Learning object behaviour models

The human visual system is capable of interpreting a remarkable variety of often subtle, learnt, characteristic behaviours. For instance we can determine the gender of a distant walking figure from their gait, interpret a facial expression as that of surprise, or identify suspicious behaviour in the movements of an individual within a car-park. Machine vision systems wishing to exploit such behavioural knowledge have been limited by the inaccuracies inherent in hand-crafted models and the absence of a unified framework for the perception of powerful behaviour models. The research described in this thesis attempts to address these limitations, using a statistical modelling approach to provide a framework in which detailed behavioural knowledge is acquired from the observation of long image sequences. The core of the behaviour modelling framework is an optimised sample-set representation of the probability density in a behaviour space defined by a novel temporal pattern formation strategy. This representation of behaviour is both concise and accurate and facilitates the recognition of actions or events and the assessment of behaviour typicality. The inclusion of generative capabilities is achieved via the addition of a learnt stochastic process model, thus facilitating the generation of predictions and realistic sample behaviours. Experimental results demonstrate the acquisition of behaviour models and suggest a variety of possible applications, including automated visual surveillance, object tracking, gesture recognition, and the generation of realistic object behaviours within animations, virtual worlds, and computer generated film sequences. The utility of the behaviour modelling framework is further extended through the modelling of object interaction. Two separate approaches are presented, and a technique is developed which, using learnt models of joint behaviour together with a stochastic tracking algorithm, can be used to equip a virtual object with the ability to interact in a natural way. Experimental results demonstrate the simulation of a plausible virtual partner during interaction between a user and the machine

Motion-capture-based hand gesture recognition for computing and control

This dissertation focuses on the study and development of algorithms that enable the analysis and recognition of hand gestures in a motion capture environment. Central to this work is the study of unlabeled point sets in a more abstract sense. Evaluations of proposed methods focus on examining their generalization to users not encountered during system training. In an initial exploratory study, we compare various classification algorithms based upon multiple interpretations and feature transformations of point sets, including those based upon aggregate features (e.g. mean) and a pseudo-rasterization of the capture space. We find aggregate feature classifiers to be balanced across multiple users but relatively limited in maximum achievable accuracy. Certain classifiers based upon the pseudo-rasterization performed best among tested classification algorithms. We follow this study with targeted examinations of certain subproblems. For the first subproblem, we introduce the a fortiori expectation-maximization (AFEM) algorithm for computing the parameters of a distribution from which unlabeled, correlated point sets are presumed to be generated. Each unlabeled point is assumed to correspond to a target with independent probability of appearance but correlated positions. We propose replacing the expectation phase of the algorithm with a Kalman filter modified within a Bayesian framework to account for the unknown point labels which manifest as uncertain measurement matrices. We also propose a mechanism to reorder the measurements in order to improve parameter estimates. In addition, we use a state-of-the-art Markov chain Monte Carlo sampler to efficiently sample measurement matrices. In the process, we indirectly propose a constrained k-means clustering algorithm. Simulations verify the utility of AFEM against a traditional expectation-maximization algorithm in a variety of scenarios. In the second subproblem, we consider the application of positive definite kernels and the earth mover\u27s distance (END) to our work. Positive definite kernels are an important tool in machine learning that enable efficient solutions to otherwise difficult or intractable problems by implicitly linearizing the problem geometry. We develop a set-theoretic interpretation of ENID and propose earth mover\u27s intersection (EMI). a positive definite analog to ENID. We offer proof of EMD\u27s negative definiteness and provide necessary and sufficient conditions for ENID to be conditionally negative definite, including approximations that guarantee negative definiteness. In particular, we show that ENID is related to various min-like kernels. We also present a positive definite preserving transformation that can be applied to any kernel and can be used to derive positive definite EMD-based kernels, and we show that the Jaccard index is simply the result of this transformation applied to set intersection. Finally, we evaluate kernels based on EMI and the proposed transformation versus ENID in various computer vision tasks and show that END is generally inferior even with indefinite kernel techniques. Finally, we apply deep learning to our problem. We propose neural network architectures for hand posture and gesture recognition from unlabeled marker sets in a coordinate system local to the hand. As a means of ensuring data integrity, we also propose an extended Kalman filter for tracking the rigid pattern of markers on which the local coordinate system is based. We consider fixed- and variable-size architectures including convolutional and recurrent neural networks that accept unlabeled marker input. We also consider a data-driven approach to labeling markers with a neural network and a collection of Kalman filters. Experimental evaluations with posture and gesture datasets show promising results for the proposed architectures with unlabeled markers, which outperform the alternative data-driven labeling method

Deep Visual Instruments: Realtime Continuous, Meaningful Human Control over Deep Neural Networks for Creative Expression

In this thesis, we investigate Deep Learning models as an artistic medium for new modes of performative, creative expression. We call these Deep Visual Instruments: realtime interactive generative systems that exploit and leverage the capabilities of state-of-the-art Deep Neural Networks (DNN), while allowing Meaningful Human Control, in a Realtime Continuous manner. We characterise Meaningful Human Control in terms of intent, predictability, and accountability; and Realtime Continuous Control with regards to its capacity for performative interaction with immediate feedback, enhancing goal-less exploration. The capabilities of DNNs that we are looking to exploit and leverage in this manner, are their ability to learn hierarchical representations modelling highly complex, real-world data such as images. Thinking of DNNs as tools that extract useful information from massive amounts of Big Data, we investigate ways in which we can navigate and explore what useful information a DNN has learnt, and how we can meaningfully use such a model in the production of artistic and creative works, in a performative, expressive manner. We present five studies that approach this from different but complementary angles. These include: a collaborative, generative sketching application using MCTS and discriminative CNNs; a system to gesturally conduct the realtime generation of text in different styles using an ensemble of LSTM RNNs; a performative tool that allows for the manipulation of hyperparameters in realtime while a Convolutional VAE trains on a live camera feed; a live video feed processing software that allows for digital puppetry and augmented drawing; and a method that allows for long-form story telling within a generative model's latent space with meaningful control over the narrative. We frame our research with the realtime, performative expression provided by musical instruments as a metaphor, in which we think of these systems as not used by a user, but played by a performer

