiae, which are the endpoints and bifurcations of fingerprint ridges, allow a very discriminative classification of fingerprints. However, a minutiae set is an unordered set and the minutiae locations suffer from various deformations such as translation, rotation and scaling. In this paper, we introduce a novel method to represent a minutiae set as a fixed-length feature vector, which is invariant to translation, and in which rotation and scaling become translations, so that they can be easily compensated for. By applying the spectral minutiae representation, we can combine the fingerprint recognition system with a template protection scheme, which requires a fixed-length feature vector. This paper also presents two spectral minutiae matching algorithms and shows experimental results.
Binary Biometrics: An Analytic Framework to Estimate the Bit Error Probability under Gaussian Assumption

In recent years the protection of biometric data has gained increased interest from the scientific community. Methods such as the helper data system, fuzzy extractors, fuzzy vault and cancellable biometrics have been proposed for protecting biometric data. Most of these methods use cryptographic primitives and require a binary representation from the real-valued biometric data. Hence, the similarity of biometric samples is measured in terms of the Hamming distance between the binary vector obtained at the enrolment and verification phase. The number of errors depends on the expected error probability Pe of each bit between two biometric samples of the same subject. In this paper we introduce a framework for analytically estimating Pe under the assumption that the within-and between-class distribution can be modeled by a Gaussian distribution. We present the analytic expression of Pe as a function of the number of samples used at the enrolment (Ne) and verification (Nv) phases. The analytic expressions are validated using the FRGC v2 and FVC2000 biometric databases.
Biometric evidence evaluation: an empirical assessment of the effect of different training data

For an automatic comparison of a pair of biometric specimens, a similarity metric called ‘score’ is computed by the employed biometric recognition system. In forensic evaluation, it is desirable to convert this score into a likelihood ratio. This process is referred to as calibration. A likelihood ratio is the probability of the score given the prosecution hypothesis (which states that the pair of biometric specimens are originated from the suspect) is true divided by the probability of the score given the defence hypothesis (which states that the pair of biometric specimens are not originated from the suspect) is true. In practice, a set of scores (called training scores) obtained from the within-source and between-sources comparison is needed to compute a likelihood ratio value for a score. In likelihood ratio computation, the within-source and between-sources conditions can be anchored to a specific suspect in a forensic case or it can be generic within-source and between-sources comparisons independent of the suspect involved in the case. This results in two likelihood ratio values which differ in the nature of training scores they use and therefore consider slightly different interpretations of the two hypotheses. The goal of this study is to quantify the differences in these two likelihood ratio values in the context of evidence evaluation from a face, a fingerprint and a speaker recognition system. For each biometric modality, a simple forensic case is simulated by randomly selecting a small subset of biometric specimens from a large database. In order to be able to carry out a comparison across the three biometric modalities, the same protocol is followed for training scores set generation. It is observed that there is a significant variation in the two likelihood ratio values.
Fixed FAR correction factor of score level fusion

In biometric score level fusion, the scores are often assumed to be independent to simplify the fusion algorithm. In some cases, the “average” performance under this independence assumption is surprisingly successful, even competing with a fusion that incorporates dependence. We present two main contributions in score level fusion: (i) proposing a new method of measuring the performance of a fusion strategy at fixed FAR via Jeffreys credible interval analysis and (ii) subsequently providing a method to improve the fusion strategy under the independence assumption by taking the dependence into account via parametric copulas, which we call fixed FAR fusion. Using synthetic data, we will show that one should take the dependence into account even for scores with a low dependence level. Finally, we test our method on some public databases (FVC2002, NIST-face, and Face3D), compare it to Gaussian mixture model and linear logistic methods, which are also designed to handle dependence, and notice its significance improvement with respect to our evaluation method.
Exploring How User Routine Affects the Recognition Performance of a Lock Pattern

To protect an Android smartphone against attackers, a lock pattern can be used. Nevertheless, shoulder-surfing and smudge attacks can be used to get access despite of this protection. To combat these attacks, biometric recognition can be added to the lock pattern, such that the lock-pattern application keeps track of the way users draw the pattern. This research explores how users change the way they draw lock patterns over time and its effect on the recognition performance of the pattern. A lock-pattern dataset has been collected and a classifier is proposed. In this research the best result was obtained using the x- and y-coordinate as the user's biometrics. Unfortunately, in this paper it is shown that adding biometrics to a lock pattern is only an additional security that provides no guarantee for a secure lock pattern. It is just a small improvement over using a lock pattern without biometric identification.
On the computation of the Kullback-Leibler measure for spectral distances

Efficient algorithms for the exact and approximate computation of the symmetrical Kullback-Leibler (1998) measure for spectral distances are presented for linear predictive coding (LPC) spectra. A interpretation of this measure is given in terms of the poles of the spectra. The performances of the algorithms in terms of accuracy and computational complexity are assessed for the application of computing concatenation costs in unit-selection-based speech synthesis. With the same complexity and storage requirements, the exact method is superior in terms of accuracy.
Subband coding of stereophonic digital audio signals

The exploitation of left-right correlation in a subband code for stereophonic audio signals is investigated. A transform of left and right signals into decorrelated intensity and error signals is presented. Although this can be seen as the optimal exploitation of redundancy, it yields only marginal gain in bit rate. If the reduced phase-sensitivity of the human observer can be exploited by encoding only the intensity signal, a substantial gain can be obtained. Preliminary results of a stereo codec are promising: at 192 kb/s good coding results have been obtained.<<ETX>>
How Random Is a Classifier Given Its Area under Curve?

When the performance of a classifier is empirically evaluated, the Area Under Curve (AUC) is commonly used as a one dimensional performance measure. In general, the focus is on good performance (AUC towards 1). In this paper, we study the other side of the performance spectrum (AUC towards 0.50) as we are interested to which extend a classifier is random given its AUC. We present the exact probability distribution of the AUC of a truely random classifier, given a finite number of distinct genuine and imposter scores. It quantifies the "randomness" of the measured AUC. The distribution involves the restricted partition function, a well studied function in number theory. Although other work exists that considers confidence bounds on the AUC, the novelty is that we do not assume any underlying parametric or non- parametric model or specify an error rate. Also, in cases in which a limited number of scores is available, for example in forensic case work, the exact distribution can deviate from these models. For completeness, we also present an approximation using a normal distribution and confidence bounds on the AUC.