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Framelet Kernels With Applications to Support Vector Regression and Regularization Networks
Support vector regression and regularization networks are kernel-based techniques for solving the regression problem of recovering the unknown function from sample data. The choice of the kernel function, which determines the mapping between the input space and the feature space, is of crucial importance to such learning machines. Estimating the irregular function with a multiscale structure that comprises both the steep variations and the smooth variations is a hard problem. The result achieved by the traditional Gaussian kernel is often unsatisfactory, because it cannot simultaneously avoid underfltting and overfltting. In this paper, we present a new class of kernel functions derived from the framelet system. A framelet is a tight wavelet frame constructed via multiresolution analysis and has the merit of both wavelets and frames. The construction and approximation properties of framelets have been well studied. Our goal is to combine the power of framelet representation with the merit of kernel methods on learning from sparse data. The proposed framelet kernel has the ability to approximate functions with a multiscale structure and can reduce the influence of noise in data. Experiments on both simulated and real data illustrate the usefulness of the new kernels.
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IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society Information
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IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics—Part B: Cybernetics publication information
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Recourse-Based Facility-Location Problems in Hybrid Uncertain Environment
The objective of this paper is to study facility-location problems in the presence of a hybrid uncertain environment involving both randomness and fuzziness. A two-stage fuzzy-random facility-location model with recourse (FR-FLMR) is developed in which both the demands and costs are assumed to be fuzzy-random variables. The bounds of the optimal objective value of the two-stage FR-FLMR are derived. As, in general, the fuzzy-random parameters of the FR-FLMR can be regarded as continuous fuzzy-random variables with an infinite number of realizations, the computation of the recourse requires solving infinite second-stage programming problems. Owing to this requirement, the recourse function cannot be determined analytically, and, hence, the model cannot benefit from the use of techniques of classical mathematical programming. In order to solve the location problems of this nature, we first develop a technique of fuzzy-random simulation to compute the recourse function. The convergence of such simulation scenarios is discussed. In the sequel, we propose a hybrid mutation-based binary ant-colony optimization (MBACO) approach to the two-stage FR-FLMR, which comprises the fuzzy-random simulation and the simplex algorithm. A numerical experiment illustrates the application of the hybrid MBACO algorithm. The comparison shows that the hybrid MBACO finds better solutions than the one using other discrete metaheuristic algorithms, such as binary particle-swarm optimization, genetic algorithm, and tabu search.
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Special Issue on New Advances in Video-Based Gait Analysis and Applications: Challenges and Solutions
The six articles in this special issue span a variety of topics in terms of gait representation and analysis for different applications.
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Probability Density Estimation With Tunable Kernels Using Orthogonal Forward Regression
A generalized or tunable-kernel model is proposed for probability density function estimation based on an orthogonal forward regression procedure. Each stage of the density estimation process determines a tunable kernel, namely, its center vector and diagonal covariance matrix, by minimizing a leave-one-out test criterion. The kernel mixing weights of the constructed sparse density estimate are finally updated using the multiplicative nonnegative quadratic programming algorithm to ensure the nonnegative and unity constraints, and this weight-updating process additionally has the desired ability to further reduce the model size. The proposed tunable-kernel model has advantages, in terms of model generalization capability and model sparsity, over the standard fixed-kernel model that restricts kernel centers to the training data points and employs a single common kernel variance for every kernel. On the other hand, it does not optimize all the model parameters together and thus avoids the problems of high-dimensional ill-conditioned nonlinear optimization associated with the conventional finite mixture model. Several examples are included to demonstrate the ability of the proposed novel tunable-kernel model to effectively construct a very compact density estimate accurately.
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Low-Resolution Gait Recognition
Unlike other biometric authentication methods, gait recognition is noninvasive and effective from a distance. However, the performance of gait recognition will suffer in the low-resolution (LR) case. Furthermore, when gait sequences are projected onto a nonoptimal low-dimensional subspace to reduce the data complexity, the performance of gait recognition will also decline. To deal with these two issues, we propose a new algorithm called superresolution with manifold sampling and backprojection (SRMS), which learns the high-resolution (HR) counterparts of LR test images from a collection of HR/LR training gait image patch pairs. Then, we incorporate SRMS into a new algorithm called multilinear tensor-based learning without tuning parameters (MTP) for LR gait recognition. Our contributions include the following: 1) With manifold sampling, the redundancy of gait image patches is remarkably decreased; thus, the superresolution procedure is more efficient and reasonable. 2) Backprojection guarantees that the learned HR gait images and the corresponding LR gait images can be more consistent. 3) The optimal subspace dimension for dimension reduction is automatically determined without introducing extra parameters. 4) Theoretical analysis of the algorithm shows that MTP converges. Experiments on the USF human gait database and the CASIA gait database show the increased efficiency of the proposed algorithm, compared with previous algorithms.
