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This document is a special issue of the journal Algorithms, featuring selected papers from the journal's editorial board members from 2022 and 2023. The issue includes 16 research papers covering a range of topics such as game theory, fault detection in cellular networks, optimization algorithms, machine learning, cryptocurrency trading, and more. Each paper presents its own unique research findings and methodologies. The issue aims to showcase the diverse research interests and expertise of the journal's editorial board members. [Extracted from the article]

This paper presents a novel, multi-objective scatter search algorithm (MOSS) for a bi-objective, dynamic, multiprocessor open-shop scheduling problem (Bi-DMOSP). The considered objectives are the minimization of the maximum completion time (makespan) and the minimization of the mean weighted flow time. Both are particularly important for improving machines' utilization and customer satisfaction level in maintenance and healthcare diagnostic systems, in which the studied Bi-DMOSP is mostly encountered. Since the studied problem is NP-hard for both objectives, fast algorithms are needed to fulfill the requirements of real-life circumstances. Previous attempts have included the development of an exact algorithm and two metaheuristic approaches based on the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and the multi-objective gray wolf optimizer (MOGWO). The exact algorithm is limited to small-sized instances; meanwhile, NSGA-II was found to produce better results compared to MOGWO in both small- and large-sized test instances. The proposed MOSS in this paper attempts to provide more efficient non-dominated solutions for the studied Bi-DMOSP. This is achievable via its hybridization with a novel, bi-objective tabu search approach that utilizes a set of efficient neighborhood search functions. Parameter tuning experiments are conducted first using a subset of small-sized benchmark instances for which the optimal Pareto front solutions are known. Then, detailed computational experiments on small- and large-sized instances are conducted. Comparisons with the previously developed NSGA-II metaheuristic demonstrate the superiority of the proposed MOSS approach for small-sized instances. For large-sized instances, it proves its capability of producing competitive results for instances with low and medium density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data-driven models used for predictive classification and regression tasks are commonly computed using floating-point arithmetic and powerful computers. We address constraints in distributed sensor networks like the IoT, edge, and material-integrated computing, providing only low-resource embedded computers with sensor data that are acquired and processed locally. Sensor networks are characterized by strong heterogeneous systems. This work introduces and evaluates a virtual machine architecture that provides ML as a service layer (MLaaS) on the node level and addresses very low-resource distributed embedded computers (with less than 20 kB of RAM). The VM provides a unified ML instruction set architecture that can be programmed to implement decision trees, ANN, and CNN model architectures using scaled integer arithmetic only. Models are trained primarily offline using floating-point arithmetic, finally converted by an iterative scaling and transformation process, demonstrated in this work by two tests based on simulated and synthetic data. This paper is an extended version of the FedCSIS 2023 conference paper providing new algorithms and ML applications, including ANN/CNN-based regression and classification tasks studying the effects of discretization on classification and regression accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amazons is a computerized board game with complex positions that are highly challenging for humans. In this paper, we propose an efficient optimization of the Monte Carlo tree search (MCTS) algorithm for Amazons, fusing the 'Move Groups' strategy and the 'Parallel Evaluation' optimization strategy (MG-PEO). Specifically, we explain the high efficiency of the Move Groups strategy by defining a new criterion: the winning convergence distance. We also highlight the strategy's potential issue of falling into a local optimum and propose that the Parallel Evaluation mechanism can compensate for this shortcoming. Moreover, We conducted rigorous performance analysis and experiments. Performance analysis results indicate that the MCTS algorithm with the Move Groups strategy can improve the playing ability of the Amazons game by 20–30 times compared to the traditional MCTS algorithm. The Parallel Evaluation optimization further enhances the playing ability of the Amazons game by 2–3 times. Experimental results show that the MCTS algorithm with the MG-PEO strategy achieves a 23% higher game-winning rate on average compared to the traditional MCTS algorithm. Additionally, the MG-PEO Amazons program proposed in this paper won first prize in the Amazons Competition at the 2023 China Collegiate Computer Games Championship & National Computer Games Tournament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main contribution of this paper is to present a simple algorithm that theoretically and numerically assesses the switching angles of an inverter operated with the SPWM technique. This technique is the most widely used for eliminating harmonics in DC-AC converters for powering motors, renewable energy applications, household appliances, etc. Unlike conventional implementations of the SPWM technique based on the analog or digital comparison of a sinusoidal signal with a triangular signal, this paper mathematically performs this comparison. It proposes a simple solution to solve the transcendental equations arising from the mathematical analysis numerically. The technique is validated by calculating the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the generated signal theoretically and numerically, and the results indicate that the calculated angles produce the same distribution of harmonics calculated analytically and numerically. The algorithm is limited to single-phase inverters with unipolar SPWM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In traditional finance, option prices are typically calculated using crisp sets of variables. However, as reported in the literature novel, these parameters possess a degree of fuzziness or uncertainty. This allows participants to estimate option prices based on their risk preferences and beliefs, considering a range of possible values for the parameters. This paper presents a comprehensive review of existing work on fuzzy fractional Brownian motion and proposes an extension in the context of financial option pricing. In this paper, we define a unified framework combining fractional Brownian motion with fuzzy processes, creating a joint product measure space that captures both randomness and fuzziness. The approach allows for the consideration of individual risk preferences and beliefs about parameter uncertainties. By extending Merton's jump-diffusion model to include fuzzy fractional Brownian motion, this paper addresses the modelling needs of hybrid systems with uncertain variables. The proposed model, which includes fuzzy Poisson processes and fuzzy volatility, demonstrates advantageous properties such as long-range dependence and self-similarity, providing a robust tool for modelling financial markets. By incorporating fuzzy numbers and the belief degree, this approach provides a more flexible framework for practitioners to make their investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a crucial task in natural language processing, table question answering has garnered significant attention from both the academic and industrial communities. It enables intelligent querying and question answering over structured data by translating natural language into corresponding SQL statements. Recently, there have been notable advancements in the general domain table question answering task, achieved through prompt learning with large language models. However, in specific domains, where tables often have a higher number of columns and questions tend to be more complex, large language models are prone to generating invalid SQL or NoSQL statements. To address the above issue, this paper proposes a novel few-shot table prompt question answering approach. Specifically, we design a prompt template construction strategy for structured SQL generation. It utilizes prompt