我们介绍了一种新的合成数据生成器PSP-HDRI $+$，该$+$被证明是ImageNet和其他大规模合成数据对应物的卓越预训练替代方案。我们证明，使用合成数据的预训练将产生一个更通用的模型，即使在分布外（OOD）集测试时，该模型的性能也比替代方案更好。此外，使用由人关键点估计指标指导的消融研究，具有现成的模型架构，我们展示了如何操纵我们的合成数据生成器以进一步提高模型性能。

Data compression is becoming critical for storing scientific data because many scientific applications need to store large amounts of data and post process this data for scientific discovery. Unlike image and video compression algorithms that limit errors to primary data, scientists require compression techniques that accurately preserve derived quantities of interest (QoIs). This paper presents a physics-informed compression technique implemented as an end-to-end, scalable, GPU-based pipeline for data compression that addresses this requirement. Our hybrid compression technique combines machine learning techniques and standard compression methods. Specifically, we combine an autoencoder, an error-bounded lossy compressor to provide guarantees on raw data error, and a constraint satisfaction post-processing step to preserve the QoIs within a minimal error (generally less than floating point error). The effectiveness of the data compression pipeline is demonstrated by compressing nuclear fusion simulation data generated by a large-scale fusion code, XGC, which produces hundreds of terabytes of data in a single day. Our approach works within the ADIOS framework and results in compression by a factor of more than 150 while requiring only a few percent of the computational resources necessary for generating the data, making the overall approach highly effective for practical scenarios.

We propose a novel model agnostic data-driven reliability analysis framework for time-dependent reliability analysis. The proposed approach -- referred to as MAntRA -- combines interpretable machine learning, Bayesian statistics, and identifying stochastic dynamic equation to evaluate reliability of stochastically-excited dynamical systems for which the governing physics is \textit{apriori} unknown. A two-stage approach is adopted: in the first stage, an efficient variational Bayesian equation discovery algorithm is developed to determine the governing physics of an underlying stochastic differential equation (SDE) from measured output data. The developed algorithm is efficient and accounts for epistemic uncertainty due to limited and noisy data, and aleatoric uncertainty because of environmental effect and external excitation. In the second stage, the discovered SDE is solved using a stochastic integration scheme and the probability failure is computed. The efficacy of the proposed approach is illustrated on three numerical examples. The results obtained indicate the possible application of the proposed approach for reliability analysis of in-situ and heritage structures from on-site measurements.

Named Entity Recognition (NER) involves the identification and classification of named entities in unstructured text into predefined classes. NER in languages with limited resources, like French, is still an open problem due to the lack of large, robust, labelled datasets. In this paper, we propose a transformer-based NER approach for French using adversarial adaptation to similar domain or general corpora for improved feature extraction and better generalization. We evaluate our approach on three labelled datasets and show that our adaptation framework outperforms the corresponding non-adaptive models for various combinations of transformer models, source datasets and target corpora.

We present DyFOS, an active perception method that Dynamically Finds Optimal States to minimize localization error while avoiding obstacles and occlusions. We consider the scenario where a ground target without any exteroceptive sensors must rely on an aerial observer for pose and uncertainty estimates to localize itself along an obstacle-filled path. The observer uses a downward-facing camera to estimate the target's pose and uncertainty. However, the pose uncertainty is a function of the states of the observer, target, and surrounding environment. To find an optimal state that minimizes the target's localization uncertainty, DyFOS uses a localization error prediction pipeline in an optimization search. Given the states mentioned above, the pipeline predicts the target's localization uncertainty with the help of a trained, complex state-dependent sensor measurement model (which is a probabilistic neural network in our case). Our pipeline also predicts target occlusion and obstacle collision to remove undesirable observer states. The output of the optimization search is an optimal observer state that minimizes target localization uncertainty while avoiding occlusion and collision. We evaluate the proposed method using numerical and simulated (Gazebo) experiments. Our results show that DyFOS is almost 100x faster than yet as good as brute force. Furthermore, DyFOS yielded lower localization errors than random and heuristic searches.

Adversarial training has been empirically shown to be more prone to overfitting than standard training. The exact underlying reasons still need to be fully understood. In this paper, we identify one cause of overfitting related to current practices of generating adversarial samples from misclassified samples. To address this, we propose an alternative approach that leverages the misclassified samples to mitigate the overfitting problem. We show that our approach achieves better generalization while having comparable robustness to state-of-the-art adversarial training methods on a wide range of computer vision, natural language processing, and tabular tasks.

