Digital Commons Network^™

Phoneme Recognition For Pronunciation Improvement, Matthew Heywood

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This project aims to improve English pronunciation by investigating speech errors and developing a tool to provide precise feedback. The study focuses on creating a new pronunciation tool that offers localized feedback, identifies specific errors, and suggests corrective measures. By addressing the shortcomings of current methods, this research seeks to enhance pronunciation refinement.

Utilizing cutting-edge technology, the tool leverages speech-to-phoneme AI models and modified lazy string matching algorithms to compare the user's spoken input with the intended pronunciation. This allows for a detailed analysis of discrepancies, providing users actionable insights into their phonetic errors. The speech-to-phoneme AI models mark a …

Exploring Post-Covid-19 Health Effects And Features With Advanced Machine Learning Techniques, Muhammad N. Islam, Md S. Islam, Nahid H. Shourav, Iftiaqur Rahman, Faiz A. Faisal, Md M. Islam, Iqbal H. Sarker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease that has had a significant impact, resulting in a range of outcomes including recovery, continued health issues, and the loss of life. Among those who have recovered, many experience negative health effects, particularly influenced by demographic factors such as gender and age, as well as physiological and neurological factors like sleep patterns, emotional states, anxiety, and memory. This research aims to explore various health factors affecting different demographic profiles and establish significant correlations among physiological and neurological factors in the post-COVID-19 state. To achieve these objectives, we have identified the post-COVID-19 health factors and …

Data Collector Selection Ranking-Based Method For Collaborative Multi-Tasks In Ubiquitous Environments, Belal Z. Hassan, Ahmed. A. A. Gad-Elrab, Mohamed S. Farag, S. E. Abu-Youssef

Al-Azhar Bulletin of Science

In Ubiquitous Computing and the Internet of Things, the sensing and control of objects involve numerous devices collecting and transmitting data. However, connecting these devices without fostering collaboration leads to suboptimal system performance. As the number of connected sensing devices in Internet of Things increases, efficient task accomplishment through collaboration becomes imperative. This paper proposes a Data Collector Selection Method for Collaborative Multi-Tasks to address this challenge, considering task preferences and uncertainty in data collectors' contributions. The proposed method incorporates three key aspects: (1) Using Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process to determine optimal weights for task preferences; (2) Ranking data collectors …

Reinforcement Learning For Robotic Tasks: Analyzing And Understanding The Learning Process Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence Methods, Brian J. Campana

Theses and Dissertations

As deep reinforcement learning (RL) models gain traction across more industries, there is a growing need for reliable agent-explanation techniques to understand these models. Researchers have developed explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods to help understand these 'black boxes'. While these models have been tested on many supervised learning tasks, there is a lack of examination of how these well these methods can explain hard reinforcement learning problems like robotic control. The sequential nature of learning RL policies and testing episodes create fundamentally different policies over time compared to more traditional supervised learning models. In this thesis, two important questions are …

Scaling Expertise: A Note On Homophily In Online Discourse And Content Moderation, Dylan Weber

New England Journal of Public Policy

It is now empirically clear that the structure of online discourse tends toward homophily; users strongly prefer to interact with content and other users that are similar to them. I review the evidence for the ubiquity of homophily in discourse and highlight some of its worst effects including narrowed information landscape for users and increased spread of misinformation. I then discuss the current state of moderation frameworks at large social media platforms and how they are ill-equipped to deal with structural trends in discourse such as homophily. Finally, I sketch a moderation framework based on a principal of “scaling expertise” …

Henna Chatbot Capstone Review, Kobe Norcross

University Honors Theses

This thesis reviews the development of the Henna Chatbot, an AI-powered DEI consultant designed to provide personalized feedback to organizations. Sponsored by DEI consultant Arsh Haque, the project aims to address gaps in current DEI software, which often lacks team-specific feedback. The Henna Chatbot leverages GPT-3.5 Turbo to create an affordable SaaS platform where organizations can train Henna with their DEI values, and Henna will help organizations stay aligned with those values. The project spanned twenty weeks and was completed by a team of eight computer science students at Portland State University. The development process followed Agile methodologies, emphasizing effective …

Data Visualization, Licensing, And Other Generative Ai Initiatives At Minnesota State University Mankato, Evan Rusch, Nat Gustafson-Sundell

Library Services Publications

At Minnesota State University Mankato (MNSU), we’ve undertaken several experiments and initiatives focused on Generative Artificial Intelligence. At the start of the fall semester, we collaborated with university Information Technology Services to present a professional development session for returning faculty through the MNSU Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning on “5 Tips for Teaching with AI.” We also presented to librarians across the regional consortium, Minitex, on “The Library & Generative AI.” This presentation included several demonstrations. It was offered as an introduction to Generative AI focused on topics most relevant to librarians, including information literacy, as well as …