templates to restructure the input for each test data and standardizes the model output, which can enhance the integrity and validity of generated SQL. Furthermore, this paper introduces a contrastive exemplar selection approach based on the question patterns and formats in domain-specific contexts. This enables the model to quickly retrieve the relevant exemplars and learn characteristics about given question. Experimental results on the two datasets in the domains of electric energy and structural inspection show that the proposed approach outperforms the baseline models across all comparison settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current stomach disease detection and diagnosis is challenged by data complexity and high dimensionality and requires effective deep learning algorithms to improve diagnostic accuracy. To address this challenge, in this paper, an improved strategy based on the Adam algorithm is proposed, which aims to alleviate the influence of local optimal solutions, overfitting, and slow convergence rates by controlling the restart strategy and the gradient norm joint clipping technique. This improved algorithm is abbreviated as the CG-Adam algorithm. The control restart strategy performs a restart operation by periodically checking the number of steps and once the number of steps reaches a preset restart period. After the restart is completed, the algorithm will restart the optimization process. It helps the algorithm avoid falling into the local optimum and maintain convergence stability. Meanwhile, gradient norm joint clipping combines both gradient clipping and norm clipping techniques, which can avoid gradient explosion and gradient vanishing problems and help accelerate the convergence of the optimization process by restricting the gradient and norm to a suitable range. In order to verify the effectiveness of the CG-Adam algorithm, experimental validation is carried out on the MNIST, CIFAR10, and Stomach datasets and compared with the Adam algorithm as well as the current popular optimization algorithms. The experimental results demonstrate that the improved algorithm proposed in this paper achieves an accuracy of 98.59%, 70.7%, and 73.2% on the MNIST, CIFAR10, and Stomach datasets, respectively, surpassing the Adam algorithm. The experimental results not only prove the significant effect of the CG-Adam algorithm in accelerating the model convergence and improving generalization performance but also demonstrate its wide potential and practical application value in the field of medical image recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific papers published in journals or conferences, also considered academic publications, are the manifestation of scientific research achievements. Lots of scientific papers published in digital form bring new challenges for academic evaluation and information retrieval. Therefore, research on the ranking method of scientific papers is significant for the management and evaluation of academic resources. In this paper, we first identify internal and external factors for evaluating scientific papers and propose a publication ranking method based on an analysis of a heterogeneous academic network. We use four types of metadata (i.e., author, venue (journal or conference), topic, and title) as vertexes for creating the network; in there, the topics are trained by the SentenceLDA algorithm with the metadata of the abstract. We then use the Gibbs sampling method to create a heterogeneous academic network and apply the ConNetClus algorithm to calculate the probability value of publication ranking. To evaluate the significance of the method proposed in this paper, we compare the ranking results with BM25, PageRank, etc., and homogeneous networks in MAP and NDCG. As shown in our evaluation results, the performance of the method we propose in this paper is better than other baselines for ranking publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a summary of a journal article titled "Artificial Intelligence in Modeling and Simulation." The article discusses the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into modeling and simulation (M&S) processes. It highlights the various applications of AI in fields such as engineering, physics, social sciences, and biology. The article also provides an overview of 11 selected papers from a special issue on AI and M&S, covering topics such as AI techniques for simulation and optimization, AI in agent-based modeling, AI for data processing and classification models, and artificial neural network (ANN) methods for improved M&S. The papers explore different methodologies and approaches to enhance the efficiency and validity of modeling and simulation using AI. The article concludes by emphasizing the progress and diverse uses of AI in M&S and expressing gratitude to the authors, reviewers, and editorial team involved in the special issue. [Extracted from the article]

Consider a collection of entities moving continuously with bounded speed, but otherwise unpredictably, in some low-dimensional space. Two such entities encroach upon one another at a fixed time if their separation is less than some specified threshold. Encroachment, of concern in many settings such as collision avoidance, may be unavoidable. However, the associated difficulties are compounded if there is uncertainty about the precise location of entities, giving rise to potential encroachment and, more generally, potential congestion within the full collection. We adopt a model in which entities can be queried for their current location (at some cost) and the uncertainty region associated with an entity grows in proportion to the time since that entity was last queried. The goal is to maintain low potential congestion, measured in terms of the (dynamic) intersection graph of uncertainty regions, at specified (possibly all) times, using the lowest possible query cost. Previous work in the same uncertainty model addressed the problem of minimizing the congestion potential of point entities using location queries of some bounded frequency. It was shown that it is possible to design query schemes that are O (1) -competitive, in terms of worst-case congestion potential, with other, even clairvoyant query schemes (that exploit knowledge of the trajectories of all entities), subject to the same bound on query frequency. In this paper, we initiate the treatment of a more general problem with the complementary optimization objective: minimizing the query frequency, measured as the reciprocal of the minimum time between queries (granularity), while guaranteeing a fixed bound on congestion potential of entities with positive extent at one specified target time. This complementary objective necessitates quite different schemes and analyses. Nevertheless, our results parallel those of the earlier papers, specifically tight competitive bounds on required query frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of computer technology, communication technology, and control technology, cyber-physical systems (CPSs) have been widely used and developed. However, there are massive information interactions in CPSs, which lead to an increase in the amount of data transmitted over the network. The data communication, once attacked by the network, will seriously affect the security and stability of the system. In this paper, for the data tampering attack existing in the linear system with multiple binary observations, in the case where the estimation algorithm of the defender is unknown, the optimization index is constructed based on information entropy from the attacker's point of view, and the problem is modeled. For the problem of the multi-parameter optimization with energy constraints, this paper uses particle swarm optimization (PSO) to obtain the optimal data tampering attack solution set, and gives the estimation method of unknown parameters in the case of unknown parameters. To implement the real-time improvement of online implementation, the BP neural network is designed. Finally, the validity of the conclusions is verified through numerical simulation. This means that the attacker can construct effective metrics based on information entropy without the knowledge of the defense's discrimination algorithm. In addition, the optimal attack strategy implementation based on PSO and BP is also effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interconnection of Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) has created new opportunities for remote management, data storage in the cloud, real-time data transfer over long