A survey on blockchain-enabled federated learning and its prospects with digital twin

Digital Twin(DT)supports real time analysis and provides a reliable simulation platform in the Internet of Things(IoT).The creation and application of DT hinges on amounts of data,which poses pressure on the application of Artificial Intelligence(AI)for DT descriptions and intelligent decision-making.Federated Learning(FL)is a cutting-edge technology that enables geographically dispersed devices to collaboratively train a shared global model locally rather than relying on a data center to perform model training.Therefore,DT can benefit by combining with FL,successfully solving the"data island"problem in traditional AI.However,FL still faces serious challenges,such as enduring single-point failures,suffering from poison attacks,lacking effective incentive mechanisms.Before the successful deployment of DT,we should tackle the issues caused by FL.Researchers from industry and academia have recognized the potential of introducing Blockchain Technology(BT)into FL to overcome the challenges faced by FL,where BT acting as a distributed and immutable ledger,can store data in a secure,traceable,and trusted manner.However,to the best of our knowledge,a comprehensive literature review on this topic is still missing.In this paper,we review existing works about blockchain-enabled FL and visualize their prospects with DT.To this end,we first propose evaluation requirements with respect to security,faulttolerance,fairness,efficiency,cost-saving,profitability,and support for heterogeneity.Then,we classify existing literature according to the functionalities of BT in FL and analyze their advantages and disadvantages based on the proposed evaluation requirements.Finally,we discuss open problems in the existing literature and the future of DT supported by blockchain-enabled FL,based on which we further propose some directions for future research.

A digital twins enabled underwater intelligent internet vehicle path planning system via reinforcement learning and edge computing

The Autonomous Underwater Glider(AUG)is a kind of prevailing underwater intelligent internet vehicle and occupies a dominant position in industrial applications,in which path planning is an essential problem.Due to the complexity and variability of the ocean,accurate environment modeling and flexible path planning algorithms are pivotal challenges.The traditional models mainly utilize mathematical functions,which are not complete and reliable.Most existing path planning algorithms depend on the environment and lack flexibility.To overcome these challenges,we propose a path planning system for underwater intelligent internet vehicles.It applies digital twins and sensor data to map the real ocean environment to a virtual digital space,which provides a comprehensive and reliable environment for path simulation.We design a value-based reinforcement learning path planning algorithm and explore the optimal network structure parameters.The path simulation is controlled by a closed-loop model integrated into the terminal vehicle through edge computing.The integration of state input enriches the learning of neural networks and helps to improve generalization and flexibility.The task-related reward function promotes the rapid convergence of the training.The experimental results prove that our reinforcement learning based path planning algorithm has great flexibility and can effectively adapt to a variety of different ocean conditions.

Digital Twin-Assisted Semi-Federated Learning Framework for Industrial Edge Intelligence

The rapid development of emerging technologies,such as edge intelligence and digital twins,have added momentum towards the development of the Industrial Internet of Things(IIo T).However,the massive amount of data generated by the IIo T,coupled with heterogeneous computation capacity across IIo T devices,and users’data privacy concerns,have posed challenges towards achieving industrial edge intelligence(IEI).To achieve IEI,in this paper,we propose a semi-federated learning framework where a portion of the data with higher privacy is kept locally and a portion of the less private data can be potentially uploaded to the edge server.In addition,we leverage digital twins to overcome the problem of computation capacity heterogeneity of IIo T devices through the mapping of physical entities.We formulate a synchronization latency minimization problem which jointly optimizes edge association and the proportion of uploaded nonprivate data.As the joint problem is NP-hard and combinatorial and taking into account the reality of largescale device training,we develop a multi-agent hybrid action deep reinforcement learning(DRL)algorithm to find the optimal solution.Simulation results show that our proposed DRL algorithm can reduce latency and have a better convergence performance for semi-federated learning compared to benchmark algorithms.

