Contributions and applications around low resource deep learning modeling

El aprendizaje profundo representa la vanguardia del aprendizaje automático en multitud de aplicaciones. Muchas de estas tareas requieren una gran cantidad de recursos computacionales, lo que limita su adopción en dispositivos integrados. El objetivo principal de esta tesis es estudiar métodos y algoritmos que permiten abordar problemas utilizando aprendizaje profundo con bajos recursos computacionales. Este trabajo también tiene como objetivo presentar aplicaciones de aprendizaje profundo en la industria. La primera contribución es una nueva función de activación para redes de aprendizaje profundo: la función de módulo. Los experimentos muestran que la función de activación propuesta logra resultados superiores en tareas de visión artificial cuando se compara con las alternativas encontradas en la literatura. La segunda contribución es una nueva estrategia para combinar modelos preentrenados usando destilación de conocimiento. Los resultados de este capítulo muestran que es posible aumentar significativamente la precisión de los modelos preentrenados más pequeños, lo que permite un alto rendimiento a un menor costo computacional. La siguiente contribución de esta tesis aborda el problema de la previsión de ventas en el campo de la logística. Se proponen dos sistemas de extremo a extremo con dos técnicas diferentes de aprendizaje profundo (modelos de secuencia a secuencia y transformadores). Los resultados de este capítulo concluyen que es posible construir sistemas integrales para predecir las ventas de múltiples productos individuales, en múltiples puntos de venta y en diferentes momentos con un único modelo de aprendizaje automático. El modelo propuesto supera las alternativas encontradas en la literatura. Finalmente, las dos últimas contribuciones pertenecen al campo de la tecnología del habla. El primero estudia cómo construir un sistema de reconocimiento de voz Keyword Spotting utilizando una versión eficiente de una red neuronal convolucional. En este estudio, el sistema propuesto es capaz de superar el rendimiento de todos los puntos de referencia encontrados en la literatura cuando se prueba contra las subtareas más complejas. El último estudio propone un modelo independiente de texto a voz de última generación capaz de sintetizar voz inteligible en miles de perfiles de voz, mientras genera un discurso con variaciones de prosodia significativas y expresivas. El enfoque propuesto elimina la dependencia de los modelos anteriores de un sistema de voz adicional, lo que hace que el sistema propuesto sea más eficiente en el tiempo de entrenamiento e inferencia, y permite operaciones fuera de línea y en el dispositivo.Deep learning is the state of the art for several machine learning tasks. Many of these tasks require large amount of computational resources, which limits their adoption in embedded devices. The main goal of this dissertation is to study methods and algorithms that allow to approach problems using deep learning with restricted computational resources. This work also aims at presenting applications of deep learning in industry. The first contribution is a new activation function for deep learning networks: the modulus function. The experiments show that the proposed activation function achieves superior results in computer vision tasks when compared with the alternatives found in the literature. The second contribution is a new strategy to combine pre-trained models using knowledge distillation. The results of this chapter show that it is possible to significantly increase the accuracy of the smallest pre-trained models, allowing high performance at a lower computational cost. The following contribution in this thesis tackles the problem of sales fore- casting in the field of logistics. Two end-to-end systems with two different deep learning techniques (sequence-to-sequence models and transformers) are pro- posed. The results of this chapter conclude that it is possible to build end-to-end systems to predict the sales of multiple individual products, at multiple points of sale and different times with a single machine learning model. The proposed model outperforms the alternatives found in the literature. Finally, the last two contributions belong to the speech technology field. The former, studies how to build a Keyword Spotting speech recognition system using an efficient version of a convolutional neural network. In this study, the proposed system is able to beat the performance of all the benchmarks found in the literature when tested against the most complex subtasks. The latter study proposes a standalone state-of-the-art text-to-speech model capable of synthesizing intelligible voice in thousands of voice profiles, while generating speech with meaningful and expressive prosody variations. The proposed approach removes the dependency of previous models on an additional voice system, which makes the proposed system more efficient at training and inference time, and enables offline and on-device operations

Localización y valoración de fuentes de distorsión armónica y/o desequilibrio en redes eléctricas