distances, or integration between different OT and IT networks. OT networks require increased attention due to the convergence of IT and OT, mainly due to the increased risk of cyber-attacks targeting these networks. This paper focuses on the analysis of different methods and data processing for protocol recognition and traffic classification in the context of OT specifics. Therefore, this paper summarizes the methods used to classify network traffic, analyzes the methods used to recognize and identify the protocol used in the industrial network, and describes machine learning methods to recognize industrial protocols. The output of this work is a comparative analysis of approaches specifically for protocol recognition and traffic classification in OT networks. In addition, publicly available datasets are compared in relation to their applicability for industrial protocol recognition. Research challenges are also identified, highlighting the lack of relevant datasets and defining directions for further research in the area of protocol recognition and classification in OT environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In decentralized systems, the quest for heightened security and integrity within blockchain networks becomes an issue. This survey investigates anomaly detection techniques in blockchain ecosystems through the lens of unsupervised learning, delving into the intricacies and going through the complex tapestry of abnormal behaviors by examining avant-garde algorithms to discern deviations from normal patterns. By seamlessly blending technological acumen with a discerning gaze, this survey offers a perspective on the symbiotic relationship between unsupervised learning and anomaly detection by reviewing this problem with a categorization of algorithms that are applied to a variety of problems in this field. We propose that the use of unsupervised algorithms in blockchain anomaly detection should be viewed not only as an implementation procedure but also as an integration procedure, where the merits of these algorithms can effectively be combined in ways determined by the problem at hand. In that sense, the main contribution of this paper is a thorough study of the interplay between various unsupervised learning algorithms and how this can be used in facing malicious activities and behaviors within public and private blockchain networks. The result is the definition of three categories, the characteristics of which are recognized in terms of the way the respective integration takes place. When implementing unsupervised learning, the structure of the data plays a pivotal role. Therefore, this paper also provides an in-depth presentation of the data structures commonly used in unsupervised learning-based blockchain anomaly detection. The above analysis is encircled by a presentation of the typical anomalies that have occurred so far along with a description of the general machine learning frameworks developed to deal with them. Finally, the paper spotlights challenges and directions that can serve as a comprehensive compendium for future research efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the following problem: given m potential observations to determine n parameters, m > n , what is the best choice of n observations. The problem can be formulated as finding the n × n submatrix of the complete m × n observation matrix that has maximum determinant. An algorithm by Gu and Eisenstat for a determining a strongly rank-revealing QR factorisation of a matrix can be adapted to address this latter formulation. The algorithm starts with an initial selection of n rows of the observation matrix and then performs a sequence of row interchanges, with the determinant of the current submatrix strictly increasing at each step until no further improvement can be made. The algorithm implements rank-one updating strategies, which leads to a compact and efficient algorithm. The algorithm does not necessarily determine the global optimum but provides a practical approach to designing an effective measurement strategy. In this paper, we describe how the Gu–Eisenstat algorithm can be adapted to address the problem of optimal experimental design and used with the QR algorithm with column pivoting to provide effective designs. We also describe implementations of sequential algorithms to add further measurements that optimise the information gain at each step. We illustrate performance on several metrology examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on baggage flow plays a pivotal role in achieving the efficient and intelligent allocation and scheduling of airport service resources, as well as serving as a fundamental element in determining the design, development, and process optimization of airport baggage handling systems. This paper examines baggage checked in by departing passengers at airports. The crrent state of the research on baggage flow demand is first reviewed and analyzed. Then, using examples of objective data, it is concluded that while there is a significant correlation between airport passenger flow and baggage flow, an increase in passenger flow does not necessarily result in a proportional increase in baggage flow. According to the existing research results on the influencing factors of baggage flow sorting and classification, the main influencing factors of baggage flow are divided into two categories: macro-influencing factors and micro-influencing factors. When studying the relationship between the economy and baggage flow, it is recommended to use a comprehensive analysis that includes multiple economic indicators, rather than relying solely on GDP. This paper provides a brief overview of prevalent transportation flow prediction methods, categorizing algorithmic models into three groups: based on mathematical and statistical models, intelligent algorithmic-based models, and combined algorithmic models utilizing artificial neural networks. The structures, strengths, and weaknesses of various transportation flow prediction algorithms are analyzed, as well as their application scenarios. The potential advantages of using artificial neural network-based combined prediction models for baggage flow forecasting are explained. It concludes with an outlook on research regarding the demand for baggage flow. This review may provide further research assistance to scholars in airport management and baggage handling system development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the concept of proportional lumpability as an extension of the original definition of lumpability, addressing the challenges posed by the state space explosion problem in computing performance indices for large stochastic models. Lumpability traditionally relies on state aggregation techniques and is applicable to Markov chains demonstrating structural regularity. Proportional lumpability extends this idea, proposing that the transition rates of a Markov chain can be modified by certain factors, resulting in a lumpable new Markov chain. This concept facilitates the derivation of precise performance indices for the original process. This paper establishes the well-defined nature of the problem of computing the coarsest proportional lumpability that refines a given initial partition, ensuring a unique solution exists. Additionally, a polynomial time algorithm is introduced to solve this problem, offering valuable insights into both the concept of proportional lumpability and the broader realm of partition refinement techniques. The effectiveness of proportional lumpability is demonstrated through a case study that consists of designing a model to investigate selfish mining behaviors on public blockchains. This research contributes to a better understanding of efficient approaches for handling large stochastic models and highlights the practical applicability of proportional lumpability in deriving exact performance indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forecasting the generation of solar power plants (SPPs) requires taking into account meteorological parameters that influence the difference between the solar irradiance at the top of the atmosphere calculated with high accuracy and the solar irradiance at the tilted plane of the solar panel on the Earth's surface. One of the key factors is cloudiness, which can be presented not only as a percentage of the sky area covered by clouds but also many additional parameters, such as the type of clouds, the distribution of clouds across atmospheric layers, and their height. The use of machine learning algorithms to forecast the generation