Unifying an Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Course through Machine Learning Laboratory Experiences

This paper presents work on a collaborative project funded by the National Science Foundation that incorporates machine learning as a unifying theme to teach fundamental concepts typically covered in the introductory Artificial Intelligence courses. The project involves the development of an adaptable framework for the presentation of core AI topics. This is accomplished through the development, implementation, and testing of a suite of adaptable, hands-on laboratory projects that can be closely integrated into the AI course. Through the design and implementation of learning systems that enhance commonly-deployed applications, our model acknowledges that intelligent systems are best taught through their application to challenging problems. The goals of the project are to (1) enhance the student learning experience in the AI course, (2) increase student interest and motivation to learn AI by providing a framework for the presentation of the major AI topics that emphasizes the strong connection between AI and computer science and engineering, and (3) highlight the bridge that machine learning provides between AI technology and modern software engineering

The 1990 progress report and future plans

This document describes the progress and plans of the Artificial Intelligence Research Branch (RIA) at ARC in 1990. Activities span a range from basic scientific research to engineering development and to fielded NASA applications, particularly those applications that are enabled by basic research carried out at RIA. Work is conducted in-house and through collaborative partners in academia and industry. Our major focus is on a limited number of research themes with a dual commitment to technical excellence and proven applicability to NASA short, medium, and long-term problems. RIA acts as the Agency's lead organization for research aspects of artificial intelligence, working closely with a second research laboratory at JPL and AI applications groups at all NASA centers

Machine learning and its applications in reliability analysis systems

In this thesis, we are interested in exploring some aspects of Machine Learning (ML) and its application in the Reliability Analysis systems (RAs). We begin by investigating some ML paradigms and their- techniques, go on to discuss the possible applications of ML in improving RAs performance, and lastly give guidelines of the architecture of learning RAs. Our survey of ML covers both levels of Neural Network learning and Symbolic learning. In symbolic process learning, five types of learning and their applications are discussed: rote learning, learning from instruction, learning from analogy, learning from examples, and learning from observation and discovery. The Reliability Analysis systems (RAs) presented in this thesis are mainly designed for maintaining plant safety supported by two functions: risk analysis function, i.e., failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) ; and diagnosis function, i.e., real-time fault location (RTFL). Three approaches have been discussed in creating the RAs. According to the result of our survey, we suggest currently the best design of RAs is to embed model-based RAs, i.e., MORA (as software) in a neural network based computer system (as hardware). However, there are still some improvement which can be made through the applications of Machine Learning. By implanting the 'learning element', the MORA will become learning MORA (La MORA) system, a learning Reliability Analysis system with the power of automatic knowledge acquisition and inconsistency checking, and more. To conclude our thesis, we propose an architecture of La MORA

An ISOCAM survey through gravitationally lensing galaxy clusters

ISOCAM was used to perform a deep survey through three gravitationally lensing clusters of galaxies. Nearly seventy sq. arcmin were covered over the clusters A370, A2218 and A2390. We present maps and photometry at 6.7 & 14.3 microns, showing a total of 145 mid-IR sources and the associated source counts. The 15 micron counts reach the faintest level yet recorded. All sources have counterparts in the optical or near-IR. Models of the clusters were used to correct for the effects of lensing, which increases the sensitivity of the survey. Seven of fifteen SCUBA sources were detected at 15 microns. Five have redshift between 0.23 & 2.8, with a median of 0.9. The field sources were counted to a lensing-corrected sensitivity of 30 microJy at 15 microns, and 14 microJy at 7 microns. The counts, corrected for completeness, contamination by cluster sources and lensing, confirm and extend findings of an excess by a factor of ten in the 15 micron population with respect to source models with no evolution. Source redshifts are mostly between 0.4 and 1.5. For the counts at 7 microns, integrating from 14 microJy to 460 microJy, we resolve 0.49+/-0.2 nW.m^(-2).sr^(-1) of the infrared background light (IBL) into discrete sources. At 15 microns we include the counts from other ISOCAM surveys to integrate from 30 microJy to 50 mJy, two to three times deeper than unlensed surveys, to resolve 2.7+/-0.62 nW.m^(-2).sr^(-1) of the IBL. These values are 10% and 55%, respectively, of the upper limit to the IBL, derived from photon-photon pair production of the TeV gamma rays from BL-Lac sources on the IBL photons. However, recent detections of TeV gamma rays from the z=0.129 BL Lac H1426+428 suggest that the 15 micron background reported implies substantial absorption of TeV photons from that source.Comment: 35 pages, 17 figures, to appear in Astronomy and Astrophysics, full paper with high-resolution figures available at http://www.iso.vilspa.esa.es/science/pub/2003

