Exploring the Efficacy of Group-Normalization in Deep Learning Models for Alzheimer's Disease Classification

Batch Normalization is an important approach to advancing deep learning since it allows multiple networks to train simultaneously. A problem arises when normalizing along the batch dimension because B.N.'s error increases significantly as batch size shrinks because batch statistics estimates are inaccurate. As a result, computer vision tasks like detection, segmentation, and video, which require tiny batches based on memory consumption, aren't suitable for using Batch Normalization for larger model training and feature transfer. Here, we explore Group Normalization as an easy alternative to using Batch Normalization A Group Normalization is a channel normalization method in which each group is divided into different channels, and the corresponding mean and variance are calculated for each group. Group Normalization computations are accurate across a wide range of batch sizes and are independent of batch size. When trained using a large ImageNet database on ResNet-50, GN achieves a very low error rate of 10.6% compared to Batch Normalization. when a smaller batch size of only 2 is used. For usual batch sizes, the performance of G.N. is comparable to that of Batch Normalization, but at the same time, it outperforms other normalization techniques. Implementing Group Normalization as a direct alternative to B.N to combat the serious challenges faced by the Batch Normalization in deep learning models with comparable or improved classification accuracy. Additionally, Group Normalization can be naturally transferred from the pre-training to the fine-tuning phase. .

Enhancing UAV Security Through Zero Trust Architecture: An Advanced Deep Learning and Explainable AI Analysis

In the dynamic and ever-changing domain of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the utmost importance lies in guaranteeing resilient and lucid security measures. This study highlights the necessity of implementing a Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) to enhance the security of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), hence departing from conventional perimeter defences that may expose vulnerabilities. The Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) paradigm requires a rigorous and continuous process of authenticating all network entities and communications. The accuracy of our methodology in detecting and identifying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is 84.59\%. This is achieved by utilizing Radio Frequency (RF) signals within a Deep Learning framework, a unique method. Precise identification is crucial in Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), as it determines network access. In addition, the use of eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) tools such as SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) contributes to the improvement of the model's transparency and interpretability. Adherence to Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) standards guarantees that the classifications of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are verifiable and comprehensible, enhancing security within the UAV field.

Empowering Healthcare through Privacy-Preserving MRI Analysis

In the healthcare domain, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) assumes a pivotal role, as it employs Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) methodologies to extract invaluable insights from imaging data. Nonetheless, the imperative need for patient privacy poses significant challenges when collecting data from diverse healthcare sources. Consequently, the Deep Learning (DL) communities occasionally face difficulties detecting rare features. In this research endeavor, we introduce the Ensemble-Based Federated Learning (EBFL) Framework, an innovative solution tailored to address this challenge. The EBFL framework deviates from the conventional approach by emphasizing model features over sharing sensitive patient data. This unique methodology fosters a collaborative and privacy-conscious environment for healthcare institutions, empowering them to harness the capabilities of a centralized server for model refinement while upholding the utmost data privacy standards.Conversely, a robust ensemble architecture boasts potent feature extraction capabilities, distinguishing itself from a single DL model. This quality makes it remarkably dependable for MRI analysis. By harnessing our groundbreaking EBFL methodology, we have achieved remarkable precision in the classification of brain tumors, including glioma, meningioma, pituitary, and non-tumor instances, attaining a precision rate of 94% for the Global model and an impressive 96% for the Ensemble model. Our models underwent rigorous evaluation using conventional performance metrics such as Accuracy, Precision, Recall, and F1 Score. Integrating DL within the Federated Learning (FL) framework has yielded a methodology that offers precise and dependable diagnostics for detecting brain tumors.

An Explainable AI Framework for Artificial Intelligence of Medical Things

The healthcare industry has been revolutionized by the convergence of Artificial Intelligence of Medical Things (AIoMT), allowing advanced data-driven solutions to improve healthcare systems. With the increasing complexity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, the need for Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques become paramount, particularly in the medical domain, where transparent and interpretable decision-making becomes crucial. Therefore, in this work, we leverage a custom XAI framework, incorporating techniques such as Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME), SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-Cam), explicitly designed for the domain of AIoMT. The proposed framework enhances the effectiveness of strategic healthcare methods and aims to instill trust and promote understanding in AI-driven medical applications. Moreover, we utilize a majority voting technique that aggregates predictions from multiple convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and leverages their collective intelligence to make robust and accurate decisions in the healthcare system. Building upon this decision-making process, we apply the XAI framework to brain tumor detection as a use case demonstrating accurate and transparent diagnosis. Evaluation results underscore the exceptional performance of the XAI framework, achieving high precision, recall, and F1 scores with a training accuracy of 99% and a validation accuracy of 98%. Combining advanced XAI techniques with ensemble-based deep-learning (DL) methodologies allows for precise and reliable brain tumor diagnoses as an application of AIoMT.