of solar power plants requires retrospective data over a long period and formalising the features; however, retrospective data with detailed information about cloudiness are normally recorded in the natural language format. This paper proposes an algorithm for processing such records to convert them into a binary feature vector. Experiments conducted on data from a real solar power plant showed that this algorithm increases the accuracy of short-term solar irradiance forecasts by 5–15%, depending on the quality metric used. At the same time, adding features makes the model less transparent to the user, which is a significant drawback from the point of view of explainable artificial intelligence. Therefore, the paper uses an additive explanation algorithm based on the Shapley vector to interpret the model's output. It is shown that this approach allows the machine learning model to explain why it generates a particular forecast, which will provide a greater level of trust in intelligent information systems in the power industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel background subtraction method that utilizes texture-level analysis based on the Gabor filter bank and statistical moments. The method addresses the challenge of accurately detecting moving objects that exhibit similar color intensity variability or texture to the surrounding environment, which conventional methods struggle to handle effectively. The proposed method accurately distinguishes between foreground and background objects by capturing different frequency components using the Gabor filter bank and quantifying the texture level through statistical moments. Extensive experimental evaluations use datasets featuring varying lighting conditions, uniform and non-uniform textures, shadows, and dynamic backgrounds. The performance of the proposed method is compared against other existing methods using metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, and false positive rate. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms other methods in accuracy and robustness. It effectively handles scenarios with complex backgrounds, lighting changes, and objects that exhibit similar texture or color intensity as the background. Our method retains object structure while minimizing false detections and noise. This paper provides valuable insights into computer vision and object detection, offering a promising solution for accurate foreground detection in various applications such as video surveillance and motion tracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malfatti's problem involves three circles (called Malfatti circles) that are tangent to each other and two sides of a triangle. In this study, our objective is to extend the problem to find 6, 10, ... ∑ 1 n i (n > 2) circles inside the triangle so that the three corner circles are tangent to two sides of the triangle, the boundary circles are tangent to one side of the triangle, and four other circles (at least two of them being boundary or corner circles) and the inner circles are tangent to six other circles. We call this problem the extended general Malfatti's problem, or the Tri(Tn) problem, where Tri means that the boundary of these circles is a triangle, and Tn is the number of circles inside the triangle. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to solve the Tri(Tn) problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, algorithms for different types of trigonometric power sums are developed and presented. Although interesting in their own right, these trigonometric power sums arise during the creation of an algorithm for the four types of twisted trigonometric power sums defined in the introduction. The primary aim in evaluating these sums is to obtain exact results in a rational form, as opposed to standard or direct evaluation, which often results in machine-dependent decimal values that can be affected by round-off errors. Moreover, since the variable, m, appearing in the denominators of the arguments of the trigonometric functions in these sums, can remain algebraic in the algorithms/codes, one can also obtain polynomial solutions in powers of m and the variable r that appears in the cosine factor accompanying the trigonometric power. The degrees of these polynomials are found to be dependent upon v, the value of the trigonometric power in the sum, which must always be specified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates how the processing of Brillouin gain spectra (BGS) by two-dimensional correlation methods improves the accuracy of Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) extraction in distributed fiber optic sensor systems based on the BOTDA/BOTDR (Brillouin optical time domain analysis/reflectometry) principles. First, the spectra corresponding to different spatial coordinates of the fiber sensor are resampled. Subsequently, the resampled spectra are aligned by the position of the maximum by shifting in frequency relative to each other. The spectra aligned by the position of the maximum are then averaged, which effectively increases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Finally, the Lorentzian curve fitting (LCF) method is applied to the spectrum with improved characteristics, including a reduced scanning step and an increased SNR. Simulations and experiments have demonstrated that the method is particularly efficacious when the signal-to-noise ratio does not exceed 8 dB and the frequency scanning step is coarser than 4 MHz. This is particularly relevant when designing high-speed sensors, as well as when using non-standard laser sources, such as a self-scanning frequency laser, for distributed fiber-optic sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of a depalletizing system is to automate the process of detecting and locating specific variable-shaped objects on a pallet, allowing a robotic system to accurately unstack them. Although many solutions exist for the problem in industrial and manufacturing settings, the application to small-scale scenarios such as retail vending machines and small warehouses has not received much attention so far. This paper presents a comparative analysis of four different computer vision algorithms for the depalletizing task, implemented on a Raspberry Pi 4, a very popular single-board computer with low computer power suitable for the IoT and edge computing. The algorithms evaluated include the following: pattern matching, scale-invariant feature transform, Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF, and Haar cascade classifier. Each technique is described and their implementations are outlined. Their evaluation is performed on the task of box detection and localization in the test images to assess their suitability in a depalletizing system. The performance of the algorithms is given in terms of accuracy, robustness to variability, computational speed, detection sensitivity, and resource consumption. The results reveal the strengths and limitations of each algorithm, providing valuable insights for selecting the most appropriate technique based on the specific requirements of a depalletizing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bipartite polarization problem is an optimization problem where the goal is to find the highest polarized bipartition on a weighted and labeled graph that represents a debate developed through some social network, where nodes represent user's opinions and edges agreement or disagreement between users. This problem can be seen as a generalization of the maxcut problem, and in previous work, approximate solutions and exact solutions have been obtained for real instances obtained from Reddit discussions, showing that such real instances seem to be very easy to solve. In this paper, we further investigate the complexity of this problem by introducing an instance generation model where a single parameter controls the polarization of the instances in such a way that this correlates with the average complexity to solve those instances. The average complexity results we obtain are consistent with our hypothesis: the higher the polarization of the instance, the easier is to find the corresponding polarized bipartition. In view of the experimental results, it is computationally feasible to implement transparent mechanisms to monitor polarization on online discussions and to inform about solutions for creating healthier social media environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we aimed to identify the dynamics of a crude distillation unit (CDU) using closed-loop data with NARX−NN and the Koopman