Cosmic-Ray and Neutrino Emission from Gamma-Ray Bursts with a Nuclear Cascade

We discuss neutrino and cosmic-ray emission from Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) with the injection of nuclei, where we take into account that a nuclear cascade from photo-disintegration can fully develop in the source. One of our main objectives is to test if recent results from the IceCube and the Pierre Auger Observatory can be accommodated with the paradigm that GRBs are the sources of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs). While our key results are obtained using an internal shock model, we discuss how the secondary emission from a GRB shell can be interpreted in terms of other astrophysical models. It is demonstrated that the expected neutrino flux from GRBs weakly depends on the injection composition, which implies that prompt neutrinos from GRBs can efficiently test the GRB-UHECR paradigm even if the UHECRs are nuclei. We show that the UHECR spectrum and composition, as measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory, can be self-consistently reproduced in a combined source-propagation model. In an attempt to describe the energy range including the ankle, we find tension with the IceCube bounds from the GRB stacking analyses. In an alternative scenario, where only the UHECRs beyond the ankle originate from GRBs, the requirement for a joint description of cosmic-ray and neutrino observations favors lower luminosities, which does not correspond to the typical expectation from {\gamma}-ray observations.Comment: 36 pages, 25 figure

An integrated architecture for shallow and deep processing

We present an architecture for the integration of shallow and deep NLP components which is aimed at flexible combination of different language technologies for a range of practical current and future applications. In particular, we describe the integration of a high-level HPSG parsing system with different high-performance shallow components, ranging from named entity recognition to chunk parsing and shallow clause recognition. The NLP components enrich a representation of natural language text with layers of new XML meta-information using a single shared data structure, called the text chart. We describe details of the integration methods, and show how information extraction and language checking applications for realworld German text benefit from a deep grammatical analysis

Swift observations of the very intense flaring activity of Mrk 421 during 2006: I. Phenomenological picture of electron acceleration and predictions for the MeV/GeV emission

We present results from a deep spectral analysis of all the Swift observations of Mrk 421 from April 2006 to July 2006, when it reached its largest X-ray flux recorded until 2006. The peak flux was about 85 milli-Crab in the 2.0-10.0 keV band, with the peak energy (Ep) of the spectral energy distribution (SED) laying often at energies larger than 10 keV. We performed spectral analysis of the Swift observations investigating the trends of the spectral parameters in terms of acceleration and energetic features phenomenologically linked to the SSC model parameters, predicting their effects in the gamma-ray band, in particular the spectral shape expected in the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope-LAT band. We confirm that the X-ray spectrum is well described by a log-parabolic distribution close to Ep, with the peak flux of the SED (Sp) being correlated with Ep, and Ep anti-correlated with the curvature parameter (b). During the most energetic flares the UV-to-soft-X-ray spectral shape requires an electron distribution spectral index s about 2.3. Present analysis shows that the UV-to-X-ray emission from Mrk 421 is likely to be originated by a population of electrons that is actually curved, with a low energy power-law tail. The observed spectral curvature is consistent both with stochastic acceleration or energy dependent acceleration probability mechanisms, whereas the power-law slope form XRT-UVOT data is very close to that inferred from the GRBs X-ray afterglow and in agreement with the universal first-order relativistic shock acceleration models. This scenario hints that the magnetic turbulence may play a twofold role: spatial diffusion relevant to the first order process and momentum diffusion relevant to the second order process.Comment: Accepted, Astronomy and Astrophysic

Optical Properties of Metal Nanoparticle Arrays Created using Electron Beam Lithography for Solar Cell Application

Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) are of key interest in many research fields due to their unique optical properties, which are largely dominated by the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. The LSPR effect gives rise to intense light absorption by the MNP at certain wavelengths of incident light. The LSPR wavelength can be manipulated by changing the size and shape of the MNPs as well as by changing the surrounding medium, opening for a variety of applications such as optical- and biological sensing and solar energy conversion. The company EnSol AS has patented a novel thin- film solar cell technology based on the LSPR effect in MNPs. The University of Bergen, in collaboration with EnSol, has started a project of investigating and optimizing the production parameters of the EnSol solar cell with the ultimate aim of producing model solar cells. As a step in the optimization process, the optical properties of large arrays of nanoparticles need to be investigated theoretically and experimentally. This has been the aim of this thesis work. Large arrays (9 mm2 - 16 mm2) of disk-shaped aluminum, gold or nickel NPs fabricated on non-conductive glass substrates have been fabricated by the means of electron beam lithography (EBL). MNP disks of diameter down to 20 nm have been fabricated. The optical properties of MNP arrays are analyzed for disk diameters in the range 30 nm - 45 nm with a constant height of 25 nm. EBL suffer from low throughput, but offer high control of particle size, shape and orientation which is of prime importance in the development of reliable model system where size- and shape dependent properties are investigated. The large size of the arrays allows optical investigation using spectroscopy techniques, making it possible to mimic realistic operation conditions of the solar cell. The LSPR wavelengths are found experimentally using an integrating sphere set-up. The experimental results are tested and supported by theoretical calculations based on an electrostatic model developed by I. Simonsen and R. Lazzari, where the disk-shaped metal nanoparticles are approximated as spheroids truncated by a glass substrate. Despite the discrepancies in particle shape between the model and experimental system, good qualitative agreement is found. The LSPR wavelength is also found to be in good agreement with published literature that in most cases is based on much smaller arrays.MAMN-NANONANO39