Binary Gaussian Copula Synthesis: A Novel Data Augmentation Technique to Advance ML-based Clinical Decision Support Systems for Early Prediction of Dialysis Among CKD Patients

The Center for Disease Control estimates that over 37 million US adults suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet 9 out of 10 of these individuals are unaware of their condition due to the absence of symptoms in the early stages. It has a significant impact on patients' quality of life, particularly when it progresses to the need for dialysis. Early prediction of dialysis is crucial as it can significantly improve patient outcomes and assist healthcare providers in making timely and informed decisions. However, developing an effective machine learning (ML)-based Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for early dialysis prediction poses a key challenge due to the imbalanced nature of data. To address this challenge, this study evaluates various data augmentation techniques to understand their effectiveness on real-world datasets. We propose a new approach named Binary Gaussian Copula Synthesis (BGCS). BGCS is tailored for binary medical datasets and excels in generating synthetic minority data that mirrors the distribution of the original data. BGCS enhances early dialysis prediction by outperforming traditional methods in detecting dialysis patients. For the best ML model, Random Forest, BCGS achieved a 72% improvement, surpassing the state-of-the-art augmentation approaches. Also, we present a ML-based CDSS, designed to aid clinicians in making informed decisions. CDSS, which utilizes decision tree models, is developed to improve patient outcomes, identify critical variables, and thereby enable clinicians to make proactive decisions, and strategize treatment plans effectively for CKD patients who are more likely to require dialysis in the near future. Through comprehensive feature analysis and meticulous data preparation, we ensure that the CDSS's dialysis predictions are not only accurate but also actionable, providing a valuable tool in the management and treatment of CKD.

An Augmented Surprise-guided Sequential Learning Framework for Predicting the Melt Pool Geometry

Metal Additive Manufacturing (MAM) has reshaped the manufacturing industry, offering benefits like intricate design, minimal waste, rapid prototyping, material versatility, and customized solutions. However, its full industry adoption faces hurdles, particularly in achieving consistent product quality. A crucial aspect for MAM's success is understanding the relationship between process parameters and melt pool characteristics. Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into MAM is essential. Traditional machine learning (ML) methods, while effective, depend on large datasets to capture complex relationships, a significant challenge in MAM due to the extensive time and resources required for dataset creation. Our study introduces a novel surprise-guided sequential learning framework, SurpriseAF-BO, signaling a significant shift in MAM. This framework uses an iterative, adaptive learning process, modeling the dynamics between process parameters and melt pool characteristics with limited data, a key benefit in MAM's cyber manufacturing context. Compared to traditional ML models, our sequential learning method shows enhanced predictive accuracy for melt pool dimensions. Further improving our approach, we integrated a Conditional Tabular Generative Adversarial Network (CTGAN) into our framework, forming the CT-SurpriseAF-BO. This produces synthetic data resembling real experimental data, improving learning effectiveness. This enhancement boosts predictive precision without requiring additional physical experiments. Our study demonstrates the power of advanced data-driven techniques in cyber manufacturing and the substantial impact of sequential AI and ML, particularly in overcoming MAM's traditional challenges.

An unsupervised approach towards promptable defect segmentation in laser-based additive manufacturing by Segment Anything

Foundation models are currently driving a paradigm shift in computer vision tasks for various fields including biology, astronomy, and robotics among others, leveraging user-generated prompts to enhance their performance. In the manufacturing domain, accurate image-based defect segmentation is imperative to ensure product quality and facilitate real-time process control. However, such tasks are often characterized by multiple challenges including the absence of labels and the requirement for low latency inference among others. To address these issues, we construct a framework for image segmentation using a state-of-the-art Vision Transformer (ViT) based Foundation model (Segment Anything Model) with a novel multi-point prompt generation scheme using unsupervised clustering. We apply our framework to perform real-time porosity segmentation in a case study of laser base powder bed fusion (L-PBF) and obtain high Dice Similarity Coefficients (DSC) without the necessity for any supervised fine-tuning in the model. Using such lightweight foundation model inference in conjunction with unsupervised prompt generation, we envision the construction of a real-time anomaly detection pipeline that has the potential to revolutionize the current laser-based additive manufacturing processes, thereby facilitating the shift towards Industry 4.0 and promoting defect-free production along with operational efficiency.