operator in both linear (KL) and bilinear (KB) forms. A comparative analysis was conducted to assess the performance of each method under different experimental conditions, such as the gain, a delay and time constant mismatch, tight constraints, nonlinearities, and poor tuning. Although NARX−NN showed good training performance with the lowest Mean Squared Error (MSE), the KB demonstrated better generalization and robustness, outperforming the other methods. The KL observed a significant decline in performance in the presence of nonlinearities in inputs, yet it remained competitive with the KB under other circumstances. The use of the bilinear form proved to be crucial, as it offered a more accurate representation of CDU dynamics, resulting in enhanced performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ballast serves a vital structural function in supporting railroad tracks under continuous loading. The degradation of ballast can result in issues such as inadequate drainage, lateral instability, excessive settlement, and potential service disruptions, necessitating efficient evaluation methods to ensure safe and reliable railroad operations. The incorporation of computer vision techniques into ballast inspection processes has proven effective in enhancing accuracy and robustness. Given the data-driven nature of deep learning approaches, the efficacy of these models is intrinsically linked to the quality of the training datasets, thereby emphasizing the need for a comprehensive and meticulously annotated ballast aggregate dataset. This paper presents the development of a multi-dimensional ballast aggregate dataset, constructed using empirical data collected from field and laboratory environments, supplemented with synthetic data generated by a proprietary ballast particle generator. The dataset comprises both two-dimensional (2D) data, consisting of ballast images annotated with 2D masks for particle localization, and three-dimensional (3D) data, including heightmaps, point clouds, and 3D annotations for particle localization. The data collection process encompassed various environmental lighting conditions and degradation states, ensuring extensive coverage and diversity within the training dataset. A previously developed 2D ballast particle segmentation model was trained on this augmented dataset, demonstrating high accuracy in field ballast inspections. This comprehensive database will be utilized in subsequent research to advance 3D ballast particle segmentation and shape completion, thereby facilitating enhanced inspection protocols and the development of effective ballast maintenance methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discrete cosine transform (DCT) is widely used for image and video compression. Lossy algorithms such as JPEG, WebP, BPG and many others are based on it. Multiple modifications of DCT have been developed to improve its performance. One of them is adaptive DCT (ADCT) designed to deal with heterogeneous image structure and it may be found, for example, in the HEVC video codec. Adaptivity means that the image is divided into an uneven grid of squares: smaller ones retain information about details better, while larger squares are efficient for homogeneous backgrounds. The practical use of adaptive DCT algorithms is complicated by the lack of optimal threshold search algorithms for image partitioning procedures. In this paper, we propose a novel method for optimal threshold search in ADCT using a metric based on tonal distribution. We define two thresholds: pm, the threshold defining solid mean coloring, and ps, defining the quadtree fragment splitting. In our algorithm, the values of these thresholds are calculated via polynomial functions of the tonal distribution of a particular image or fragment. The polynomial coefficients are determined using the dedicated optimization procedure on the dataset containing images from the specific domain, urban road scenes in our case. In the experimental part of the study, we show that ADCT allows a higher compression ratio compared to non-adaptive DCT at the same level of quality loss, up to 66% for acceptable quality. The proposed algorithm may be used directly for image compression, or as a core of video compression framework in traffic-demanding applications, such as urban video surveillance systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a detailed analysis of a convolutional neural network based on multi-valued neurons (CNNMVN) and a fully connected multilayer neural network based on multi-valued neurons (MLMVN), employed here as a convolutional neural network in the frequency domain. We begin by providing an overview of the fundamental concepts underlying CNNMVN, focusing on the organization of convolutional layers and the CNNMVN learning algorithm. The error backpropagation rule for this network is justified and presented in detail. Subsequently, we consider how MLMVN can be used as a convolutional neural network in the frequency domain. It is shown that each neuron in the first hidden layer of MLMVN may work as a frequency-domain convolutional kernel, utilizing the Convolution Theorem. Essentially, these neurons create Fourier transforms of the feature maps that would have resulted from the convolutions in the spatial domain performed in regular convolutional neural networks. Furthermore, we discuss optimization techniques for both networks and compare the resulting convolutions to explore which features they extract from images. Finally, we present experimental results showing that both approaches can achieve high accuracy in image recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clique transversal problem is a critical concept in graph theory, focused on identifying a minimum subset of vertices that intersects all maximal cliques in a graph. This problem and its variations—such as the k-fold clique, { k } -clique, minus clique, and signed clique transversal problems—have received significant interest due to their theoretical importance and practical applications. This paper examines the k-fold clique, { k } -clique, minus clique, and signed clique transversal problems on distance-hereditary graphs. Known for their distinctive structural properties, distance hereditary graphs provide an ideal framework for studying these problem variants. By exploring these issues in the context of distance-hereditary graphs, this research enhances the understanding of the computational challenges and the potential for developing efficient algorithms to address these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel non-smooth numerical optimization approach for solving the Three-Point Dubins Problem (3PDP). The 3PDP requires determining the shortest path of bounded curvature that connects given initial and final positions and orientations while traversing a specified waypoint. The inherent discontinuity of this problem precludes the use of conventional optimization algorithms. We propose two innovative methods specifically designed to address this challenge. These methods not only effectively solve the 3PDP but also offer significant computational efficiency improvements over existing state-of-the-art techniques. Our contributions include the formulation of these new algorithms, a detailed analysis of their theoretical foundations, and their implementation. Additionally, we provide a thorough comparison with current leading approaches, demonstrating the superior performance of our methods in terms of accuracy and computational speed. This work advances the field of path planning in robotics, providing practical solutions for applications requiring efficient and precise motion planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data labeling systems are designed to facilitate the training and validation of machine learning algorithms under the umbrella of crowdsourcing practices. The current paper presents a novel approach for designing a customized data labeling system, emphasizing two key aspects: an innovative payment mechanism for users and an efficient configuration of output results. The main problem addressed is the labeling of datasets where golden items are utilized to verify user performance and assure the quality of the annotated outputs. Our proposed payment mechanism is enhanced through a modified skip-based golden-oriented function that balances user penalties and prevents spam activities. Additionally, we introduce a comprehensive reporting framework to measure aggregated results and accuracy levels, ensuring the reliability of the labeling output. Our findings indicate that the proposed