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Automatic Location of Facial Feature Points and Synthesis of Facial Sketches Using Direct Combined Model
Automatically locating multiple feature points (i.e., the shape) in a facial image and then synthesizing the corresponding facial sketch are highly challenging since facial images typically exhibit a wide range of poses, expressions, and scales, and have differing degrees of illumination and/or occlusion. When the facial sketches are to be synthesized in the unique sketching style of a particular artist, the problem becomes even more complex. To resolve these problems, this paper develops an automatic facial sketch synthesis system based on a novel direct combined model (DCM) algorithm. The proposed system executes three cascaded procedures, namely, (1) synthesis of the facial shape from the input texture information (i.e., the facial image); (2) synthesis of the exaggerated facial shape from the synthesized facial shape; and (3) synthesis of a sketch from the original input image and the synthesized exaggerated shape. Previous proposals for reconstructing facial shapes and synthesizing the corresponding facial sketches are heavily reliant on the quality of the texture reconstruction results, which, in turn, are highly sensitive to occlusion and lighting effects in the input image. However, the DCM approach proposed in this paper accurately reconstructs the facial shape and then produces lifelike synthesized facial sketches without the need to recover occluded feature points or to restore the texture information lost as a result of unfavorable lighting conditions. Moreover, the DCM approach is capable of synthesizing facial sketches from input images with a wide variety of facial poses, gaze directions, and facial expressions even when such images are not included within the original training data set.
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Self-Calibrating View-Invariant Gait Biometrics
We present a new method for viewpoint independent gait biometrics. The system relies on a single camera, does not require camera calibration, and works with a wide range of camera views. This is achieved by a formulation where the gait is self-calibrating. These properties make the proposed method particularly suitable for identification by gait, where the advantages of completely unobtrusiveness, remoteness, and covertness of the biometric system preclude the availability of camera information and specific walking directions. The approach has been assessed for feature extraction and recognition capabilities on the SOTON gait database and then evaluated on a multiview database to establish recognition capability with respect to view invariance. Moreover, tests on the multiview CASIA-B database, composed of more than 2270 video sequences with 65 different subjects walking freely along different walking directions, have been performed. The obtained results show that human identification by gait can be achieved without any knowledge of internal or external camera parameters with a mean correct classification rate of 73.6% across all views using purely dynamic gait features. The performance of the proposed method is particularly encouraging for application in surveillance scenarios.
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Decentralized Fuzzy
 Filtering for Nonlinear Interconnected Systems With Multiple Time Delays
In general, due to the interaction among subsystems, it is difficult to design an H∞ filter for nonlinear interconnected systems. This paper introduces a decentralized H∞ fuzzy filter design for nonlinear interconnected systems with multiple time delays via T-S fuzzy models. The T-S fuzzy model consists of N time-delay T-S fuzzy subsystems. The decentralized H∞ filter is designed based on this model, which the asymptotic stability and a prescribed H∞ performance index are guaranteed for the overall filtering error system. A sufficient condition for the existence of such a filter is established by using linear matrix inequalities that are numerically feasible. A simulation example is given to show the effectiveness of this approach.
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Applications of a Simple Characterization of Human Gait in Surveillance
Applications of a simple spatiotemporal characterization of human gait in the surveillance domain are presented. The approach is based on decomposing a video sequence into x-t slices, which generate periodic patterns referred to as double helical signatures (DHSs). The features of DHS are given as follows: 1) they naturally encode the appearance and kinematics of human motion and reveal geometric symmetries and 2) they are effective and efficient for recovering gait parameters and detecting simple events. We present an iterative local curve embedding algorithm to extract the DHS from video sequences. Two applications are then considered. First, the DHS is used for simultaneous segmentation and labeling of body parts in cluttered scenes. Experimental results showed that the algorithm is robust to size, viewing angles, camera motion, and severe occlusion. Then, the DHS is used to classify load-carrying conditions. By examining various symmetries in DHS, activities such as carrying, holding, and walking with objects that are attached to legs are detected. Our approach possesses several advantages: a compact representation that can be computed in real time is used; furthermore, it does not depend on silhouettes or landmark tracking, which are sensitive to errors in background subtraction stage.
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Table of Contents
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Action and Gait Recognition From Recovered 3-D Human Joints
A common viewpoint-free framework that fuses pose recovery and classification for action and gait recognition is presented in this paper. First, a markerless pose recovery method is adopted to automatically capture the 3-D human joint and pose parameter sequences from volume data. Second, multiple configuration features (combination of joints) and movement features (position, orientation, and height of the body) are extracted from the recovered 3-D human joint and pose parameter sequences. A hidden Markov model (HMM) and an exemplar-based HMM are then used to model the movement features and configuration features, respectively. Finally, actions are classified by a hierarchical classifier that fuses the movement features and the configuration features, and persons are recognized from their gait sequences with the configuration features. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated with experiments on the Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et Automatique Xmas Motion Acquisition Sequences data set.