A Meta-Ensemble Predictive Model For The Risk Of Lung Cancer, Sideeqoh Oluwaseun Olawale-Shosanya, Olayinka Olufunmilayo Olusanya, Adeyemi Omotayo Joseph, Kabir Oluwatobi Idowu, Oyelade Babatunde Eriwa, Adedeji Oladimeji Adebare, Morufat Adebola Usman

Al-Bahir Journal for Engineering and Pure Sciences

The lungs play a vital role in supplying oxygen to every cell, filtering air to prevent harmful substances, and supporting defense mechanisms. However, they remain susceptible to the risk of diseases such as infections, inflammation, and cancer that affect the lungs. Meta-ensemble techniques are prominent methods used in machine learning to enhance the accuracy of classifier learning systems in making predictions. This work proposes a robust predictive model using a meta-ensemble method to identify high-risk individuals with lung cancer, thereby taking early action to prevent long-term problems benchmarked upon the Kaggle Machine Learning practitioners' Lung Cancer Dataset. Three machine learning …

Ai's Ethical Frontier

DePaul Magazine

Artificial intelligence (AI) is affecting every aspect of the university and society. Experts from across DePaul share their insights on artificial intelligence's advantages and pitfalls. Learn about DePaul's new Artificial Intelligence Institute and research projects that use AI for societal benefit.

Machines Of The Absurd: Leveraging Generative Ai For Creativity, Humor, And Playfulness, Tyler Sanders

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

Machines of The Absurd is a collection of four projects exploring how generative AI can be leveraged for creativity, humor and playfulness.

1. neverOS — A node-based visual playground for interacting with large language models.

2. Other Calc — An iOS app with a calculator interface, where players can “calculate” text instead of numbers.

3. What Must Burn — An experiment where players type in text that can be dragged into a campfire to produce contextually appropriate sound effects.

4. Jazz vs Waffles — A turn-based comedy game, where players battle anything they type in.

Together, these projects make the …

Back To The Future: A Case For The Resurgence Of Approximation Theory For Enabling Data Driven “Intelligence”, Michael Dominic Ciocco

Theses and Dissertations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has exploded into mainstream consciousness with commercial investments exceeding $90 billion in the last year alone. Inasmuch as consumer-facing applications such ChatGPT offer astounding access to algorithms that were hitherto restricted to academic research labs, public focus of attention on AI has created an avalanche of misinformation. The nexus of investor-driven hype, “surprising” inaccuracies in the answers provided by AI models – now anthropomorphically labeled as “hallucinations”, and impending legislation by well-meaning and concerned governments has resulted in a crisis of confidence in the science of AI. The primary driver for AI’s recent growth is the convergence …

Architectural Elements Contributing To Interpretability Of Deep Neural Networks (Dnns), Emily Barnes, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

The interpretability of Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) has become a critical focus in artificial intelligence and machine learning, particularly as DNNs are increasingly used in high-stakes applications like healthcare, finance, and autonomous driving. Interpretability refers to the extent to which humans can understand the reasons behind a model's decisions, which is essential for trust, accountability, and transparency. However, the complexity and depth of DNN architectures often compromise interpretability as these models function as "black boxes." This article reviews key architectural elements of DNNs that affect their interpretability, aiming to guide the design of more transparent and trustworthy models. The primary …

Context In Computer Vision: A Taxonomy, Multi-Stage Integration, And A General Framework, Xuan Wang

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Contextual information has been widely used in many computer vision tasks, such as object detection, video action detection, image classification, etc. Recognizing a single object or action out of context could be sometimes very challenging, and context information may help improve the understanding of a scene or an event greatly. However, existing approaches design specific contextual information mechanisms for different detection tasks.

In this research, we first present a comprehensive survey of context understanding in computer vision, with a taxonomy to describe context in different types and levels. Then we proposed MultiCLU, a new multi-stage context learning and utilization framework, …

Assessing Job Vulnerability And Employment Growth In The Era Of Large Language Models (Llms), Prudence P. Brou

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This paper explores the impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence (AI) on white-collar occupations in the context of job vulnerability and employment growth. Utilizing the Kaggle dataset "Occupation Salary and Likelihood of Automation," the study employs a data-driven approach to analyze trends across states. Through interactive data visualization, the project aims to provide actionable insights for affected workers, businesses, and policymakers navigating the changing dynamics of the workforce amidst technological advancements.

