pwc-archive/papers-with-abstracts huggingface dataset:
My Machine and I: ChatGPT and the Future of Human-Machine Collaboration in Africa
Authors: Munachimso Blessing Oguine, Chidera Godsfavor Oguine, Kanyifeechukwu Jane Oguine
Date: 2023-10-01 00:00:00
Tasks: Articles

Recent advancements in technology have necessitated a paradigm shift in the people use technology necessitating a new research field called Human-Machine collaboration. ChatGPT, an Artificial intelligence (AI) assistive technology, has gained mainstream adoption and implementation in academia and industry; however, a lot is left unknown about how this new technology holds for Human-Machine Collaboration in Africa. Our survey paper highlights to answer some of these questions. To understand the effectiveness of ChatGPT on human-machine collaboration we utilized reflexive thematic analysis to analyze (N= 51) articles between 2019 and 2023 obtained from our literature search. Our findings indicate the prevalence of ChatGPT for human-computer interaction within academic sectors such as education, and research; trends also revealed the relatively high effectiveness of ChatGPT in improving human-machine collaboration.
Assessment and treatment of visuospatial neglect using active learning with Gaussian processes regression
Authors: Ivan De Boi, Elissa Embrechts, Quirine Schatteman, Rudi Penne, Steven Truijen, Wim Saeys
Date: 2023-09-29 00:00:00
Tasks: Active Learning, Gaussian Processes, regression

Visuospatial neglect is a disorder characterised by impaired awareness for visual stimuli located in regions of space and frames of reference. It is often associated with stroke. Patients can struggle with all aspects of daily living and community participation. Assessment methods are limited and show several shortcomings, considering they are mainly performed on paper and do not implement the complexity of daily life. Similarly, treatment options are sparse and often show only small improvements. We present an artificial intelligence solution designed to accurately assess a patient's visuospatial neglect in a three-dimensional setting. We implement an active learning method based on Gaussian process regression to reduce the effort it takes a patient to undergo an assessment. Furthermore, we describe how this model can be utilised in patient oriented treatment and how this opens the way to gamification, tele-rehabilitation and personalised healthcare, providing a promising avenue for improving patient engagement and rehabilitation outcomes. To validate our assessment module, we conducted clinical trials involving patients in a real-world setting. We compared the results obtained using our AI-based assessment with the widely used conventional visuospatial neglect tests currently employed in clinical practice. The validation process serves to establish the accuracy and reliability of our model, confirming its potential as a valuable tool for diagnosing and monitoring visuospatial neglect. Our VR application proves to be more sensitive, while intra-rater reliability remains high.
Ego-perspective enhanced fitness training experience of AR Try to Move game
Authors: Chongyu Zhang
Date: 2023-09-26 00:00:00

AR, a recent emerging technology, has been widely used in entertainment to provide users with immersive, interactive, and, sometimes, engaging experiences. The process of rehabilitation treatment and motor training process is often boring, and it is well known that users' exercise efficiency is often not as efficient as in a rehabilitation institution. Thus far, there is no effective upper limb sports rehabilitation training game based on the ego-perspective. Hence, with the objective of enhancing the enjoyment experience in rehabilitation and more effective remote rehabilitation training, this work aims to provide an AR Try to Move game and a convolutional neural network (CNN) for identifying and classifying user gestures from a self-collected AR multiple interactive gestures dataset. Utilizing an AR game scoring system, users are incentivized to enhance their upper limb muscle system through remote training with greater effectiveness and convenience.
SpeakEasy: A Conversational Intelligence Chatbot for Enhancing College Students' Communication Skills
Authors: Hyunbae Jeon, Rhea Ramachandran, Victoria Ploerer, Yella Diekmann, Max Bagga
Date: 2023-09-23 00:00:00
Tasks: Chatbot