Dynamic Task Offloading for Digital Twin-Empowered Mobile Edge Computing via Deep Reinforcement Learning

Limited by battery and computing re-sources,the computing-intensive tasks generated by Internet of Things(IoT)devices cannot be processed all by themselves.Mobile edge computing(MEC)is a suitable solution for this problem,and the gener-ated tasks can be offloaded from IoT devices to MEC.In this paper,we study the problem of dynamic task offloading for digital twin-empowered MEC.Digital twin techniques are applied to provide information of environment and share the training data of agent de-ployed on IoT devices.We formulate the task offload-ing problem with the goal of maximizing the energy efficiency and the workload balance among the ESs.Then,we reformulate the problem as an MDP problem and design DRL-based energy efficient task offloading(DEETO)algorithm to solve it.Comparative experi-ments are carried out which show the superiority of our DEETO algorithm in improving energy efficiency and balancing the workload.

A deep-reinforcement learning approach for optimizing homogeneous droplet routing in digital microfluidic biochips

Over the past two decades,digital microfluidic biochips have been in much demand for safety-critical and biomedical applications and increasingly important in point-of-care analysis,drug discovery,and immunoassays,among other areas.However,for complex bioassays,finding routes for the transportation of droplets in an electrowetting-on-dielectric digital biochip while maintaining their discreteness is a challenging task.In this study,we propose a deep reinforcement learning-based droplet routing technique for digital microfluidic biochips.The technique is implemented on a distributed architecture to optimize the possible paths for predefined source–target pairs of droplets.The actors of the technique calculate the possible routes of the source–target pairs and store the experience in a replay buffer,and the learner fetches the experiences and updates the routing paths.The proposed algorithm was applied to benchmark suitesⅠand Ⅲ as two different test benches,and it achieved significant improvements over state-of-the-art techniques.

Digital Twin-Assisted Knowledge Distillation Framework for Heterogeneous Federated Learning

In this paper,to deal with the heterogeneity in federated learning(FL)systems,a knowledge distillation(KD)driven training framework for FL is proposed,where each user can select its neural network model on demand and distill knowledge from a big teacher model using its own private dataset.To overcome the challenge of train the big teacher model in resource limited user devices,the digital twin(DT)is exploit in the way that the teacher model can be trained at DT located in the server with enough computing resources.Then,during model distillation,each user can update the parameters of its model at either the physical entity or the digital agent.The joint problem of model selection and training offloading and resource allocation for users is formulated as a mixed integer programming(MIP)problem.To solve the problem,Q-learning and optimization are jointly used,where Q-learning selects models for users and determines whether to train locally or on the server,and optimization is used to allocate resources for users based on the output of Q-learning.Simulation results show the proposed DT-assisted KD framework and joint optimization method can significantly improve the average accuracy of users while reducing the total delay.

Communication-Efficient Decision-Making of Digital Twin Assisted Internet of Vehicles: A Hierarchical Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Approach

The connected autonomous vehicle is considered an effective way to improve transport safety and efficiency.To overcome the limited sensing and computing capabilities of individual vehicles,we design a digital twin assisted decision-making framework for Internet of Vehicles,by leveraging the integration of communication,sensing and computing.In this framework,the digital twin entities residing on edge can effectively communicate and cooperate with each other to plan sub-targets for their respective vehicles,while the vehicles only need to achieve the sub-targets by generating a sequence of atomic actions.Furthermore,we propose a hierarchical multiagent reinforcement learning approach to implement the framework,which can be trained in an end-to-end way.In the proposed approach,the communication interval of digital twin entities could adapt to timevarying environment.Extensive experiments on driving decision-making have been performed in traffic junction scenarios of different difficulties.The experimental results show that the proposed approach can largely improve collaboration efficiency while reducing communication overhead.