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes: Development of Electrode and Multilayer Deposition Processes

Organische Leuchtdioden weisen, verglichen mit anorganischen Leuchtdioden, viele Vorteile auf. So sind sie nicht nur energiesparender, sondern können auch in neuen flexiblen Technologien verwendet werden. Um ihr volles Potenzial auszuschöpfen, können zusätzliche Schichten und neue Materialien hinzugefügt werden. Der Ersatz spröder Elektroden durch dünne Metallschichten kann OLEDs flexibler machen, Zwischenschichten verbessern den Ladungstransport und neuartige Materialien können die Lösungsprozessierung von OLEDs vereinfachen. In den Kapiteln dieser Arbeit wurden je ein Ansatz zur Steigerung der Leistung von OLEDs untersucht. Es wurden dünne Silberschichten aus einer partikelfreien Silbertinte mittels Tintenstrahldruck hergestellt und ihre optischen sowie elektrischen charakterisiert. Die gedruckten Elektroden zeigen eine hohe Biegefestigkeit, bei gleichbleibend guten elektrischen Eigenschaften. Die damit hergestellten Leuchtdioden übertreffen in ihrer Effizienz Referenzdioden mit Indium Zinn Oxid Elektroden. Um die Effizienz organischer Leuchtdioden weiter steigern zu können wurden anschließend Zwischenschichten untersucht. Mittels einer gemischten Schicht aus Zinkoxid und einem Polymer konnte die Effizienz von invertierten Leuchtdioden signifikant gesteigert werden. Weiterhin wurden zwei neu synthetisierte Moleküle dazu verwendet, um die Benetzung von Perowskiten auf Elektroden zu verbessern und somit ihre Herstellbarkeit mittels Tintenstrahldruck zu ermöglichen. Abschließend wurde das Quervernetzen von Polymeren zur Herstellung von Mehrschichtsystemen erforscht. Hierbei wird ein die Löslichkeit eines Polymers durch verschiedene Ansätze verringert. Anhand des lichtemittierenden Polymers Super Yellow wurde dies demonstriert. Die Beständigkeit einer Schicht aus Super Yellow gegenüber Toluol konnte erfolgreich stark erhöht werden. Somit wurde eine nachfolgende Prozessierung einer zusätzlichen Schicht aus demselben Lösungsmittel ermöglicht.Organic light-emitting diodes have many advantages compared to their inorganic counterparts. Not only can they be used more energy-efficiently, but they can also be used in new, flexible technologies. To reach their full potential, additional layers and new materials can be added. Replacing brittle electrodes with thin metal layers can make OLEDs more flexible, intermediate layers improve charge transport, and novel materials can simplify solution processing of OLEDs. In each of the chapters of this thesis, an approach to increasing the performance of OLEDs was examined. Thin silver layers were produced from a particle-free silver ink using inkjet. Their optical and electrical properties were characterized. The printed electrodes show a high flexural strength while retaining good electrical properties. The efficacy of the light-emitting diodes produced in this way exceeds that of reference diodes. To be able to further increase the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes, intermediate layers made of new material combinations were subsequently investigated. The efficiency of inverted light-emitting diodes could be significantly increased by means of a blend intermediate layer made of zinc oxide and a polymer. Furthermore, two newly synthesized molecules were used to improve the wetting of perovskites on electrodes and thus enable their manufacturability using inkjet printing. Finally, crosslinking of polymers to fabricate multilayer devices was investigated. Here, the solubility of a polymer is reduced by various approaches. This principle was demonstrated using the light-emitting polymer Super Yellow. The resistance of a layer of Super Yellow against toluene was successfully reduced significantly. Thus, subsequent processing of an additional layer from the same solvent was made possible