Social interactions and conversation skills separate the successful from the rest and the confident from the shy. For college students in particular, the ability to converse can be an outlet for the stress and anxiety experienced on a daily basis along with a foundation for all-important career skills. In light of this, we designed SpeakEasy: a chatbot with some degree of intelligence that provides feedback to the user on their ability to engage in free-form conversations with the chatbot. SpeakEasy attempts to help college students improve their communication skills by engaging in a seven-minute spoken conversation with the user, analyzing the user's responses with metrics designed based on previous psychology and linguistics research, and providing feedback to the user on how they can improve their conversational ability. To simulate natural conversation, SpeakEasy converses with the user on a wide assortment of topics that two people meeting for the first time might discuss: travel, sports, and entertainment. Unlike most other chatbots with the goal of improving conversation skills, SpeakEasy actually records the user speaking, transcribes the audio into tokens, and uses macros-e.g., sequences that calculate the pace of speech, determine if the user has an over-reliance on certain words, and identifies awkward transitions-to evaluate the quality of the conversation. Based on the evaluation, SpeakEasy provides elaborate feedback on how the user can improve their conversations. In turn, SpeakEasy updates its algorithms based on a series of questions that the user responds to regarding SpeakEasy's performance.
Design and Implementation of an RSSI-Based Bluetooth Low Energy Indoor Localization System
Authors: Silvano Cortesi, Marc Dreher, Michele Magno
Date: 2023-10-23 00:00:00
Tasks: Indoor Localization

Indoor Positioning System (IPS) is a crucial technology that enables medical staff and hospital managements to accurately locate and track persons or assets inside the medical buildings. Among other technologies, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) can be exploited for achieving an energy-efficient and low-cost solution. This work presents the design and implementation of an received signal strength indicator (RSSI)-based indoor localization system. The paper shows the implementation of a low complex weighted k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm that processes raw RSSI data from connection-less iBeacon's. The designed hardware and firmware are implemented around the low-power and low-cost nRF52832 from Nordic Semiconductor. Experimental evaluation with the real-time data processing has been evaluated and presented in a 7.2 m by 7.2 m room with furniture and 5 beacon nodes. The experimental results show an average error of only 0.72 m in realistic conditions. Finally, the overall power consumption of the fixed beacon with a periodic advertisement of 100 ms is only 50 uA at 3 V, which leads to a long-lasting solution of over one year with a 500 mAh coin battery.
Joint Network Function Placement and Routing Optimization in Dynamic Software-defined Satellite-Terrestrial Integrated Networks
Authors: Shuo Yuan, Yaohua Sun, Mugen Peng
Date: 2023-10-21 00:00:00

Software-defined satellite-terrestrial integrated networks (SDSTNs) are seen as a promising paradigm for achieving high resource flexibility and global communication coverage. However, low latency service provisioning is still challenging due to the fast variation of network topology and limited onboard resource at low earth orbit satellites. To address this issue, we study service provisioning in SDSTNs via joint optimization of virtual network function (VNF) placement and routing planning with network dynamics characterized by a time-evolving graph. Aiming at minimizing average service latency, the corresponding problem is formulated as an integer nonlinear programming under resource, VNF deployment, and time-slotted flow constraints. Since exhaustive search is intractable, we transform the primary problem into an integer linear programming by involving auxiliary variables and then propose a Benders decomposition based branch-and-cut (BDBC) algorithm. Towards practical use, a time expansion-based decoupled greedy (TEDG) algorithm is further designed with rigorous complexity analysis. Extensive experiments demonstrate the optimality of BDBC algorithm and the low complexity of TEDG algorithm. Meanwhile, it is indicated that they can improve the number of completed services within a configuration period by up to 58% and reduce the average service latency by up to 17% compared to baseline schemes.
An overview of text-to-speech systems and media applications
Authors: Mohammad Reza Hasanabadi
Date: 2023-10-22 00:00:00
Tasks: Acoustic Modelling, text-to-speech, Text to Speech, Voice Conversion