DeepDynamicHand: A Deep Neural Architecture for Labeling Hand Manipulation Strategies in Video Sources Exploiting Temporal Information

Humans are capable of complex manipulation interactions with the environment, relying on the intrinsic adaptability and compliance of their hands. Recently, soft robotic manipulation has attempted to reproduce such an extraordinary behavior, through the design of deformable yet robust end-effectors. To this goal, the investigation of human behavior has become crucial to correctly inform technological developments of robotic hands that can successfully exploit environmental constraint as humans actually do. Among the different tools robotics can leverage on to achieve this objective, deep learning has emerged as a promising approach for the study and then the implementation of neuro-scientific observations on the artificial side. However, current approaches tend to neglect the dynamic nature of hand pose recognition problems, limiting the effectiveness of these techniques in identifying sequences of manipulation primitives underpinning action generation, e.g., during purposeful interaction with the environment. In this work, we propose a vision-based supervised Hand Pose Recognition method which, for the first time, takes into account temporal information to identify meaningful sequences of actions in grasping and manipulation tasks. More specifically, we apply Deep Neural Networks to automatically learn features from hand posture images that consist of frames extracted from grasping and manipulation task videos with objects and external environmental constraints. For training purposes, videos are divided into intervals, each associated to a specific action by a human supervisor. The proposed algorithm combines a Convolutional Neural Network to detect the hand within each video frame and a Recurrent Neural Network to predict the hand action in the current frame, while taking into consideration the history of actions performed in the previous frames. Experimental validation has been performed on two datasets of dynamic hand-centric strategies, where subjects regularly interact with objects and environment. Proposed architecture achieved a very good classification accuracy on both datasets, reaching performance up to 94%, and outperforming state of the art techniques. The outcomes of this study can be successfully applied to robotics, e.g., for planning and control of soft anthropomorphic manipulators

Detecção de eventos complexos em vídeos baseada em ritmos visuais

Orientador: Hélio PedriniDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de ComputaçãoResumo: O reconhecimento de eventos complexos em vídeos possui várias aplicações práticas relevantes, alavancadas pela grande disponibilidade de câmeras digitais instaladas em aeroportos, estações de ônibus e trens, centros de compras, estádios, hospitais, escolas, prédios, estradas, entre vários outros locais. Avanços na tecnologia digital têm aumentado as capacidades dos sistemas em reconhecer eventos em vídeos por meio do desenvolvimento de dispositivos com alta resolução, dimensões físicas pequenas e altas taxas de amostragem. Muitos trabalhos disponíveis na literatura têm explorado o tema a partir de diferentes pontos de vista. Este trabalho apresenta e avalia uma metodologia para extrair características dos ritmos visuais no contexto de detecção de eventos em vídeos. Um ritmo visual pode ser visto com a projeção de um vídeo em uma imagem, tal que a tarefa de análise de vídeos é reduzida a um problema de análise de imagens, beneficiando-se de seu baixo custo de processamento em termos de tempo e complexidade. Para demonstrar o potencial do ritmo visual na análise de vídeos complexos, três problemas da área de visão computacional são selecionados: detecção de eventos anômalos, classificação de ações humanas e reconhecimento de gestos. No primeiro problema, um modelo e? aprendido com situações de normalidade a partir dos rastros deixados pelas pessoas ao andar, enquanto padro?es representativos das ações são extraídos nos outros dois problemas. Nossa hipo?tese e? de que vídeos similares produzem padro?es semelhantes, tal que o problema de classificação de ações pode ser reduzido a uma tarefa de classificação de imagens. Experimentos realizados em bases públicas de dados demonstram que o método proposto produz resultados promissores com baixo custo de processamento, tornando-o possível aplicar em tempo real. Embora os padro?es dos ritmos visuais sejam extrai?dos como histograma de gradientes, algumas tentativas para adicionar características do fluxo o?tico são discutidas, além de estratégias para obter ritmos visuais alternativosAbstract: The recognition of complex events in videos has currently several important applications, particularly due to the wide availability of digital cameras in environments such as airports, train and bus stations, shopping centers, stadiums, hospitals, schools, buildings, roads, among others. Moreover, advances in digital technology have enhanced the capabilities for detection of video events through the development of devices with high resolution, small physical size, and high sampling rates. Many works available in the literature have explored the subject from different perspectives. This work presents and evaluates a methodology for extracting a feature descriptor from visual rhythms of video sequences in order to address the video event detection problem. A visual rhythm can be seen as the projection of a video onto an image, such that the video analysis task can be reduced into an image analysis problem, benefiting from its low processing cost in terms of time and complexity. To demonstrate the potential of the visual rhythm in the analysis of complex videos, three computer vision problems are selected in this work: abnormal event detection, human action classification, and gesture recognition. The former problem learns a normalcy model from the traces that people leave when they walk, whereas the other two problems extract representative patterns from actions. Our hypothesis is that similar videos produce similar patterns, therefore, the action classification problem is reduced into an image classification task. Experiments conducted on well-known public datasets demonstrate that the method produces promising results at high processing rates, making it possible to work in real time. Even though the visual rhythm features are mainly extracted as histogram of gradients, some attempts for adding optical flow features are discussed, as well as strategies for obtaining alternative visual rhythmsMestradoCiência da ComputaçãoMestre em Ciência da Computação1570507, 1406910, 1374943CAPE