En la actualidad, los consumos de potencia eléctrica se caracterizan por una amplia variedad de cargas en sus procesos productivos, en muchos de los casos cargas trifásicas/monofásicas constituidas por convertidores electrónicos de potencia. Por otro lado, los sistemas eléctricos están hoy día evolucionando hacia sistemas de generación descentralizados donde las unidades de generación, principalmente de energía renovable, se conectan mediante convertidores electrónicos directamente a las redes de distribución. Los consumos referidos y la generación distribuida, contribuye al crecimiento de las corrientes armónicas y desequilibradas que conllevan, entre otros, a un aumento de las pérdidas de la red, y mal funcionamiento de los equipos. Desafortunadamente, la identificación de estas fuentes de perturbación no puede lograrse por medio de medidas individuales en una sección determinada de un sistema eléctrico. La solución efectiva del problema requiere tener que conocer las medidas simultáneas de los parámetros eléctricos de calidad de todas las acometidas donde estén conectados los consumidores. En efecto, los índices empleados usualmente para valorar la calidad, principalmente la tasa de distorsión armónica, no son apropiados para evaluar la calidad de la energía eléctrica cuando está presente una fuerte distorsión, y especialmente en aquellos casos donde existen múltiples fuentes de perturbación conectadas a la red. Por otra parte, se ha demostrado que las medidas de la calidad de la energía eléctrica llevadas a cabo en una sección de medida determinada de la red, no pueden suministrar la información suficiente al menos sin recurrir a mecanismos de medida invasivos. Así, en la bibliografía se encuentran diferentes enfoques para abordar este tipo de cuestión. Estos pueden clasificarse en dos grupos: métodos de medidas en una sección localizada, y métodos de medida distribuidos multipunto (medidas efectuadas simultáneamente en diferentes secciones de la red). Los métodos basados en medidas realizadas en un punto de la red tienen como ventajas principales su bajo coste y su fácil implementación en las instalaciones, pero en algunas condiciones pueden registrar una información inexacta respecto del estado de perturbación de la red. Por otra parte, los métodos de medidas distribuidas multipunto registran una información más precisa respecto del estado de distorsión y desequilibrio del sistema de potencia completo, aunque en la práctica hasta ahora sean difíciles de realizar y requiera una instrumentación más compleja tanto desde el punto de vista de hardware como de software. Además, este enfoque exige la definición de nuevos índices y los correspondientes métodos de medidas asociados para la evaluación de los niveles de las perturbaciones periódicas en la sección de medida. Este enfoque es el que se considera que puede resolver de forma definitiva la cuestión y el que se plantea en esta tesis. En esta tesis se propone un nuevo índice basado en medidas distribuidas multipunto para la identificación de distorsión armónica y/o desequilibrio. El índice propuesto está construido a partir de términos de potencia dentro del marco del estándar IEEE 1459. El estándar presenta un modelo de descomposición de la potencia aparente en condiciones de distorsión y asimetría, sin embargo, éste carece de una evaluación práctica del desequilibrio causado por la carga. El algoritmo propuesto se define usando un nuevo método de descomposición de potencia aparente que lo separa en cuatro componentes, así el nuevo índice introduce dos novedades significativas. En primer lugar, se define en función de términos de potencia desarrollados según la misma filosofía de trabajo que el estándar IEEE 1459. Y en segundo lugar, los términos de potencias utilizados representan una evolución de los términos del estándar, ya que separan de forma más completa la distorsión y el desequilibrio. La nueva propuesta de índice se valida a partir de dos plataformas: una de simulación en el entorno de MATLAB/Simulink y otra experimental desarrollada en el laboratorio de potencia del grupo de investigación. La tesis se ha organizado de la siguiente manera: en el capítulo I se estudia el problema de la distorsión armónica y el desequilibrio en los sistemas eléctricos de potencia de forma conceptual, además se plantea una clasificación de los métodos de localización de fuentes de perturbación. En el capítulo II se realiza un estudio de los métodos basados en medidas realizadas en un único punto de la red. El capítulo III tiene un doble objetivo, por un lado se presentan los índices distribuidos multipunto más representativos recogidos en la literatura técnica, y por otro, se desarrolla la nueva propuesta de índice de medidas distribuidas para la identificación de fuente de distorsión armónica y/o desequilibrio en la red, basado en términos de potencia en el marco del estándar IEEE 1459. En el capítulo IV, con el objetivo de contrastar y validar la nueva propuesta, se realiza un análisis comparativo de los índices distribuidos multipunto a través de una plataforma experimental. Por último, en el capítulo V se presentan las conclusiones de este trabajo.At present, electric power distribution is characterized by a wide variety of loads at its points of production, with, in most cases, electronic power converters comprising singlephase or three-phase loads. As power networks develop towards decentralized generation systems, more units, largely from renewable sources, are being directly connected to the distribution network through electronic converters. Irregular patterns of consumption alongside this distributed generation, contribute to an increase in harmonic distortion and current unbalance that together lead to an increase in network failure and equipment malfunction. At the same time, the very elements that have allowed the development and modernization of electric power distribution networks are those that display greater sensitivity to the disturbances (that they cause) in the network, endangering the system. Consequently, identification of harmonic distortion and/or unbalanced sources in the system is essential, both to demand responsibility from the originator/s (the electrical supply system and/or customer installation), and to take the necessary measures to solve the problem. The different approaches to tackling this problem can be classified into two groups. The first approach concerns measurements taken from a localized section (single-point), while the second concerns multi-point distributed measurement methods (that is, measurements taken simultaneously at different sections on the distribution network). Single-point measurements offer the advantages of low cost and ease of implementation, but in some conditions the information recorded with regard to the state of network disturbances can be inaccurate. The multi-point methods enables the recording of accurate information regarding the state of distortion and unbalance of the complete power system, and is consequently considered capable of definitively resolving the issue. In practice, however, approaches of this nature have to date proved difficult to perform and require the use of expensive and more complex instrumentation from both a hardware and software perspective. What is required is the definition of new indices and corresponding methods for evaluating of the levels of periodic disturbances in the measurement section. Currently, advances in digital signal processing techniques and the interconnection of equipment allowing real-time communication over communication networks make it feasible to address the practical development of a distributed measurement system aimed at quality power in electrical networks. However, it is necessary to define a distributed index that computes the information received from the different locations. These indices are formed from the combination of three indices that have been extensively used to assess distortion and unbalance by single-point methods. The combination of these presupposes greater success in the identification of periodic disturbances. Tests in different conditions have demonstrated that they cannot always clearly identify the source of disturbance, for which reason new proposals would be welcome. This thesis proposes a new multi-point distributed measurement index for the identification of the sources of harmonic distortion and/or unbalance, based in power terms on the IEEE Std. 1459 framework. The Std. 1459 presents a model of apparent power decomposition terms in conditions of distortion and asymmetry. However, this model lacks a practical assessment of the unbalance caused by the load. The new index algorithm is defined using a new method of apparent power decomposition which separates it into four components. The new index introduces two significant developments. First, it is defined as a function of power terms in the Std. 1459 framework, although it retains a fourth perturbation term. And second, the power terms used represent an evolution of the Std terms that most clearly separate distortion and unbalance. The index is applied and validated by means of an experimental platform connected to a real, low-voltage network. The thesis is organized as follows: in chapter I we study the problem of harmonic distortion and imbalance in electrical power systems in a conceptual way, in addition to a classification of the methods of locating sources of disturbance. In Chapter II a study of the methods based on measurements carried out at a single point in the network is carried out. Chapter III has a double objective, on the one hand the most representative multipoint distributed indices of the technical literature are presented, and on the other, the new proposal for the index of distributed measures for the identification of harmonic distortion source and/or unbalance is presented in the network, based on terms of power within the framework of the IEEE 1459 standard. In Chapter IV, in order to contrast and validate the new proposal, a comparative analysis of the multipoint distributed indices is carried out through an experimental platform . Finally, chapter V develops the conclusions