Accelerating material discovery with a threshold-driven hybrid acquisition policy-based Bayesian optimization

Advancements in materials play a crucial role in technological progress. However, the process of discovering and developing materials with desired properties is often impeded by substantial experimental costs, extensive resource utilization, and lengthy development periods. To address these challenges, modern approaches often employ machine learning (ML) techniques such as Bayesian Optimization (BO), which streamline the search for optimal materials by iteratively selecting experiments that are most likely to yield beneficial results. However, traditional BO methods, while beneficial, often struggle with balancing the trade-off between exploration and exploitation, leading to sub-optimal performance in material discovery processes. This paper introduces a novel Threshold-Driven UCB-EI Bayesian Optimization (TDUE-BO) method, which dynamically integrates the strengths of Upper Confidence Bound (UCB) and Expected Improvement (EI) acquisition functions to optimize the material discovery process. Unlike the classical BO, our method focuses on efficiently navigating the high-dimensional material design space (MDS). TDUE-BO begins with an exploration-focused UCB approach, ensuring a comprehensive initial sweep of the MDS. As the model gains confidence, indicated by reduced uncertainty, it transitions to the more exploitative EI method, focusing on promising areas identified earlier. The UCB-to-EI switching policy dictated guided through continuous monitoring of the model uncertainty during each step of sequential sampling results in navigating through the MDS more efficiently while ensuring rapid convergence. The effectiveness of TDUE-BO is demonstrated through its application on three different material datasets, showing significantly better approximation and optimization performance over the EI and UCB-based BO methods in terms of the RMSE scores and convergence efficiency, respectively.

Strategic Data Augmentation with CTGAN for Smart Manufacturing: Enhancing Machine Learning Predictions of Paper Breaks in Pulp-and-Paper Production

A significant challenge for predictive maintenance in the pulp-and-paper industry is the infrequency of paper breaks during the production process. In this article, operational data is analyzed from a paper manufacturing machine in which paper breaks are relatively rare but have a high economic impact. Utilizing a dataset comprising 18,398 instances derived from a quality assurance protocol, we address the scarcity of break events (124 cases) that pose a challenge for machine learning predictive models. With the help of Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (CTGAN) and Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE), we implement a novel data augmentation framework. This method ensures that the synthetic data mirrors the distribution of the real operational data but also seeks to enhance the performance metrics of predictive modeling. Before and after the data augmentation, we evaluate three different machine learning algorithms-Decision Trees (DT), Random Forest (RF), and Logistic Regression (LR). Utilizing the CTGAN-enhanced dataset, our study achieved significant improvements in predictive maintenance performance metrics. The efficacy of CTGAN in addressing data scarcity was evident, with the models' detection of machine breaks (Class 1) improving by over 30% for Decision Trees, 20% for Random Forest, and nearly 90% for Logistic Regression. With this methodological advancement, this study contributes to industrial quality control and maintenance scheduling by addressing rare event prediction in manufacturing processes.

ML Algorithm Synthesizing Domain Knowledge for Fungal Spores Concentration Prediction

The pulp and paper manufacturing industry requires precise quality control to ensure pure, contaminant-free end products suitable for various applications. Fungal spore concentration is a crucial metric that affects paper usability, and current testing methods are labor-intensive with delayed results, hindering real-time control strategies. To address this, a machine learning algorithm utilizing time-series data and domain knowledge was proposed. The optimal model employed Ridge Regression achieving an MSE of 2.90 on training and validation data. This approach could lead to significant improvements in efficiency and sustainability by providing real-time predictions for fungal spore concentrations. This paper showcases a promising method for real-time fungal spore concentration prediction, enabling stringent quality control measures in the pulp-and-paper industry.