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The combination of Large Language Models (LLMs), systematic evaluation, and evolutionary algorithms has enabled breakthroughs in combinatorial optimization and scientific discovery. We propose to extend this powerful combination to the control of dynamical systems, generating interpretable control policies capable of complex behaviors. With our novel method, we represent control policies as programs in standard languages like Python. We evaluate candidate controllers in simulation and evolve them using a pre-trained LLM. Unlike conventional learning-based control techniques, which rely on black box neural networks to encode control policies, our approach enhances transparency and interpretability. We still take advantage of the power of large AI models, but leverage it at the policy design phase, ensuring that all system components remain interpretable and easily verifiable at runtime. Additionally, the use of standard programming languages makes it straightforward for humans to finetune or adapt the controllers based on their expertise and intuition. We illustrate our method through its application to the synthesis of an interpretable control policy for the pendulum swing-up and the ball in cup tasks. We make the code available at https://github.com/muellerlab/synthesizing_interpretable_control_policies.git, Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, conference paper

Exploring chaotic systems via Poincar\'e sections has proven essential in dynamical systems, yet measuring their characteristics poses challenges to identify the various dynamical regimes considered. In this paper, we propose a new approach that uses image processing to distinguish chaotic and regular regions of area-preserving dynamics, and then classify the transport regime. We characterize different transport regimes in the standard map with the proposed method based on image reconstruction techniques, identifying the superdiffusion much faster than the usual mean square displacement method. The procedure is also applied to a two-wave, time-dependent Hamiltonian to investigate superdiffusion in function of two parameters.

Caves and lava tubes on the Moon and Mars are sites of geological and astrobiological interest but consist of terrain that is inaccessible with traditional robot locomotion. To support the exploration of these sites, we present ReachBot, a robot that uses extendable booms as appendages to manipulate itself with respect to irregular rock surfaces. The booms terminate in grippers equipped with microspines and provide ReachBot with a large workspace, allowing it to achieve force closure in enclosed spaces such as the walls of a lava tube. To propel ReachBot, we present a contact-before-motion planner for non-gaited legged locomotion that utilizes internal force control, similar to a multi-fingered hand, to keep its long, slender booms in tension. Motion planning also depends on finding and executing secure grips on rock features. We use a Monte Carlo simulation to inform gripper design and predict grasp strength and variability. Additionally, we use a two-step perception system to identify possible grasp locations. To validate our approach and mechanisms under realistic conditions, we deployed a single ReachBot arm and gripper in a lava tube in the Mojave Desert. The field test confirmed that ReachBot will find many targets for secure grasps with the proposed kinematic design.

Photonic Neural Networks (PNNs) are gaining significant interest in the research community due to their potential for high parallelization, low latency, and energy efficiency. PNNs compute using light, which leads to several differences in implementation when compared to electronics, such as the need to represent input features in the photonic domain before feeding them into the network. In this encoding process, it is common to combine multiple features into a single input to reduce the number of inputs and associated devices, leading to smaller and more energy-efficient PNNs. Although this alters the network's handling of input data, its impact on PNNs remains understudied. This paper addresses this open question, investigating the effect of commonly used encoding strategies that combine features on the performance and learning capabilities of PNNs. Here, using the concept of feature importance, we develop a mathematical methodology for analyzing feature combination. Through this methodology, we demonstrate that encoding multiple features together in a single input determines their relative importance, thus limiting the network's ability to learn from the data. Given some prior knowledge of the data, however, this can also be leveraged for higher accuracy. By selecting an optimal encoding method, we achieve up to a 12.3% improvement in accuracy of PNNs trained on the Iris dataset compared to other encoding techniques, surpassing the performance of networks where features are not combined. These findings highlight the importance of carefully choosing the encoding to the accuracy and decision-making strategies of PNNs, particularly in size or power constrained applications.