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Homography-Based Control Scheme for Mobile Robots With Nonholonomic and Field-of-View Constraints
In this paper, we present a visual servo controller that effects optimal paths for a nonholonomic differential drive robot with field-of-view constraints imposed by the vision system. The control scheme relies on the computation of homographies between current and goal images, but unlike previous homography-based methods, it does not use the homography to compute estimates of pose parameters. Instead, the control laws are directly expressed in terms of individual entries in the homography matrix. In particular, we develop individual control laws for the three path classes that define the language of optimal paths: rotations, straight-line segments, and logarithmic spirals. These control laws, as well as the switching conditions that define how to sequence path segments, are defined in terms of the entries of homography matrices. The selection of the corresponding control law requires the homography decomposition before starting the navigation. We provide a controllability and stability analysis for our system and give experimental results.
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Dual Gait Generative Models for Human Motion Estimation From a Single Camera
This paper presents a general gait representation framework for video-based human motion estimation. Specifically, we want to estimate the kinematics of an unknown gait from image sequences taken by a single camera. This approach involves two generative models, called the kinematic gait generative model (KGGM) and the visual gait generative model (VGGM), which represent the kinematics and appearances of a gait by a few latent variables, respectively. The concept of gait manifold is proposed to capture the gait variability among different individuals by which KGGM and VGGM can be integrated together, so that a new gait with unknown kinematics can be inferred from gait appearances via KGGM and VGGM. Moreover, a new particle-filtering algorithm is proposed for dynamic gait estimation, which is embedded with a segmental jump-diffusion Markov Chain Monte Carlo scheme to accommodate the gait variability in a long observed sequence. The proposed algorithm is trained from the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Mocap data and tested on the Brown University HumanEva data with promising results.
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Optimization of Shared Autonomy Vehicle Control Architectures for Swarm Operations
The need for greater capacity in automotive transportation (in the midst of constrained resources) and the convergence of key technologies from multiple domains may eventually produce the emergence of a “swarm” concept of operations. The swarm, which is a collection of vehicles traveling at high speeds and in close proximity, will require technology and management techniques to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable vehicle interactions. We propose a shared autonomy control approach, in which the strengths of both human drivers and machines are employed in concert for this management. Building from a fuzzy logic control implementation, optimal architectures for shared autonomy addressing differing classes of drivers (represented by the driver's response time) are developed through a genetic-algorithm-based search for preferred fuzzy rules. Additionally, a form of “phase transition” from a safe to an unsafe swarm architecture as the amount of sensor capability is varied uncovers key insights on the required technology to enable successful shared autonomy for swarm operations.
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Recognition of Affect Based on Gait Patterns
To provide a means for recognition of affect from a distance, this paper analyzes the capability of gait to reveal a person's affective state. We address interindividual versus person-dependent recognition, recognition based on discrete affective states versus recognition based on affective dimensions, and efficient feature extraction with respect to affect. Principal component analysis (PCA), kernel PCA, linear discriminant analysis, and general discriminant analysis are compared to either reduce temporal information in gait or extract relevant features for classification. Although expression of affect in gait is covered by the primary task of locomotion, person-dependent recognition of motion capture data reaches 95% accuracy based on the observation of a single stride. In particular, different levels of arousal and dominance are suitable for being recognized in gait. It is concluded that gait can be used as an additional modality for the recognition of affect. Application scenarios include monitoring in high-security areas, human-robot interaction, and cognitive home environments.
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L1-Norm-Based 2DPCA
In this paper, we first present a simple but effective L1-norm-based two-dimensional principal component analysis (2DPCA). Traditional L2-norm-based least squares criterion is sensitive to outliers, while the newly proposed L1-norm 2DPCA is robust. Experimental results demonstrate its advantages.
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Evaluating Point-Based POMDP Solvers on Multicore Machines
Recent scaling up of partially observable Markov decision process solvers toward realistic applications is largely due to point-based methods which quickly provide approximate solutions for midsized problems. New multicore machines offer an opportunity to scale up to larger domains. These machines support parallel execution and can speed up existing algorithms considerably. In this paper, we evaluate several ways in which point-based algorithms can be adapted to parallel computing. We overview the challenges and opportunities and present experimental results, providing evidence to the usability of our suggestions.
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Hybrid Simulated Annealing and Its Application to Optimization of Hidden Markov Models for Visual Speech Recognition
We propose a novel stochastic optimization algorithm, hybrid simulated annealing (SA), to train hidden Markov models (HMMs) for visual speech recognition. In our algorithm, SA is combined with a local optimization operator that substitutes a better solution for the current one to improve the convergence speed and the quality of solutions. We mathematically prove that the sequence of the objective values converges in probability to the global optimum in the algorithm. The algorithm is applied to train HMMs that are used as visual speech recognizers. While the popular training method of HMMs, the expectation-maximization algorithm, achieves only local optima in the parameter space, the proposed method can perform global optimization of the parameters of HMMs and thereby obtain solutions yielding improved recognition performance. The superiority of the proposed algorithm to the conventional ones is demonstrated via isolated word recognition experiments.
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