Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Exploring The Potential Of Sparse Coding For Machine Learning, Sheng Yang Lundquist

Dissertations and Theses

While deep learning has proven to be successful for various tasks in the field of computer vision, there are several limitations of deep-learning models when compared to human performance. Specifically, human vision is largely robust to noise and distortions, whereas deep learning performance tends to be brittle to modifications of test images, including being susceptible to adversarial examples. Additionally, deep-learning methods typically require very large collections of training examples for good performance on a task, whereas humans can learn to perform the same task with a much smaller number of training examples.

In this dissertation, I investigate whether the use …

Mechanisms Of Value-Biased Prioritization In Fast Sensorimotor Decision Making, Kivilcim Afacan-Seref

Dissertations and Theses

In dynamic environments, split-second sensorimotor decisions must be prioritized according to potential payoffs to maximize overall rewards. The impact of relative value on deliberative perceptual judgments has been examined extensively, but relatively little is known about value-biasing mechanisms in the common situation where physical evidence is strong but the time to act is severely limited. This research examines the behavioral and electrophysiological indices of how value biases split-second perceptual decisions and the possible mechanisms underlying the process. In prominent decision models, a noisy but statistically stationary representation of sensory evidence is integrated over time to an action-triggering bound, and value-biases …

Tropical Cyclone Hazards In Relation To Propagation Speed, Jiehao Huang

Dissertations and Theses

As the population and infrastructure along the US East Coast increase, it becomes increasingly important to study the characteristics of tropical cyclones that can impact the coast. A recent study shows that the propagation speed of tropical cyclones has slowed over the past 60 years, which can lead to greater accumulation of precipitation and greater storm surge impacts. The study presented herein is meant to examine and analyze the relationships that exist between the propagation speed of tropical cyclones, their surface wind strength, displacement angles, and cyclone averaged winds. This analysis is focused on tropical cyclones spanning from 1950-2015 in …