All fields of knowledge are being impacted by Artificial Intelligence. In particular, the Deep Learning paradigm enables the development of data analysis tools that support subject matter experts in a variety of sectors, from physics up to the recognition of ancient languages. Palaeontology is now observing this trend as well. This study explores the capability of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), a particular class of Deep Learning algorithms specifically crafted for computer vision tasks, to classify images of isolated fossil shark teeth gathered from online datasets as well as from the authors$'$ experience on Peruvian Miocene and Italian Pliocene fossil assemblages. The shark taxa that are included in the final, composite dataset (which consists of more than one thousand images) are representative of both extinct and extant genera, namely, Carcharhinus, Carcharias, Carcharocles, Chlamydoselachus, Cosmopolitodus, Galeocerdo, Hemipristis, Notorynchus, Prionace and Squatina. We developed a CNN, named SharkNet-X, specifically tailored on our recognition task, reaching a 5-fold cross validated mean accuracy of 0.85 to identify images containing a single shark tooth. Furthermore, we elaborated a visualization of the features extracted from images using the last dense layer of the CNN, achieved through the application of the clustering technique t-SNE. In addition, in order to understand and explain the behaviour of the CNN while giving a paleontological point of view on the results, we introduced the explainability method SHAP. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first instance in which this method is applied to the field of palaeontology. The main goal of this work is to showcase how Deep Learning techniques can aid in identifying isolated fossil shark teeth, paving the way for developing new information tools for automating the recognition and classification of fossils., Comment: 40 pages, 8 figures

Systolic array has emerged as a prominent architecture for Deep Neural Network (DNN) hardware accelerators, providing high-throughput and low-latency performance essential for deploying DNNs across diverse applications. However, when used in safety-critical applications, reliability assessment is mandatory to guarantee the correct behavior of DNN accelerators. While fault injection stands out as a well-established practical and robust method for reliability assessment, it is still a very time-consuming process. This paper addresses the time efficiency issue by introducing a novel hierarchical software-based hardware-aware fault injection strategy tailored for systolic array-based DNN accelerators.

State-of-the-Art (SotA) hardware implementations of Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) incur high latencies and costs. Binary Neural Networks (BNNs) are potential alternative solutions to realize faster implementations without losing accuracy. In this paper, we first present a new data mapping, called TacitMap, suited for BNNs implemented based on a Computation-In-Memory (CIM) architecture. TacitMap maximizes the use of available parallelism, while CIM architecture eliminates the data movement overhead. We then propose a hardware accelerator based on optical phase change memory (oPCM) called EinsteinBarrier. Ein-steinBarrier incorporates TacitMap and adds an extra dimension for parallelism through wavelength division multiplexing, leading to extra latency reduction. The simulation results show that, compared to the SotA CIM baseline, TacitMap and EinsteinBarrier significantly improve execution time by up to ~154x and ~3113x, respectively, while also maintaining the energy consumption within 60% of that in the CIM baseline., Comment: To appear in Design Automation and Test in Europe (DATE), 2024

We present a novel approach to cooperative aerial transportation through a team of drones, using optimal control theory and a hierarchical control strategy. We assume the drones are connected to the payload through rigid attachments, essentially transforming the whole system into a larger flying object with "thrust modules" at the attachment locations of the drones. We investigate the optimal arrangement of the thrust modules around the payload, so that the resulting system is robust to disturbances. We choose the $\mathcal{H}_2$ norm as a measure of robustness, and propose an iterative optimization routine to compute the optimal layout of the vehicles around the object. We experimentally validate our approach using four drones and comparing the disturbance rejection performances achieved by two different layouts (the optimal one and a sub-optimal one), and observe that the results match our predictions., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, conference paper

Property-based testing is a powerful method to validate program correctness. It is, however, not widely use in industry as the barrier of entry can be very high. One of the hindrances is to write the generators that are needed to generate randomised input data. Program properties often take complicated data structures as inputs and, it requires a significant amount of effort to write generators for such structures in a invariant preserving way. In this paper, we suggest and formalise a new programming language \textsf{pun}; a simple functional programming with properties as a built-in mechanism for program validation. We show how to generate input for \textsf{pun} properties automatically, thus, providing the programmer with a low barrier of entry for using property-based testing. We evaluate our work a on library for binary search trees and compare the test results to a similar library in Haskell., Comment: Submitted to 35th Norwegian ICT Conference for Research and Education

