Classification of high dimensional data using LASSO ensembles

Urda, D., Franco, L. and Jerez, J.M. (2017). Classification of high dimensional data using LASSO ensembles. Proceedings IEEE SSCI'17, Symposium Series on Computational Intelligence, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A. (2017). ISBN: 978-1-5386-2726-6The estimation of multivariable predictors with good performance in high dimensional settings is a crucial task in biomedical contexts. Usually, solutions based on the application of a single machine learning model are provided while the use of ensemble methods is often overlooked within this area despite the well-known benefits that these methods provide in terms of predictive performance. In this paper, four ensemble approaches are described using LASSO base learners to predict the vital status of a patient from RNA-Seq gene expression data. The results of the analysis carried out in a public breast invasive cancer (BRCA) dataset shows that the ensemble approaches outperform statistically significant the standard LASSO model considered as baseline case. We also perform an analysis of the computational costs involved for each of the approaches, providing different usage recommendations according to the available computational power.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Study and development of sensorimotor interfaces for robotic human augmentation

This thesis presents my research contribution to robotics and haptics in the context of human augmentation. In particular, in this document, we are interested in bodily or sensorimotor augmentation, thus the augmentation of humans by supernumerary robotic limbs (SRL). The field of sensorimotor augmentation is new in robotics and thanks to the combination with neuroscience, great leaps forward have already been made in the past 10 years. All of the research work I produced during my Ph.D. focused on the development and study of fundamental technology for human augmentation by robotics: the sensorimotor interface. This new concept is born to indicate a wearable device which has two main purposes, the first is to extract the input generated by the movement of the user's body, and the second to provide the somatosensory system of the user with an haptic feedback. This thesis starts with an exploratory study of integration between robotic and haptic devices, intending to combine state-of-the-art devices. This allowed us to realize that we still need to understand how to improve the interface that will allow us to feel the agency when using an augmentative robot. At this point, the path of this thesis forks into two alternative ways that have been adopted to improve the interaction between the human and the robot. In this regard, the first path we presented tackles two aspects conerning the haptic feedback of sensorimotor interfaces, which are the choice of the positioning and the effectiveness of the discrete haptic feedback. In the second way we attempted to lighten a supernumerary finger, focusing on the agility of use and the lightness of the device. One of the main findings of this thesis is that haptic feedback is considered to be helpful by stroke patients, but this does not mitigate the fact that the cumbersomeness of the devices is a deterrent to their use. Preliminary results here presented show that both the path we chose to improve sensorimotor augmentation worked: the presence of the haptic feedback improves the performance of sensorimotor interfaces, the co-positioning of haptic feedback and the input taken from the human body can improve the effectiveness of these interfaces, and creating a lightweight version of a SRL is a viable solution for recovering the grasping function

Occupational Choice and Academic Planning in the Colombia-Venezuela Union of Seventh-day Adventists : a Needs Assessment

Problem. In Colombia and Venezuela the number of students demanding higher education commonly surpasses the capacity of their educational systems. Furthermore, the academic programs may not match the occupational needs of the region. When academic planning occurs without systematic needs assessment, resources are wasted and graduates are ill prepared tor the labor market. The Subjects. The subjects included senior high-school students attending SDA institutions, teachers serving those schools, the students’ parents/representatives, school and church administrators, and SDA members within Colombia and Venezuela. The Method. A design for needs assessment was developed upon the implementation of a Data Flow Diagram (DFD) as used in systems analysis to design pertinent computer programs. Using this design, information was secured from a variety of sources to provide approaches for academic planning in the Colombia-Venezuela Union. Findings. 1. Occupation preferences of sample SDA respondents matched the preferences of each country\u27s larger population; differences in preferences were observed between the two countries. 2. Significant positive correlations were observed in the occupational preferences of adult groups-parents, teachers, and administrators. 3. Occupational preferences of adult groups, failed to match career preparation provided for in the master plan of Corporacion Universitaria Adventista. 4. Occupation preferences of students and adult groups were only partially compatible with the officially documented needs of the labor market. 5. In both countries students tended to prefer careers related to technology. Preferences for social areas were more prevalent in Venezuela, artistic areas in Colombia, but neither was strong. 6. Occupational preferences of students failed to realistically consider their financial capacity to participate in career-preparation programs. Conclusions. 1. The Colombia-Venezuela Union of Seventh-day Adventists should examine its Educational program offering to address the needs and opportunities of the labor market. 2. Students’ occupational preferences matched the traditional and frequently irrelevant preferences of their adult counterparts. 3. CUA Academic Master Plan needs to be re-designed to reflect current and future demands of the labor market. 4. Administrative involvement is crucial in securing institutional commitment to the needs-assessment process. Implications. The Educational system of the Colombia-Venezuela Union should be revised to reduce mismatch between traditional offerings and the growing demands of a developing society. Needs assessment may assist in reducing the gap between academic training and the labor market