Boring But Demanding: Using Secondary Tasks To Counter The Driver Vigilance Decrement For Partially Automated Driving, Scott Mishler, Jing Chen

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective

We investigated secondary–task–based countermeasures to the vigilance decrement during a simulated partially automated driving (PAD) task, with the goal of understanding the underlying mechanism of the vigilance decrement and maintaining driver vigilance in PAD.

Background

Partial driving automation requires a human driver to monitor the roadway, but humans are notoriously bad at monitoring tasks over long periods of time, demonstrating the vigilance decrement in such tasks. The overload explanations of the vigilance decrement predict the decrement to be worse with added secondary tasks due to increased task demands and depleted attentional resources, whereas the underload explanations predict the vigilance …

Enhancing Robustness Of Machine Learning Models Against Adversarial Attacks, Ronak Guliani

University Honors Theses

Machine learning models are integral for numerous applications, but they remain increasingly vulnerable to adversarial attacks. These attacks involve subtle manipulation of input data to deceive models, presenting a critical threat to their dependability and security. This thesis addresses the need for strengthening these models against such adversarial attacks. Prior research has primarily focused on identifying specific types of adversarial attacks on a limited range of ML algorithms. However, there is a gap in the evaluation of model resilience across algorithms and in the development of effective defense mechanisms. To bridge this gap, this work adopts a two-phase approach. First, …

Perceptions And Aspirations Of Undergraduate Computer Science Students Towards Generative Ai: A Qualitative Inquiry, James Hutson, Theresa Jeevanjee

Faculty Scholarship

This article presents a comprehensive study conducted during the spring semester of 2024, aimed at exploring undergraduate computer science students’ perceptions, awareness, and understanding of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools within the context of their Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses. The research methodology employed qualitative techniques, including human-subject research and focus groups, to delve into students’ insights on the evolution of AI as delineated in the seminal textbook by Russell and Norvig. The study-initiated discussions on the historical development of AI, prompting students to reflect on the aspects that intrigued them the most, and to identify which historical concepts and methodologies, …

Present Case Studies Highlighting Practical Implications Of Architectural Design Choices, Emily Barnes, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

The interpretability of deep neural networks (DNNs) has become a crucial focus within artificial intelligence and machine learning, particularly as these models are increasingly used in high-stakes applications such as healthcare, finance, and autonomous driving. This article explores the impact of architectural design choices on the interpretability of DNNs, emphasizing the importance of transparency, trust, and accountability in AI systems. By presenting case studies and experimental results, the article highlights how different architectural elements—such as layer types, network depth, connectivity patterns, and attention mechanisms—affect model interpretability and performance. The discussion is structured into three main sections: real-world applications, architectural trade-offs, …

Evaluating Methods For Assessing Interpretability Of Deep Neural Networks (Dnns), Emily Barnes, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

The interpretability of deep neural networks (DNNs) is a critical focus in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), particularly as these models are increasingly deployed in high-stakes applications such as healthcare, finance, and autonomous systems. In the context of these technologies, interpretability refers to the extent to which a human can understand the cause of a decision made by a model. This article evaluates various methods for assessing the interpretability of DNNs, recognizing the significant challenges posed by their complex and opaque nature. The review encompasses both quantitative metrics and qualitative evaluations, aiming to identify effective strategies that enhance …

Navigating The Complexities Of Ai: The Critical Role Of Interpretability And Explainability In Ensuring Transparency And Trust, Emily Barnes, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

The interpretability and explainability of deep neural networks (DNNs) are paramount in artificial intelligence (AI), especially when applied to high-stakes fields such as healthcare, finance, and autonomous driving. The need for this study arises from the growing integration of AI into critical areas where transparency, trust, and ethical decision-making are essential. This paper explores the impact of architectural design choices on DNN interpretability, focusing on how different architectural elements like layer types, network depth, connectivity patterns, and attention mechanisms affect model transparency. Methodologically, the study employs a comprehensive review of case studies and experimental results to analyze the balance between …

Navigating The Ethical Terrain Of Ai In Higher Education: Strategies For Mitigating Bias And Promoting Fairness, Emily Barnes, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are transforming higher education by enhancing personalized learning and academic support, yet they pose significant ethical challenges, particularly in terms of inherent biases. This review critically examines the integration of AI in higher education, underscoring the dual aspects of its potential to innovate educational paradigms and the essential need to address ethical implications to avoid perpetuating existing inequalities. The researchers employed a methodological approach that analyzed case studies and literature as primary data collection methods, focusing on strategies to mitigate biases through technical solutions, diverse datasets, and strict adherence to ethical guidelines. Their …