Producing synthetic voice, similar to human-like sound, is an emerging novelty of modern interactive media systems. Text-To-Speech (TTS) systems try to generate synthetic and authentic voices via text input. Besides, well known and familiar dubbing, announcing and narrating voices, as valuable possessions of any media organization, can be kept forever by utilizing TTS and Voice Conversion (VC) algorithms . The emergence of deep learning approaches has made such TTS systems more accurate and accessible. To understand TTS systems better, this paper investigates the key components of such systems including text analysis, acoustic modelling and vocoding. The paper then provides details of important state-of-the-art TTS systems based on deep learning. Finally, a comparison is made between recently released systems in term of backbone architecture, type of input and conversion, vocoder used and subjective assessment (MOS). Accordingly, Tacotron 2, Transformer TTS, WaveNet and FastSpeech 1 are among the most successful TTS systems ever released. In the discussion section, some suggestions are made to develop a TTS system with regard to the intended application.
MFCC-GAN Codec: A New AI-based Audio Coding
Authors: Mohammad Reza Hasanabadi
Date: 2023-10-22 00:00:00
Tasks: Decoder, Density Estimation

In this paper, we proposed AI-based audio coding using MFCC features in an adversarial setting. We combined a conventional encoder with an adversarial learning decoder to better reconstruct the original waveform. Since GAN gives implicit density estimation, therefore, such models are less prone to overfitting. We compared our work with five well-known codecs namely AAC, AC3, Opus, Vorbis, and Speex, performing on bitrates from 2kbps to 128kbps. MFCCGAN_36k achieved the state-of-the-art result in terms of SNR despite a lower bitrate in comparison to AC3_128k, AAC_112k, Vorbis_48k, Opus_48k, and Speex_48K. On the other hand, MFCCGAN_13k also achieved high SNR=27 which is equal to that of AC3_128k, and AAC_112k while having a significantly lower bitrate (13 kbps). MFCCGAN_36k achieved higher NISQA-MOS results compared to AAC_48k while having a 20% lower bitrate. Furthermore, MFCCGAN_13k obtained NISQAMOS= 3.9 which is much higher than AAC_24k, AAC_32k, AC3_32k, and AAC_48k. For future work, we finally suggest adopting loss functions optimizing intelligibility and perceptual metrics in the MFCCGAN structure to improve quality and intelligibility simultaneously.
Diffusion-Based Adversarial Purification for Speaker Verification
Authors: Yibo Bai, Xiao-Lei Zhang, Xuelong Li
Date: 2023-10-22 00:00:00
Tasks: Adversarial Purification, Denoising, Speaker Verification

Recently, automatic speaker verification (ASV) based on deep learning is easily contaminated by adversarial attacks, which is a new type of attack that injects imperceptible perturbations to audio signals so as to make ASV produce wrong decisions. This poses a significant threat to the security and reliability of ASV systems. To address this issue, we propose a Diffusion-Based Adversarial Purification (DAP) method that enhances the robustness of ASV systems against such adversarial attacks. Our method leverages a conditional denoising diffusion probabilistic model to effectively purify the adversarial examples and mitigate the impact of perturbations. DAP first introduces controlled noise into adversarial examples, and then performs a reverse denoising process to reconstruct clean audio. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed DAP in enhancing the security of ASV and meanwhile minimizing the distortion of the purified audio signals.
A study of the impact of generative AI-based data augmentation on software metadata classification
Authors: Tripti Kumari, Chakali Sai Charan, Ayan Das
Date: 2023-10-14 00:00:00
Tasks: Data Augmentation, Language Modeling, Language Modelling, Large Language Model

This paper presents the system submitted by the team from IIT(ISM) Dhanbad in FIRE IRSE 2023 shared task 1 on the automatic usefulness prediction of code-comment pairs as well as the impact of Large Language Model(LLM) generated data on original base data towards an associated source code. We have developed a framework where we train a machine learning-based model using the neural contextual representations of the comments and their corresponding codes to predict the usefulness of code-comments pair and performance analysis with LLM-generated data with base data. In the official assessment, our system achieves a 4% increase in F1-score from baseline and the quality of generated data.
Viability under Degraded Control Authority
Authors: Hamza El-Kebir, Richard Berlin, Joseph Bentsman, Melkior Ornik
Date: 2023-10-23 00:00:00