Divergence Of The Response Induced By Xenogenic Immunization In The Sepsis Survival Of Rats

We have previously described that boosted natural xenoantibodies in rats cross-react to bacteria by targeting carbohydrate antigens. This type of immunization is associated with reduced survival after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). In the present study, we investigated further this phenomenon by immunizing Lewis rats with three intraperitoneal injections, every other day, of hamster blood compared to saline-injected control animals. One day after the last injection, CLP was performed to produce a low-grade sepsis. Induction of xenoantibodies was associated with a reduction in animal survival after CLP relative to controls (45% vs. 90%, p<0.01). No bacterial blood load was observed after CLP in this model either with or without xenoantibody enhancement, indicating that the augmented mortality was not mediated by a direct effect of boosted xenoantibodies over blood bacteria. Nevertheless, the xenoimmunization produced a systemic inflammatory response in all rats. Additionally, a lack of weight gain at the time of CLP was present in animals that died after the procedure, which was not observed in surviving rats and controls. The cytokine profile at the time of CLP in animals that died after the procedure was characterized by an increase in the serum level of several cytokines, particularly adipokines. In contrast, the cytokine profile at CLP of xenoimmunized rats that survived the procedure was characterized by a reduction in the level of cytokines. In conclusion, this study failed to show a direct effect of boosted xenoantibodies over blood bacterial isolates as cause for the decreased survival after CLP. However, it evidenced that non-infectious systemic inflammation may lead to a pattern of augmented cytokines, particularly adipokines, which impairs survival after subsequent CLP. Therefore, the profile of cytokines existing before the infectious insult appears more crucial than that resulting from the condition for the outcome of sepsis