Impact Of Similarities In Gender And Physical Appearance Between User And Embodied Conversational Agents On Trustworthiness, Empathy, And Service Evaluation, Sookyoung Park

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) have significantly enhanced human-machine interactions and show considerable potential in various industries such as customer service, education, healthcare, entertainment, and finance [1, 2]. This study explores the impact of similarities in gender and physical appearance between ECAs and users on the perceptions of trustworthiness, empathy, and service evaluation within the context of counselor ECAs. We conducted a within-subject experiment (n=50), using a 2x2 factorial arrangement, that varied the gender and the physical appearance of four distinct AI avatars. Participants interacted with each avatar, completing a post-experiment survey and participating in semi-structured interviews. Our findings indicate that …

Combining Cloud Architecting With Education, Sharon P. Pagidipati

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

I pursued the AWS Solutions Architect Professional Certification while applying my knowledge to build and revise technical solutions for an educational company known as EDFX.

Try It Together - Qualitative Coding With Atlas.Ti, Danping Dong, Bryan Leow

AI for Research Week

This hands-on session introduces Atlas.ti, a well-established qualitative data analysis tool for analyzing your transcripts and textual data. The session will cover coding data, extracting insights, creating visualizations, and exploring the tool's latest AI features.

Try It Together: Transcribing Your Audio With Whisper Api, Bella Ratmelia

AI for Research Week

In this hands-on session, we will explore using the Whisper API to transcribe audio recordings from interviews, focus groups, and speeches. The session will delve into best practices and address common issues that may arise during the transcription process.

Singleadv: Single-Class Target-Specific Attack Against Interpretable Deep Learning Systems, Eldor Abdukhamidov, Mohammed Abuhamad, George K. Thiruvathukal, Hyoungshick Kim, Tamer Abuhmed

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

In this paper, we present a novel Single-class target-specific Adversarial attack called SingleADV. The goal of SingleADV is to generate a universal perturbation that deceives the target model into confusing a specific category of objects with a target category while ensuring highly relevant and accurate interpretations. The universal perturbation is stochastically and iteratively optimized by minimizing the adversarial loss that is designed to consider both the classifier and interpreter costs in targeted and non-targeted categories. In this optimization framework, ruled by the first- and second-moment estimations, the desired loss surface promotes high confidence and interpretation score of adversarial samples. By …

Detecting Drifts In Data Streams Using Kullback-Leibler (Kl) Divergence Measure For Data Engineering Applications, Jeomoan Francis Kurian, Mohamed Allali

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

The exponential growth of data coupled with the widespread application of artificial intelligence(AI) presents organizations with challenges in upholding data accuracy, especially within data engineering functions. While the Extraction, Transformation, and Loading process addresses error-free data ingestion, validating the content within data streams remains a challenge. Prompt detection and remediation of data issues are crucial, especially in automated analytical environments driven by AI. To address these issues, this study focuses on detecting drifts in data distributions and divergence within data fields processed from different sample populations. Using a hypothetical banking scenario, we illustrate the impact of data drift on automated …

Academic Search And Discovery Tools In The Age Of Ai And Large Language Models: An Overview Of The Space, Aaron Tay

AI for Research Week

In the ever-evolving landscape of academic research, “AI tools” for literature search and synthesis are currently getting a lot of attention. These tools promise to ramp up productivity, enabling us to accomplish more in less time or absorb more knowledge without drowning in endless reading. With the sheer number of these systems increasing daily, it's natural to wonder: are they really worth our time and money? And if they are, how should we go about picking the right one from the multitude of options?

In this talk, I will share my views on how the space has developed over two …

Context Aware Music Recommendation And Playlist Generation, Elias Mann

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

There are many reasons people listen to music, and the type of music is largely determined by what the listener may be doing while they listen. For example, one may listen to one type of music while commuting, another while exercising, and yet another while relaxing. Without access to the physiological state of the user, current music recommendation methods rely on collaborative filtering - recommending music based on what other similar users listen to - and content based filtering - recommending songs based on their similarities to songs the user already prefers. With the rise in popularity of smart devices …

Making The Most Of Artificial Intelligence And Large Language Models: A Novel Approach For Book Recommendation And Discovery In Medical Libraries, Ivan Portillo, David Carson

Library Presentations, Posters, and Audiovisual Materials

This poster presentation evaluates the use of Artificial Intelligence and large language models (LLMs) to assist health science libraries in recommending and discovering book titles as part of their collection development. Using pre-determined prompts, the researchers evaluated ChatGPT 4.0, Bing Chat, and Google Bard as recommender systems for book discovery and ranking existing titles.