Deep Learning, and in particular, Deep Neural Network (DNN) is nowadays widely used in many scenarios, including safety-critical applications such as autonomous driving. In this context, besides energy efficiency and performance, reliability plays a crucial role since a system failure can jeopardize human life. As with any other device, the reliability of hardware architectures running DNNs has to be evaluated, usually through costly fault injection campaigns. This paper explores the approximation and fault resiliency of DNN accelerators. We propose to use approximate (AxC) arithmetic circuits to agilely emulate errors in hardware without performing fault injection on the DNN. To allow fast evaluation of AxC DNN, we developed an efficient GPU-based simulation framework. Further, we propose a fine-grain analysis of fault resiliency by examining fault propagation and masking in networks, Comment: 10 pages, 6 tables, 9 figures

The field of neuromorphic computing has been rapidly evolving in recent years, with an increasing focus on hardware design and reliability. This special session paper provides an overview of the recent developments in neuromorphic computing, focusing on hardware design and reliability. We first review the traditional CMOS-based approaches to neuromorphic hardware design and identify the challenges related to scalability, latency, and power consumption. We then investigate alternative approaches based on emerging technologies, specifically integrated photonics approaches within the NEUROPULS project. Finally, we examine the impact of device variability and aging on the reliability of neuromorphic hardware and present techniques for mitigating these effects. This review is intended to serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners in neuromorphic computing., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables

Deep learning techniques have become one of the main propellers for solving engineering problems effectively and efficiently. For instance, Predictive Maintenance methods have been used to improve predictions of when maintenance is needed on different machines and operative contexts. However, deep learning methods are not without limitations, as these models are normally trained on a fixed distribution that only reflects the current state of the problem. Due to internal or external factors, the state of the problem can change, and the performance decreases due to the lack of generalization and adaptation. Contrary to this stationary training set, real-world applications change their environments constantly, creating the need to constantly adapt the model to evolving scenarios. To aid in this endeavor, Continual Learning methods propose ways to constantly adapt prediction models and incorporate new knowledge after deployment. Despite the advantages of these techniques, there are still challenges to applying them to real-world problems. In this work, we present a brief introduction to predictive maintenance, non-stationary environments, and continual learning, together with an extensive review of the current state of applying continual learning in real-world applications and specifically in predictive maintenance. We then discuss the current challenges of both predictive maintenance and continual learning, proposing future directions at the intersection of both areas. Finally, we propose a novel way to create benchmarks that favor the application of continuous learning methods in more realistic environments, giving specific examples of predictive maintenance.

The design and implementation of Deep Learning (DL) models is currently receiving a lot of attention from both industrials and academics. However, the computational workload associated with DL is often out of reach for low-power embedded devices and is still costly when run on datacenters. By relaxing the need for fully precise operations, Approximate Computing (AxC) substantially improves performance and energy efficiency. DL is extremely relevant in this context, since playing with the accuracy needed to do adequate computations will significantly enhance performance, while keeping the quality of results in a user-constrained range. This chapter will explore how AxC can improve the performance and energy efficiency of hardware accelerators in DL applications during inference and training., Comment: Approximate Computing Techniques - From Component- to Application-Level, pp.467-512, 2022, 978-3-030-94704-0

Dense non-Brownian suspensions exhibit a spectacular and abrupt drop in viscosity under change of shear direction, as revealed by shear inversions (reversals) or orthogonal superposition. Here, we introduce an experimental setup to systematically explore their response to shear rotations, where one suddenly rotates the principal axes of shear by an angle $\theta$, and measure the shear stresses with a bi-axial force sensor. Our measurements confirm the genericness of the transient decrease of the resistance to shear under unsteady conditions. Moreover, the orthogonal shear stress, which vanishes in steady state, takes non-negligible values with a rich $\theta$-dependence, changing qualitatively with solid volume fraction $\phi$, and resulting in a force that tends to reduce or enhance the direction of flow for small or large $\phi$. These experimental findings are confirmed and rationalized by particle-based numerical simulations and a recently proposed constitutive model. We show that the rotation angle dependence of the orthogonal stress results from a $\phi$-dependent interplay between hydrodynamic and contact stresses., Comment: Accepted in Phys. Rev. Lett