Machine learning-based stiffness optimization of digital composite metamaterials with desired positive or negative Poisson's ratio

Mechanical metamaterials such as auxetic materials have attracted great interest due to their unusual properties that are dictated by their architectures.However,these architected materials usually have low stiffness because of the bending or rotation deformation mechanisms in the microstructures.In this work,a convolutional neural network(CNN)based self-learning multi-objective optimization is performed to design digital composite materials.The CNN models have undergone rigorous training using randomly generated two-phase digital composite materials,along with their corresponding Poisson's ratios and stiffness values.Then the CNN models are used for designing composite material structures with the minimum Poisson's ratio at a given volume fraction constraint.Furthermore,we have designed composite materials with optimized stiffness while exhibiting a desired Poisson's ratio(negative,zero,or positive).The optimized designs have been successfully and efficiently obtained,and their validity has been confirmed through finite element analysis results.This self-learning multi-objective optimization model offers a promising approach for achieving comprehensive multi-objective optimization.

Renewal Strategy of Learning Space in Colleges and Universities under the Digital Trend:A Case Study of Old Library of North China University of Technology

With the advent of the“fourth industrial revolution”,the digital trend has become a hot issue in the field of architecture.Colleges and universities are an important part of Chinese society,and the development of digital technology has had a profound impact on college life.In order to explore the new campus development path in line with the development trend of the digital society,the old library of North China University of Technology is taken as the research object.The new teaching mode and learning mode under the digital trend are discussed,and the learning space renewal strategy in line with the new era background is explored,with a view to contributing practical experience in space renewal of colleges and universities.

Deep Learning-Based Digital Image Forgery Detection Using Transfer Learning

Deep learning is considered one of the most efficient and reliable methods through which the legitimacy of a digital image can be verified.In the current cyber world where deepfakes have shaken the global community,confirming the legitimacy of a digital image is of great importance.With the advancements made in deep learning techniques,now we can efficiently train and develop state-of-the-art digital image forensic models.The most traditional and widely used method by researchers is convolution neural networks(CNN)for verification of image authenticity but it consumes a considerable number of resources and requires a large dataset for training.Therefore,in this study,a transfer learning based deep learning technique for image forgery detection is proposed.The proposed methodology consists of three modules namely;preprocessing module,convolutional module,and the classification module.By using our proposed technique,the training time is drastically reduced by utilizing the pre-trained weights.The performance of the proposed technique is evaluated by using benchmark datasets,i.e.,BOW and BOSSBase that detect five forensic types which include JPEG compression,contrast enhancement(CE),median filtering(MF),additive Gaussian noise,and resampling.We evaluated the performance of our proposed technique by conducting various experiments and case scenarios and achieved an accuracy of 99.92%.The results show the superiority of the proposed system.

Achieve Intended Learning Outcomes and Improving Digital Literacy Skills for Practical-Based Subjects Using Online Teaching via Propagation of OER Materials

As professors are subjected to teaching their classes online due to the recent COVID-19, our local Hong Kong students find it difficult to consult their teachers, and ultimately would fail to achieve the intended learning outcomes, especially for practical-based subjects. In this research, students having online classes of a practical-based fabric design subject were encouraged to self-study from Open Educational Resource (OER) materials for a further and better understanding of their subject. Additionally, online materials were developed to improve students’ understanding via skill of digital literacy. Their learning progress was evaluated and compared to the face-to-face version. The majority of students found online classes combined with self-studying OER materials, potentially be a substitute for face-to-face classes. Most of the students further opined different OER videos assisted them without any face-to-face instructions in practical works, to develop new fabric samples from the inspiration. Analysis of test results, and comparison of students’ final grades with different learning modes, supported these phenomena.