Improving network generalization through selection of examples

In this work, we study how the selection of examples affects the learning procedure in a neural network and its relationship with the complexity of the function under study and its architecture. We focus on three different problems: parity, addition of two number and bitshifting implemented on feed-forward Neural Networks. For the parity problem, one of the most used problems for testing learning algorithms, we obtain the result that only the use of the whole set of examples assures global learnings. For the other two functions we show that generalization can be considerably improved with a particular selection of examples instead of a random one.Sistemas InteligentesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Improving network generalization through selection of examples

In this work, we study how the selection of examples affects the learning procedure in a neural network and its relationship with the complexity of the function under study and its architecture. We focus on three different problems: parity, addition of two number and bitshifting implemented on feed-forward Neural Networks. For the parity problem, one of the most used problems for testing learning algorithms, we obtain the result that only the use of the whole set of examples assures global learnings. For the other two functions we show that generalization can be considerably improved with a particular selection of examples instead of a random one.Sistemas InteligentesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

SIMNET: simulation-based exercises for computer net-work curriculum through gamification and augmented reality

Gamification and Augmented Reality techniques, in recent years, have tackled many subjects and environments. Its implementation can, in particular, strengthen teaching and learning processes in schools and universities. Therefore, new forms of knowledge, based on interactions with objects, contributing game, experimentation and collaborative work. Through the technologies mentioned above, we intend to develop an application that serves as a didactic tool, giving support in the area of Computer Networks. This application aims to stand out in simulated controlled environments to create computer networks, taking into ac-count the necessary physical devices and the different physical and logical topologies. The main goal is to enrich the students’ learning experiences and contrib-ute to teacher-student interaction, through collaborative learning provided by the tool, minimizing the need for expensive equipment in learning environments.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Formulación y optimización y de una mezcla para untar a base de mango (Mangifera indica) y semillas de quinua (Chenopodium quinoa) tipo artesanal

El objetivo de esta investigación fue la optimización de una mezcla para untar a base de mango y semillas de quinua tipo artesanal, aplicando la metodología de superficie de respuestas. Quince muestras de mezclas para untar fueron formuladas, una vez elaboradas fueron caracterizadas mediante la realización de análisis fisicoquímicos y microbiológicos. La mezcla para untar optimizada se presentó a un panel sensorial no entrenado siguiendo la NTC 3925 (1996), donde se evaluaron cinco atributos: apariencia, color, olor, sabor y textura. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que la formula optima de la mezcla para untar tipo artesanal se compone de un 78,0% de mango 4,0% de semillas de quinua y 0,5% de pectina, para obtener un porcentaje de proteína del 1,74%. La mezcla optima presentó un comportamiento reológico que la clasifica como un fluido no newtoniano pseudoplástico característico de productos untables, cumplió con los parámetros microbiológicos y fisicoquímicos establecidos por la NTC 285 (2007) y los resultados del panel sensorial indicaron una buena aceptación por parte de los panelistas

Aplicación de la realidad aumentada en videojuegos

La computación grafica es un campo de las ciencias de la informática, la cual busca investigar sobre técnicas y metodologías proporcionadas por la matemática, geometría, física, álgebra lineal, óptica, etc. Teniendo como objeto el generar imágenes visuales artificiales y completar o cambiar la información visual y espacial reconocida del mundo real. Esta es una de la ares de la ciencias de la informática más interesantes que hay, su contribución a sido fundamental para el desarrollo tanto de hardware como de software, ya que sus implementaciones requieren recursos cada vez mayores. El uso de gráficas por computador ha sido de gran ayuda para desarrollos, con el fin de contribuir en diversos campos de la ingeniería e investigación científica. La Computación Gráfica cubre áreas muy diversas, que abarcan desde la visualización científica o de ingeniería, Gráficos estadísticos, Cartografía, medicina, diseño Asistido por Computadora (CAD) et