In this work, we solve the problem of quantifying and mitigating control authority degradation in real time. Here, our target systems are controlled nonlinear affine-in-control evolution equations with finite control input and finite- or infinite-dimensional state. We consider two cases of control input degradation: finitely many affine maps acting on unknown disjoint subsets of the inputs and general Lipschitz continuous maps. These degradation modes are encountered in practice due to actuator wear and tear, hard locks on actuator ranges due to over-excitation, as well as more general changes in the control allocation dynamics. We derive sufficient conditions for identifiability of control authority degradation, and propose a novel real-time algorithm for identifying or approximating control degradation modes. We demonstrate our method on a nonlinear distributed parameter system, namely a one-dimensional heat equation with a velocity-controlled moveable heat source, motivated by autonomous energy-based surgery.
Modeling and Performance Analysis of CSMA-Based JCAS Networks
Authors: Navid Keshtiarast, Pradyumna Kumar Bishoyi, Marina Petrova
Date: 2023-10-23 00:00:00

Joint communication and sensing (JCAS) networks are envisioned as a key enabler for a variety of applications which demand reliable wireless connectivity along with accurate and robust sensing capability. When sensing and communication share the same spectrum, the communication links in the JCAS networks experience interference from both sensing and communication signals. Therefore, it is crucial to analyze the interference caused by the uncoordinated transmission of either sensing or communication signals, so that effective interference mitigation techniques could be put in place. We consider a JCAS network consisting of dual-functional nodes operating in radar and communication modes. To gain access to the shared communication channel, each node follows carrier sense multiple access (CSMA)-based protocol. For this setting, we study the radar and communication performances defined in terms of maximum unambiguous range and aggregated network throughput, respectively. Leveraging on the stochastic geometry approach, we model the interference of the network and derive a closed-form expression for both radar and communication performance metrics. Finally, we verify our analytical results through extensive simulation.
Elemantra: An End-to-End Automated Framework Empowered with AI and IoT for Tackling Human-Elephant Conflict in Elephant-Range Countries
Authors: Nuwan Sriyantha Bandara, Dilshan Pramudith Bandara
Date: 2023-10-23 00:00:00
Tasks: Decision Making

The cohabitation of elephants and humans has evolved into a human-elephant conflict (HEC) due to the increasing loss of historical elephant habitations. Since HEC is a substantial threat to both species, advanced sensing methods are utilized to develop HEC prevention frameworks which still lack unification. Here, we propose an end-to-end automated framework for HEC prevention consisting of three main modules: a distributed deep learning-assisted elephant detection module using infrared and seismic sensing, an on-site repelling system with time-varying acoustic and light deterrents and a mesh network for device communication. The framework is equipped with novel decision-making pipelines and algorithms such that it has the potential to operate with no human intervention. The preliminary results from each module confirm that the proposed framework is effective in performing their individual tasks towards collaboratively achieving the prevention of HEC. The codes are publicly available at https://github.com/nuwansribandara/elemantra.
Comparison of path following in ships using modern and traditional controllers
Authors: Sanjeev Kumar Ramkumar Sudha, Md Shadab Alam, Bindusara Reddy, Abhilash Sharma Somayajula
Date: 2023-10-23 00:00:00
Tasks: Collision Avoidance, Deep Reinforcement Learning, reinforcement-learning, Reinforcement Learning

Vessel navigation is difficult in restricted waterways and in the presence of static and dynamic obstacles. This difficulty can be attributed to the high-level decisions taken by humans during these maneuvers, which is evident from the fact that 85% of the reported marine accidents are traced back to human errors. Artificial intelligence-based methods offer us a way to eliminate human intervention in vessel navigation. Newer methods like Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) can optimize multiple objectives like path following and collision avoidance at the same time while being computationally cheaper to implement in comparison to traditional approaches. Before addressing the challenge of collision avoidance along with path following, the performance of DRL-based controllers on the path following task alone must be established. Therefore, this study trains a DRL agent using Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm and tests it against a traditional PD controller guided by an Integral Line of Sight (ILOS) guidance system. The Krisco Container Ship (KCS) is chosen to test the different controllers. The ship dynamics are mathematically simulated using the Maneuvering Modelling Group (MMG) model developed by the Japanese. The simulation environment is used to train the deep reinforcement learning-based controller and is also used to tune the gains of the traditional PD controller. The effectiveness of the controllers in the presence of wind is also investigated.
AI on the Water: Applying DRL to Autonomous Vessel Navigation
Authors: Md Shadab Alam, Sanjeev Kumar Ramkumar Sudha, Abhilash Somayajula
Date: 2023-10-23 00:00:00
Tasks: Collision Avoidance, Decision Making, Deep Reinforcement Learning, Q-Learning, reinforcement-learning, Reinforcement Learning