Digital mapping of soil physical and mechanical properties using machine learning at the watershed scale

Knowledge about the spatial distribution of the soil physical and mechanical properties is crucial for soil management,water yield,and sustainability at the watershed scale;however,the lack of soil data hinders the application of this tool,thus urging the need to estimate soil properties and consequently,to perform the spatial distribution.This research attempted to examine the proficiency of three machine learning methods(RF:Random Forest;Cubist:Regression Tree;and SVM:Support Vector Machine)to predict soil physical and mechanical properties,saturated hydraulic conductivity(Ks),Cohesion measured by fall-cone at the saturated(Psat)and dry(Pdry)states,hardness index(HI)and dry shear strength(SS)by integrating environmental variables and soil features in the Zayandeh-Rood dam watershed,central Iran.To determine the best combination of input variables,three scenarios were examined as follows:scenarioⅠ,terrain attributes derivative from a digital elevation model(DEM)+remotely sensed data;scenarioⅡ,covariates of scenarioⅠ+selected climatic data and some thematic maps;scenarioⅢ,covariates in scenarioⅡ+intrinsic soil properties(Clay,Silt,Sand,bulk density(BD),soil organic matter(SOM),calcium carbonate equivalent(CCE),mean weight diameter(MWD)and geometric weight diameter(GWD)).The results showed that for Ks,Psat Pdry and SS,the best performance was found by the RF model in the third scenario,with R2=0.53,0.32,0.31 and 0.41,respectively,while for soil hardness index(HI),Cubist model in the third scenario with R2=0.25 showed the highest performance.For predicting Ks and Psat,soil characteristics(i.e.clay and soil SOM and BD),and land use were the most important variables.For predicting Pdry,HI,and SS,some topographical characteristics(Valley depth,catchment area,mltiresolution of ridge top flatness index),and some soil characteristics(i.e.clay,SOM and MWD)were the most important input variables.The results of this research present moderate accuracy,however,the methodology employed provides quick and costeffective information serving as the scientific basis for decision-making goals.

基于Q-Learning的航空器滑行路径规划研究

针对传统算法规划航空器滑行路径准确度低、不能根据整体场面运行情况进行路径规划的问题,提出一种基于Q-Learning的路径规划方法。通过对机场飞行区网络结构模型和强化学习的仿真环境分析,设置了状态空间和动作空间,并根据路径的合规性和合理性设定了奖励函数,将路径合理性评价值设置为滑行路径长度与飞行区平均滑行时间乘积的倒数。最后,分析了动作选择策略参数对路径规划模型的影响。结果表明,与A*算法和Floyd算法相比,基于Q-Learning的路径规划在滑行距离最短的同时,避开了相对繁忙的区域,路径合理性评价值高。

Machine learning applications in stroke medicine:advancements,challenges,and future prospectives

Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide,necessitating the development of advanced technologies to improve its diagnosis,treatment,and patient outcomes.In recent years,machine learning techniques have emerged as promising tools in stroke medicine,enabling efficient analysis of large-scale datasets and facilitating personalized and precision medicine approaches.This abstract provides a comprehensive overview of machine learning’s applications,challenges,and future directions in stroke medicine.Recently introduced machine learning algorithms have been extensively employed in all the fields of stroke medicine.Machine learning models have demonstrated remarkable accuracy in imaging analysis,diagnosing stroke subtypes,risk stratifications,guiding medical treatment,and predicting patient prognosis.Despite the tremendous potential of machine learning in stroke medicine,several challenges must be addressed.These include the need for standardized and interoperable data collection,robust model validation and generalization,and the ethical considerations surrounding privacy and bias.In addition,integrating machine learning models into clinical workflows and establishing regulatory frameworks are critical for ensuring their widespread adoption and impact in routine stroke care.Machine learning promises to revolutionize stroke medicine by enabling precise diagnosis,tailored treatment selection,and improved prognostication.Continued research and collaboration among clinicians,researchers,and technologists are essential for overcoming challenges and realizing the full potential of machine learning in stroke care,ultimately leading to enhanced patient outcomes and quality of life.This review aims to summarize all the current implications of machine learning in stroke diagnosis,treatment,and prognostic evaluation.At the same time,another purpose of this paper is to explore all the future perspectives these techniques can provide in combating this disabling disease.