solutions are pivotal in incentivizing user participation, thereby reinforcing the applicability and profitability of newly launched labeling systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unsupervised learning is a type of machine learning that learns from data without human supervision. Unsupervised feature selection (UFS) is crucial in data analytics, which plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of results and reducing computational complexity in huge feature spaces. The UFS problem has been addressed in several research efforts. Recent studies have witnessed a surge in innovative techniques like nature-inspired algorithms for clustering and UFS problems. However, very few studies consider the UFS problem as a multi-objective problem to find the optimal trade-off between the number of selected features and model accuracy. This paper proposes a multi-objective symbiotic organism search algorithm for unsupervised feature selection (SOSUFS) and a symbiotic organism search-based clustering (SOSC) algorithm to generate the optimal feature subset for more accurate clustering. The efficiency and robustness of the proposed algorithm are investigated on benchmark datasets. The SOSUFS method, combined with SOSC, demonstrated the highest f-measure, whereas the KHCluster method resulted in the lowest f-measure. SOSFS effectively reduced the number of features by more than half. The proposed symbiotic organisms search-based optimal unsupervised feature-selection (SOSUFS) method, along with search-based optimal clustering (SOSC), was identified as the top-performing clustering approach. Following this, the SOSUFS method demonstrated strong performance. In summary, this empirical study indicates that the proposed algorithm significantly surpasses state-of-the-art algorithms in both efficiency and effectiveness. Unsupervised learning in artificial intelligence involves machine-learning techniques that learn from data without human supervision. Unlike supervised learning, unsupervised machine-learning models work with unlabeled data to uncover patterns and insights independently, without explicit guidance or instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is a major cause of mortality worldwide, disrupts cerebral blood flow, leading to severe brain damage. Hemiplegia, a common consequence, results in motor task loss on one side of the body. Many stroke survivors face long-term motor impairments and require great rehabilitation. Electroencephalograms (EEGs) provide a non-invasive method to monitor brain activity and have been used in brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) to help in rehabilitation. Motor imagery (MI) tasks, detected through EEG, are pivotal for developing BCIs that assist patients in regaining motor purpose. However, interpreting EEG signals for MI tasks remains challenging due to their complexity and low signal-to-noise ratio. The main aim of this study is to focus on optimizing channel selection in EEG-based BCIs specifically for stroke rehabilitation. Determining the most informative EEG channels is crucial for capturing the neural signals related to motor impairments in stroke patients. In this paper, a binary bat algorithm (BA)-based optimization method is proposed to select the most relevant channels tailored to the unique neurophysiological changes in stroke patients. This approach is able to enhance the BCI performance by improving classification accuracy and reducing data dimensionality. We use time–entropy–frequency (TEF) attributes, processed through automated independent component analysis with wavelet transform (AICA-WT) denoising, to enhance signal clarity. The selected channels and features are proved through a k-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier using public BCI datasets, demonstrating improved classification of MI tasks and the potential for better rehabilitation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operator precedence grammars (OPG) are context-free grammars (CFG) that are characterized by the absence of two adjacent non-terminal symbols in the body of each production (right-hand side). Operator precedence languages (OPL) are deterministic and context-free. Three possible precedence relations between pairs of terminal symbols are established for these languages. Many CFGs are not OPGs because the operator precedence cannot be applied to them as they do not comply with the basic rule. To solve this problem, we have conducted a thorough redefinition of the Left and Right sets of terminals that are the basis for calculating the precedence relations, and we have defined a new Leftmost set. The algorithms for calculating them are also described in detail. Our work's most significant contribution is that we establish precedence relationships between terminals by overcoming the basic rule of not having two consecutive non-terminals using an algorithm that allows building the operator precedence table for a CFG regardless of whether it is an OPG. The paper shows the complexities of the proposed algorithms and possible exceptions to the proposed rules. We present examples by using an OPG and two non-OPGs to illustrate the operation of the proposed algorithms. With these, the operator precedence table is built, and bottom-up parsing is carried out correctly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a quantum algorithm for solving the one-dimensional heat equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions. The algorithm utilizes discretization techniques and employs quantum gates to emulate the heat propagation operator. Central to the algorithm is the Trotter–Suzuki decomposition, enabling the simulation of the time evolution of the temperature distribution. The initial temperature distribution is encoded into quantum states, and the evolution of these states is driven by quantum gates tailored to mimic the heat propagation process. As per the literature, quantum algorithms exhibit an exponential computational speedup with increasing qubit counts, albeit facing challenges such as exponential growth in relative error and cost functions. This study addresses these challenges by assessing the potential impact of quantum simulations on heat conduction modeling. Simulation outcomes across various quantum devices, including simulators and real quantum computers, demonstrate a decrease in the relative error with an increasing number of qubits. Notably, simulators like the simulator_statevector exhibit lower relative errors compared to the ibmq_qasm_simulator and ibm_osaka. The proposed approach underscores the broader applicability of quantum computing in physical systems modeling, particularly in advancing heat conductivity analysis methods. Through its innovative approach, this study contributes to enhancing modeling accuracy and efficiency in heat conduction simulations across diverse domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a systematic review on production scheduling based on reinforcement learning (RL) techniques using especially bibliometric analysis has been carried out. The aim of this work is, among other things, to point out the growing interest in this domain and to outline the influence of RL as a type of machine learning on production scheduling. To achieve this, the paper explores production scheduling using RL by investigating the descriptive metadata of pertinent publications contained in Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases. The study focuses on a wide spectrum of publications spanning the years between 1996 and 2024. The findings of this study can serve as new insights for future research endeavors in the realm of production scheduling using RL techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gas-gathering pipeline network is a critical infrastructure for collecting and conveying natural gas from the extraction site to the processing facility. This paper introduces a design optimization model for a star–tree gas-gathering pipeline network within a discrete space, aimed at determining the optimal configuration of this infrastructure. The objective is to reduce the investment required to build the network. Key decision variables include the locations of stations, the plant location, the connections between wells and stations, and the interconnections between stations. Several equality and inequality constraints are formulated, primarily addressing the affiliation between wells and stations, the transmission radius, and the capacity of the stations. The design of a star–tree pipeline network represents a complex, non-deterministic