Human decision-making errors cause a majority of globally reported marine accidents. As a result, automation in the marine industry has been gaining more attention in recent years. Obstacle avoidance becomes very challenging for an autonomous surface vehicle in an unknown environment. We explore the feasibility of using Deep Q-Learning (DQN), a deep reinforcement learning approach, for controlling an underactuated autonomous surface vehicle to follow a known path while avoiding collisions with static and dynamic obstacles. The ship's motion is described using a three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) dynamic model. The KRISO container ship (KCS) is chosen for this study because it is a benchmark hull used in several studies, and its hydrodynamic coefficients are readily available for numerical modelling. This study shows that Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) can achieve path following and collision avoidance successfully and can be a potential candidate that may be investigated further to achieve human-level or even better decision-making for autonomous marine vehicles.
Navigating the Ocean with DRL: Path following for marine vessels
Authors: Joel Jose, Md Shadab Alam, Abhilash Sharma Somayajula
Date: 2023-10-23 00:00:00
Tasks: Collision Avoidance, Deep Reinforcement Learning

Human error is a substantial factor in marine accidents, accounting for 85% of all reported incidents. By reducing the need for human intervention in vessel navigation, AI-based methods can potentially reduce the risk of accidents. AI techniques, such as Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), have the potential to improve vessel navigation in challenging conditions, such as in restricted waterways and in the presence of obstacles. This is because DRL algorithms can optimize multiple objectives, such as path following and collision avoidance, while being more efficient to implement compared to traditional methods. In this study, a DRL agent is trained using the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) algorithm for path following and waypoint tracking. Furthermore, the trained agent is evaluated against a traditional PD controller with an Integral Line of Sight (ILOS) guidance system for the same. This study uses the Kriso Container Ship (KCS) as a test case for evaluating the performance of different controllers. The ship's dynamics are modeled using the maneuvering Modelling Group (MMG) model. This mathematical simulation is used to train a DRL-based controller and to tune the gains of a traditional PD controller. The simulation environment is also used to assess the controller's effectiveness in the presence of wind.
A Multi-timescale and Chance-Constrained Energy Dispatching Strategy of Integrated Heat-Power Community with Shared Hybrid Energy Storage
Authors: Wenyi Zhang, Yue Chen, Rui Xie, Yunjian Xu
Date: 2023-10-23 00:00:00
Tasks: Scheduling

The community in the future may develop into an integrated heat-power system, which includes a high proportion of renewable energy, power generator units, heat generator units, and shared hybrid energy storage. In the integrated heat-power system with coupling heat-power generators and demands, the key challenges lie in the interaction between heat and power, the inherent uncertainty of renewable energy and consumers' demands, and the multi-timescale scheduling of heat and power. In this paper, we propose a game theoretic model of the integrated heat-power system. For the welfare-maximizing community operator, its energy dispatch strategy is under chance constraints, where the day-ahead scheduling determines the scheduled energy dispatching strategies, and the real-time dispatch considers the adjustment of generators. For utility-maximizing consumers, their demands are sensitive to the preference parameters. Taking into account the uncertainty in both renewable energy and consumer demand, we prove the existence and uniqueness of the Stackelberg game equilibrium and develop a fixed point algorithm to find the market equilibrium between the community operator and community consumers. Numerical simulations on integrated heat-power system validate the effectiveness of the proposed multi-timescale integrated heat and power model.