Conceptualization in the circular economy: analysing the influence of thinking profiles in creative groups

Eco-innovation initiatives include eco-ideation processes for proposing ideas that are innovative and represent an environmental improvement. The evaluation of the results of eco-ideation has been focused on evaluating these two aspects, but it is necessary to know how related factors, such as the thinking profile of group members, influence the generation of concepts during the creative process. This study proposes a metric that analyses the results of the creative process within conceptualization from three approaches: innovation, circularity and group activity. The group activity approach is related to the influence of the leader in the management of a creative group. The proposed metric allows us to observe the creative process, the interactions among the participants, the design decisions made, and the evaluation of the creative product which will determine which type of creative groups obtain better results. The application of the results and the proposed metric allow the creation of groups oriented to objectives, for both specific or permanent workgroups. This can be used for the initial selection of participants for eco-ideation groups, or to improve the group functionality during intermediate stages

Explorant la dimensió emocional de les matemàtiques i les llengües

Postgrau en Educació Emocional i Benestar, Facultat de Pedagogia, Departament de Mètodes d’Investigació i Diagnòstic en Educació, Universitat de Barcelona, curs: 2016-2017, Tutora: Immaculada Roge

Misalignment and tilt effect on aspheric intraocular lens designs after a corneal refractive surgery

Purpose: To numerically evaluate and compare the tolerance to misalignment and tilt of aspheric intraocular lenses (IOLs) designed for three eyes: with standard cornea and with simulated corneas after myopic and hyperopic laser ablation surgery. Methods: Three aspheric IOLs of +20.00 diopter (D) with different spherical aberration (SA) (Z04) values have been designed using a theoretical model eye. Drastic changes on the theoretical eye anterior corneal asphericity have been performed to simulate myopic and hyperopic refractive surgeries. The effect of IOL misalignment and tilt on the image quality has been evaluated using a commercial optical software design for the three eye models. Image quality was assessed from the modulation transfer function (MTF), root mean square (RMS) values of defocus, astigmatism, coma and spherical aberration (Z04), and retinal images obtained from a visual simulator using an aleatory optotype of 0.00 LogMar visual acuity (VA). Results: IOL misalignment and tilt reduced MTF values in general, and increased wavefront aberrations errors. Aberration-free IOLs maintained best the MTF values when misalignments were applied, together with good on-axis optical quality. IOLs with negative SA (Z04) correction decreased the MTF value under 0.43 for misalignments values higher than 0.50 mm with the three corneas. The effect of misalignment on RMS astigmatism and coma was correlated with the IOL SA (Z04) and with the three corneas. Conclusions: This theoretical study shows that the largest degradation in image quality arises for the IOL with the highest amount of spherical aberration (Z04). Moreover, it has been found that the aspherical design has a more influential role in misalignment tolerance than in tilt tolerance

Assessment of the Performance of a Modified USBR Type II Stilling Basin by a Validated CFD Model

[EN] The adaptation of existing dams is of paramount importance to face the challenge posed by climate change and new legal frameworks. Thus, it is crucial to optimize the design of stilling basins to reduce the hydraulic jump dimensions without jeopardizing the energy dissipation in the structure. A numerical model was developed to simulate a US Bureau of Reclamation Type II basin. The model was validated with a specifically designed physical model and then was used to simulate and test the performance of the basin after adding a second row of chute blocks. The results showed a reduction in the hydraulic jump dimensions in terms of the sequent depth ratio and the roller length, which were respectively 2.5% and 1.4% lower in the modified design. These results would allow an estimated increase of the discharge in the basin close to 10%. Furthermore, this new design had 1.2% higher efficiency. Consequently, the modifications proposed for the basin design suggest improved performance of the structure. The issue of the hydraulic jump length estimation also was discussed, and different approaches were introduced and compared. These methods follow a structured and systematic procedure and gave consistent results for the developed models.The authors acknowledge the collaboration of the Hydraulics Laboratory of the Department of Hydraulic Engineering and Environment from Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV) and their technicians Juan Carlos Edo and Joaquin Oliver in the construction of the experimental device used for the numerical model setup and validation. The work was supported by the research project "La aireacion del flujo y su implementacion en prototipo para la mejora de la disipacion de energia de la lamina vertiente por resalto hidraulico en distintos tipos de presas" (BIA2017-85412-C2-1-R), funded by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigacion and FEDER.Macián-Pérez, JF.; Vallés-Morán, FJ.; García-Bartual, R. (2021). Assessment of the Performance of a Modified USBR Type II Stilling Basin by a Validated CFD Model. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. 147(11):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.00016231121471