polynomial (NP) hard combinatorial optimization problem. To tackle this challenge, a hierarchical optimization framework coupled with an improved genetic algorithm (IGA) is proposed. The efficacy of the genetic algorithm is validated through testing and comparison with other traditional algorithms. Subsequently, the optimization model and solution methodology are applied to the layout design of a pipeline network. The findings reveal that the optimized network configuration reduces investment costs by 16% compared to the original design. Furthermore, when comparing the optimal layout under a star–star topology, it is observed that the investment needed for the star–star topology is 4% higher than that needed for the star–tree topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design, implementation, and usage of a Python package called Hyperspectral Python (HypPy). Proprietary software for processing hyperspectral images is expensive, and tools developed using these packages cannot be freely distributed. The idea of HypPy is to be able to process hyperspectral images using free and open-source software. HypPy was developed using Python and relies on the array-processing capabilities of packages like NumPy and SciPy. HypPy was designed with practical imaging spectrometry in mind and has implemented a number of novel ideas. To name a few of these ideas, HypPy has BandMath and SpectralMath tools for processing images and spectra using Python statements, can process spectral libraries as if they were images, and can address bands by wavelength rather than band number. We expect HypPy to be beneficial for research, education, and projects using hyperspectral data because it is flexible and versatile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper appraises convolutional neural network (CNN) models' capabilities in emotion detection from facial expressions, seeking to aid the diagnosis of psychosomatic illnesses, typically made in clinical setups. Using the FER-2013 dataset, two CNN models were designed to detect six emotions with 64% accuracy—although not evenly distributed; they demonstrated higher effectiveness in identifying "happy" and "surprise." The assessment was performed through several performance metrics—accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-scores—besides further validation with an additional simulated clinical environment for practicality checks. Despite showing promising levels for future use, this investigation highlights the need for extensive validation studies in clinical settings. This research underscores AI's potential value as an adjunct to traditional diagnostic approaches while focusing on wider scope (broader datasets) plus focus (multimodal integration) areas to be considered among recommendations in forthcoming studies. This study underscores the importance of CNN models in developing psychosomatic diagnostics and promoting future development based on ethics and patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delivery apps are experiencing significant growth, requiring efficient algorithms to coordinate transportation and generate profits. One problem that considers the goals of delivery apps is the multi-vehicle profitable pickup and delivery problem (MVPPDP). In this paper, we propose eight new metaheuristics to improve the initial solutions for the MVPPDP based on the well-known swarm intelligence algorithm, Artificial Bee Colony (ABC): K-means-GRASP-ABC(C)S1, K-means-GRASP-ABC(C)S2, Modified K-means-GRASP-ABC(C)S1, Modified K-means-GRASP-ABC(C)S2, ACO-GRASP-ABC(C)S1, ACO-GRASP-ABC(C)S2, ABC(S1), and ABC(S2). All methods achieved superior performance in most instances in terms of processing time. For example, for 250 customers, the average times of the algorithms was 75.9, 72.86, 79.17, 73.85, 76.60, 66.29, 177.07, and 196.09, which were faster than those of the state-of-the-art methods that took 300 s. Moreover, all proposed algorithms performed well on small-size instances in terms of profit by achieving thirteen new best solutions and five equal solutions to the best-known solutions. However, the algorithms slightly lag behind in medium- and large-sized instances due to the greedy randomised strategy and GRASP that have been used in the scout bee phase. Moreover, our algorithms prioritise minimal solutions and iterations for rapid processing time in daily m-commerce apps, while reducing iteration counts and population sizes reduces the likelihood of obtaining good solution quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is widely applied in prognostic and health management (PHM) of turbofan engines. Although some of the existing deep learning-based models for RUL prediction of turbofan engines have achieved satisfactory results, there are still some challenges. For example, the spatial features and importance differences hidden in the raw monitoring data are not sufficiently addressed or highlighted. In this paper, a novel multi-head self-Attention fully convolutional network (MSA-FCN) is proposed for predicting the RUL of turbofan engines. MSA-FCN combines a fully convolutional network and multi-head structure, focusing on the degradation correlation among various components of the engine and extracting spatially characteristic degradation representations. Furthermore, by introducing dual multi-head self-attention modules, MSA-FCN can capture the differential contributions of sensor data and extracted degradation representations to RUL prediction, emphasizing key data and representations. The experimental results on the C-MAPSS dataset demonstrate that, under various operating conditions and failure modes, MSA-FCN can effectively predict the RUL of turbofan engines. Compared with 11 mainstream deep neural networks, MSA-FCN achieves competitive advantages in terms of both accuracy and timeliness for RUL prediction, delivering more accurate and reliable forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In large indoor environments, accurate positioning and tracking of people and autonomous equipment have become essential requirements. The application of increasingly automated moving transportation units in large indoor spaces demands a precise knowledge of their positions, for both efficiency and safety reasons. Moreover, satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) signals are likely to be unusable in deep indoor spaces, and technologies like WiFi and Bluetooth are susceptible to signal noise and fading effects. For these reasons, a hybrid approach that employs at least two different signal typologies proved to be more effective, resilient, robust, and accurate in determining localization in indoor environments. This paper proposes an improved hybrid technique that implements fingerprinting-based indoor positioning using Received Signal Strength (RSS) information from available Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access points and Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technology. Six signals were recorded on a regular grid of anchor points covering the research surface. For optimization purposes, appropriate raw signal weighing was applied in accordance with previous research on the same data. The novel approach in this work consisted of performing a virtual tessellation of the considered indoor surface with a regular set of tiles encompassing the whole area. The optimization process was focused on varying the size of the tiles as well as their relative position concerning the signal acquisition grid, with the goal of minimizing the average distance error based on tile identification accuracy. The optimization process was conducted using a standard Quantum Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO), while the position error estimate for each tile configuration was performed using a 3-layer Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network. These experimental results showed a 16% reduction in the positioning error when a suitable tile configuration was calculated in the optimization process. Our final achieved value of 0.611 m of location incertitude shows a sensible improvement compared to our previous results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge computing is one of the technological areas currently considered among the most promising for the implementation of many types of applications. In particular, IoT-type applications can benefit from reduced latency and better data protection. However, the price typically to be paid in order to benefit from the offered opportunities includes the need to use a reduced amount of resources compared to