School Seminar Series

Maja Popović (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin): (Dis)similarity Metrics for Texts (School Seminar)

Abstract: Natural language processing (NLP) is a multidisciplinary field closely related to linguistics, machine learning and artificial intelligence. It comprises a number of different subfields dealing with different kinds of analysis and/or generation of natural language texts. All these methods and approaches need some kind of evaluation, i.e. comparison between the obtained result with a … Maja Popović (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin): (Dis)similarity Metrics for Texts (School Seminar)

Semantics for probabilistic programming, Dr Chris Heunen

Semantics for probabilistic programming, Dr Chris Heunen 03.10.17, 1pm, Room JCB 1.33B Abstract: Statistical models in e.g. machine learning are traditionally expressed in some sort of flow charts. Writing sophisticated models succintly is much easier in a fully fledged programming language. The programmer can then rely on generic inference algorithms instead of having to craft one for … Semantics for probabilistic programming, Dr Chris Heunen

Seeing the Wood for the Trees – Essential Structure in Model-based Search by Prof. John McCall

Problem structure, or linkage, refers to the interaction between variables in a black-box fitness function. Discovering structure is a feature of a range of search algorithms that use structural models at each iteration to determine the trajectory of the search. Examples include Information Geometry Optimisation (IGO), Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES), Bayesian Evolutionary Learning … Seeing the Wood for the Trees – Essential Structure in Model-based Search by Prof. John McCall

Multi-modal Indoor Positioning: Trends and Challenges by Prof. Niki Trigoni, Oxford University

Abstract: GPS has enabled a number of location based services outdoors, but the problem of localisation remains open in GPS-denied environments, such as indoors and underground. In this talk, I will discuss the key challenges to accurate and robust position estimation, and will describe a variety of sensor modalities and algorithms developed at Oxford to … Multi-modal Indoor Positioning: Trends and Challenges by Prof. Niki Trigoni, Oxford University

Quicker Sort by Dietmar Kühl, Bloomberg L.P.

  Abstract: Quicksort is a well-known sorting algorithm used to implement sort functionality in many libraries. The presentation isn’t really about the algorithm itself but rather about how to actually create an efficient implementation of the algorithm: a text-book implementation of the algorithm actually is not that quick (even if the pivot is chosen cleverly). … Quicker Sort by Dietmar Kühl, Bloomberg L.P.

Running Before We have Evolved Legs: The Gap Between Theory and Practice in Evolutionary Algorithms by Prof. John McCall

Abstract: Evolutionary algorithms (EA) has developed as an academic discipline since the 1960s. The subject has spawned major subfields such as swarm intelligence and genetic programming and is applied to a wide variety of practical real world problems in science medicine and engineering. EAs are often the only practical method of solving large combinatorial optimisation … Running Before We have Evolved Legs: The Gap Between Theory and Practice in Evolutionary Algorithms by Prof. John McCall

School Seminar: “The path to Cellular IoT and the promise of 5G” by Frankie Garcia

The School of Computer Science welcomes Frankie Garcia from Keysight Technologies, Edinburgh.  Abstract: Over the last two decades we have witnessed an unprecedented growth in the number of Internet-connected devices via the Cloud (storage, compute and intelligent analytics) generally referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT). This includes both machine-to-machine (M2M) and machine-to-person communications on a … School Seminar: “The path to Cellular IoT and the promise of 5G” by Frankie Garcia

Elise van den Hoven : Materialising Memories: a design research programme to study everyday remembering

Abstract Perhaps the term computer ‘memory’ has led people to believe that human memory has to be perfect and infallible. Many people worry when they realise they forget and some turn to recording and collecting as much as they can, e.g. photos or videos through life logging. Some people assume that by collecting they can … Elise van den Hoven : Materialising Memories: a design research programme to study everyday remembering

Daniel Archambault : Effective Visualisation of Static and Dynamic Graphs

Abstract Visualising dynamic graphs is important for many application areas.  For social media networks, they can help us understand the interaction and interests of users online.  In biology, they can illustrate the interactions between genes and biological processes.  Understanding and designing effective visualisation methods for dynamic network data is fundamental to these areas as well … Daniel Archambault : Effective Visualisation of Static and Dynamic Graphs

Keith Cheverst: Investigating the Shared Curation of Locative Media relating to the Local History of a Rural Community

Abstract In this talk I will present experiences and insights from our studies involving locative media, local history and community. Our work in the village of Wray has involved the longitudinal and ‘in the wild’ deployment of ‘digital noticeboard’ displays (conceived as technology probes) that support the sharing of photos/images. A significant portion of the … Keith Cheverst: Investigating the Shared Curation of Locative Media relating to the Local History of a Rural Community