Social networking sites, blogs, and online articles are instant sources of news for internet users globally. However, in the absence of strict regulations mandating the genuineness of every text on social media, it is probable that some of these texts are fake news or rumours. Their deceptive nature and ability to propagate instantly can have an adverse effect on society. This necessitates the need for more effective detection of fake news and rumours on the web. In this work, we annotate four fake news detection and rumour detection datasets with their emotion class labels using transfer learning. We show the correlation between the legitimacy of a text with its intrinsic emotion for fake news and rumour detection, and prove that even within the same emotion class, fake and real news are often represented differently, which can be used for improved feature extraction. Based on this, we propose a multi-task framework for fake news and rumour detection, predicting both the emotion and legitimacy of the text. We train a variety of deep learning models in single-task and multi-task settings for a more comprehensive comparison. We further analyze the performance of our multi-task approach for fake news detection in cross-domain settings to verify its efficacy for better generalization across datasets, and to verify that emotions act as a domain-independent feature. Experimental results verify that our multi-task models consistently outperform their single-task counterparts in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score, both for in-domain and cross-domain settings. We also qualitatively analyze the difference in performance in single-task and multi-task learning models.

Adversarial training is widely acknowledged as the most effective defense against adversarial attacks. However, it is also well established that achieving both robustness and generalization in adversarially trained models involves a trade-off. The goal of this work is to provide an in depth comparison of different approaches for adversarial training in language models. Specifically, we study the effect of pre-training data augmentation as well as training time input perturbations vs. embedding space perturbations on the robustness and generalization of BERT-like language models. Our findings suggest that better robustness can be achieved by pre-training data augmentation or by training with input space perturbation. However, training with embedding space perturbation significantly improves generalization. A linguistic correlation analysis of neurons of the learned models reveal that the improved generalization is due to `more specialized' neurons. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to carry out a deep qualitative analysis of different methods of generating adversarial examples in adversarial training of language models.

Millions of people participate in online peer-to-peer support sessions, yet there has been little prior research on systematic psychology-based evaluations of fine-grained peer-counselor behavior in relation to client satisfaction. This paper seeks to bridge this gap by mapping peer-counselor chat-messages to motivational interviewing (MI) techniques. We annotate 14,797 utterances from 734 chat conversations using 17 MI techniques and introduce four new interviewing codes such as chit-chat and inappropriate to account for the unique conversational patterns observed on online platforms. We automate the process of labeling peer-counselor responses to MI techniques by fine-tuning large domain-specific language models and then use these automated measures to investigate the behavior of the peer counselors via correlational studies. Specifically, we study the impact of MI techniques on the conversation ratings to investigate the techniques that predict clients' satisfaction with their counseling sessions. When counselors use techniques such as reflection and affirmation, clients are more satisfied. Examining volunteer counselors' change in usage of techniques suggest that counselors learn to use more introduction and open questions as they gain experience. This work provides a deeper understanding of the use of motivational interviewing techniques on peer-to-peer counselor platforms and sheds light on how to build better training programs for volunteer counselors on online platforms.

Achieving knowledge sharing within an artificial swarm system could lead to significant development in autonomous multiagent and robotic systems research and realize collective intelligence. However, this is difficult to achieve since there is no generic framework to transfer skills between agents other than a query-response-based approach. Moreover, natural living systems have a "forgetfulness" property for everything they learn. Analyzing such ephemeral nature (temporal memory properties of new knowledge gained) in artificial systems has never been studied in the literature. We propose a behavior tree-based framework to realize a query-response mechanism for transferring skills encoded as the condition-action control sub-flow of that portion of the knowledge between agents to fill this gap. We simulate a multiagent group with different initial knowledge on a foraging mission. While performing basic operations, each robot queries other robots to respond to an unknown condition. The responding robot shares the control actions by sharing a portion of the behavior tree that addresses the queries. Specifically, we investigate the ephemeral nature of the new knowledge gained through such a framework, where the knowledge gained by the agent is either limited due to memory or is forgotten over time. Our investigations show that knowledge grows proportionally with the duration of remembrance, which is trivial. However, we found minimal impact on knowledge growth due to memory. We compare these cases against a baseline that involved full knowledge pre-coded on all agents. We found that knowledge-sharing strived to match the baseline condition by sharing and achieving knowledge growth as a collective system.