the traditional cloud environment. Indeed, it may happen that only one computing node can be used. In these situations, it is essential to introduce computing and memory resource management techniques that allow resources to be optimized while still guaranteeing acceptable performance, in terms of latency and probability of rejection. For this reason, the use of serverless technologies, managed by reinforcement learning algorithms, is an active area of research. In this paper, we explore and compare the performance of some machine learning algorithms for managing horizontal function autoscaling in a serverless edge computing system. In particular, we make use of open serverless technologies, deployed in a Kubernetes cluster, to experimentally fine-tune the performance of the algorithms. The results obtained allow both the understanding of some basic mechanisms typical of edge computing systems and related technologies that determine system performance and the guiding of configuration choices for systems in operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conditional Independence (CI) testing is fundamental in statistical analysis. For example, CI testing helps validate causal graphs or longitudinal data analysis with repeated measures in causal inference. CI testing is difficult, especially when testing involves categorical variables conditioned on a mixture of continuous and categorical variables. Current parametric and non-parametric testing methods are designed for continuous variables and can quickly fall short in the categorical case. This paper presents a computational approach for CI testing suited for categorical data types, which we call computational conditional independence (CCI) testing. The test procedure is based on permutation and combines machine learning prediction algorithms and Monte Carlo cross-validation. We evaluated the approach through simulation studies and assessed the performance against alternative methods: the generalized covariance measure test, the kernel conditional independence test, and testing with multinomial regression. We find that the computational approach to testing has utility over the alternative methods, achieving better control over type I error rates. We hope this work can expand the toolkit for CI testing for practitioners and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid energy storage systems significantly impact the renewable energy sector due to their role in enhancing grid stability and managing its variability. However, implementing these systems requires advanced control strategies to ensure correct operation. This paper presents an algorithm for designing the power and control stages of a hybrid energy storage system formed by a battery, a supercapacitor, and a bidirectional Zeta converter. The control stage involves an adaptive sliding-mode controller co-designed with the power circuit parameters. The design algorithm ensures battery protection against high-frequency transients that reduce lifespan, and provides compatibility with low-cost microcontrollers. Moreover, the continuous output current of the Zeta converter does not introduce current harmonics to the battery, the microgrid, or the load. The proposed solution is validated through an application example using PSIM electrical simulation software (version 2024.0), demonstrating superior performance in comparison with a classical cascade PI structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic evaluation is a process of assessing and measuring researchers, institutions, or disciplinary fields. Its goal is to evaluate their contributions and impact in the academic community, as well as to determine their reputation and status within specific disciplinary domains. Web of Science (WOS), being the most renowned global academic citation database, provides crucial data for academic evaluation. However, due to factors such as institutional changes, translation discrepancies, transcription errors in databases, and authors' individual writing habits, there exist ambiguities in the institution names recorded in the WOS literature, which in turn affect the scientific evaluation of researchers and institutions. To address the issue of data reliability in academic evaluation, this paper proposes a WOS institution name synonym recognition framework that integrates multi-granular embeddings and multi-contextual information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision making plays a pivotal role in shaping outcomes across various disciplines, such as medicine, economics, and business. This paper provides practitioners with guidance on implementing a decision tree designed to optimise treatment assignment policies through an interpretable and non-parametric algorithm. Building upon the method proposed by Zhou, Athey, and Wager (2023), our policy tree introduces three key innovations: a different approach to policy score calculation, the incorporation of constraints, and enhanced handling of categorical and continuous variables. These innovations enable the evaluation of a broader class of policy rules, all of which can be easily obtained using a single module. We showcase the effectiveness of our policy tree in managing multiple, discrete treatments using datasets from diverse fields. Additionally, the policy tree is implemented in the open-source Python package mcf (modified causal forest), facilitating its application in both randomised and observational research settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an algorithm is proposed to solve the non-convex optimization problem using sequential convex programming. An approximation method was used to solve the collision avoidance constraint. An iterative approach was utilized to estimate the non-convex constraints, replacing them with their linear approximations. Through the simulation, we can see that this method allows for quadcopters to take off from a given initial position and fly to the desired final position within a specified flight time. It is guaranteed that the quadcopters will not collide with each other in different scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In classical broadcast models, information is disseminated in synchronous rounds under the constant communication time model, wherein a node may only inform one of its neighbors in each time-unit—also known as the processor-bound model. These models assume either a coordinating leader or that each node has a set of coordinated actions optimized for each originator, which may require nodes to have sufficient storage, processing power, and the ability to determine the originator. This assumption is not always ideal, and a broadcast model based on the node's local knowledge can sometimes be more effective. Messy models address these issues by eliminating the need for a leader, knowledge of the starting time, and the identity of the originator, relying solely on local knowledge available to each node. This paper investigates the messy broadcast time and optimal scheme in a grid graph, a structure widely used in computer networking systems, particularly in parallel computing, due to its robustness, scalability, fault tolerance, and simplicity. The focus is on scenarios where the originator is located at one of the corner vertices, aiming to understand the efficiency and performance of messy models in such grid structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of inclusive education, students with attention deficits are integrated into the general classroom. To ensure a seamless transition of students' focus towards the teacher's instruction throughout the course and to align with the teaching pace, this paper proposes a continuous recognition algorithm for capturing teachers' dynamic gesture signals. This algorithm aims to offer instructional attention cues for students with attention deficits. According to the body landmarks of the teacher's skeleton by using vision and machine learning-based MediaPipe BlazePose, the proposed method uses simple rules to detect the teacher's hand signals dynamically and provides three kinds of attention cues (Pointing to left, Pointing to right, and Non-pointing) during the class. Experimental results show the average accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and F1 score achieved 88.31%, 91.03%, 93.99%, 86.32%, and 88.03%, respectively. By analyzing non-verbal behavior, our method of competent performance can replace verbal reminders from the teacher and be helpful for students with attention deficits in inclusive education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]