改进Q-Learning的路径规划算法研究

针对Q-Learning算法学习效率低、收敛速度慢且在动态障碍物的环境下路径规划效果不佳的问题,本文提出一种改进Q-Learning的移动机器人路径规划算法.针对该问题,算法根据概率的突变性引入探索因子来平衡探索和利用以加快学习效率;通过在更新函数中设计深度学习因子以保证算法探索概率;融合遗传算法,避免陷入局部路径最优同时按阶段探索最优迭代步长次数,以减少动态地图探索重复率;最后提取输出的最优路径关键节点采用贝塞尔曲线进行平滑处理,进一步保证路径平滑度和可行性.实验通过栅格法构建地图,对比实验结果表明,改进后的算法效率相较于传统算法在迭代次数和路径上均有较大优化,且能够较好的实现动态地图下的路径规划,进一步验证所提方法的有效性和实用性.

Significant risk factors for intensive care unit-acquired weakness:A processing strategy based on repeated machine learning

BACKGROUND Intensive care unit-acquired weakness(ICU-AW)is a common complication that significantly impacts the patient's recovery process,even leading to adverse outcomes.Currently,there is a lack of effective preventive measures.AIM To identify significant risk factors for ICU-AW through iterative machine learning techniques and offer recommendations for its prevention and treatment.METHODS Patients were categorized into ICU-AW and non-ICU-AW groups on the 14th day post-ICU admission.Relevant data from the initial 14 d of ICU stay,such as age,comorbidities,sedative dosage,vasopressor dosage,duration of mechanical ventilation,length of ICU stay,and rehabilitation therapy,were gathered.The relationships between these variables and ICU-AW were examined.Utilizing iterative machine learning techniques,a multilayer perceptron neural network model was developed,and its predictive performance for ICU-AW was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve.RESULTS Within the ICU-AW group,age,duration of mechanical ventilation,lorazepam dosage,adrenaline dosage,and length of ICU stay were significantly higher than in the non-ICU-AW group.Additionally,sepsis,multiple organ dysfunction syndrome,hypoalbuminemia,acute heart failure,respiratory failure,acute kidney injury,anemia,stress-related gastrointestinal bleeding,shock,hypertension,coronary artery disease,malignant tumors,and rehabilitation therapy ratios were significantly higher in the ICU-AW group,demonstrating statistical significance.The most influential factors contributing to ICU-AW were identified as the length of ICU stay(100.0%)and the duration of mechanical ventilation(54.9%).The neural network model predicted ICU-AW with an area under the curve of 0.941,sensitivity of 92.2%,and specificity of 82.7%.CONCLUSION The main factors influencing ICU-AW are the length of ICU stay and the duration of mechanical ventilation.A primary preventive strategy,when feasible,involves minimizing both ICU stay and mechanical ventilation duration.

Low-Cost Federated Broad Learning for Privacy-Preserved Knowledge Sharing in the RIS-Aided Internet of Vehicles

High-efficiency and low-cost knowledge sharing can improve the decision-making ability of autonomous vehicles by mining knowledge from the Internet of Vehicles(IoVs).However,it is challenging to ensure high efficiency of local data learning models while preventing privacy leakage in a high mobility environment.In order to protect data privacy and improve data learning efficiency in knowledge sharing,we propose an asynchronous federated broad learning(FBL)framework that integrates broad learning(BL)into federated learning(FL).In FBL,we design a broad fully connected model(BFCM)as a local model for training client data.To enhance the wireless channel quality for knowledge sharing and reduce the communication and computation cost of participating clients,we construct a joint resource allocation and reconfigurable intelligent surface(RIS)configuration optimization framework for FBL.The problem is decoupled into two convex subproblems.Aiming to improve the resource scheduling efficiency in FBL,a double Davidon–Fletcher–Powell(DDFP)algorithm is presented to solve the time slot allocation and RIS configuration problem.Based on the results of resource scheduling,we design a reward-allocation algorithm based on federated incentive learning(FIL)in FBL to compensate clients for their costs.The simulation results show that the proposed FBL framework achieves better performance than the comparison models in terms of efficiency,accuracy,and cost for knowledge sharing in the IoV.

Assessment of compressive strength of jet grouting by machine learning

Jet grouting is one of the most popular soil improvement techniques,but its design usually involves great uncertainties that can lead to economic cost overruns in construction projects.The high dispersion in the properties of the improved material leads to designers assuming a conservative,arbitrary and unjustified strength,which is even sometimes subjected to the results of the test fields.The present paper presents an approach for prediction of the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of jet grouting columns based on the analysis of several machine learning algorithms on a database of 854 results mainly collected from different research papers.The selected machine learning model(extremely randomized trees)relates the soil type and various parameters of the technique to the value of the compressive strength.Despite the complex mechanism that surrounds the jet grouting process,evidenced by the high dispersion and low correlation of the variables studied,the trained model allows to optimally predict the values of compressive strength with a significant improvement with respect to the existing works.Consequently,this work proposes for the first time a reliable and easily applicable approach for estimation of the compressive strength of jet grouting columns.

UAV-Assisted Dynamic Avatar Task Migration for Vehicular Metaverse Services: A Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach

Avatars, as promising digital representations and service assistants of users in Metaverses, can enable drivers and passengers to immerse themselves in 3D virtual services and spaces of UAV-assisted vehicular Metaverses. However, avatar tasks include a multitude of human-to-avatar and avatar-to-avatar interactive applications, e.g., augmented reality navigation,which consumes intensive computing resources. It is inefficient and impractical for vehicles to process avatar tasks locally. Fortunately, migrating avatar tasks to the nearest roadside units(RSU)or unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV) for execution is a promising solution to decrease computation overhead and reduce task processing latency, while the high mobility of vehicles brings challenges for vehicles to independently perform avatar migration decisions depending on current and future vehicle status. To address these challenges, in this paper, we propose a novel avatar task migration system based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning(MADRL) to execute immersive vehicular avatar tasks dynamically. Specifically, we first formulate the problem of avatar task migration from vehicles to RSUs/UAVs as a partially observable Markov decision process that can be solved by MADRL algorithms. We then design the multi-agent proximal policy optimization(MAPPO) approach as the MADRL algorithm for the avatar task migration problem. To overcome slow convergence resulting from the curse of dimensionality and non-stationary issues caused by shared parameters in MAPPO, we further propose a transformer-based MAPPO approach via sequential decision-making models for the efficient representation of relationships among agents. Finally, to motivate terrestrial or non-terrestrial edge servers(e.g., RSUs or UAVs) to share computation resources and ensure traceability of the sharing records, we apply smart contracts and blockchain technologies to achieve secure sharing management. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the MAPPO approach by around 2% and effectively reduces approximately 20% of the latency of avatar task execution in UAV-assisted vehicular Metaverses.

Prediction model for corrosion rate of low-alloy steels under atmospheric conditions using machine learning algorithms

This work constructed a machine learning(ML)model to predict the atmospheric corrosion rate of low-alloy steels(LAS).The material properties of LAS,environmental factors,and exposure time were used as the input,while the corrosion rate as the output.6 dif-ferent ML algorithms were used to construct the proposed model.Through optimization and filtering,the eXtreme gradient boosting(XG-Boost)model exhibited good corrosion rate prediction accuracy.The features of material properties were then transformed into atomic and physical features using the proposed property transformation approach,and the dominant descriptors that affected the corrosion rate were filtered using the recursive feature elimination(RFE)as well as XGBoost methods.The established ML models exhibited better predic-tion performance and generalization ability via property transformation descriptors.In addition,the SHapley additive exPlanations(SHAP)method was applied to analyze the relationship between the descriptors and corrosion rate.The results showed that the property transformation model could effectively help with analyzing the corrosion behavior,thereby significantly improving the generalization ability of corrosion rate prediction models.