Publications

New Insights on Reducing Abrupt Representation Change in Online Continual Learning
Lucas Caccia
Rahaf Aljundi
Nader Asadi
Tinne Tuytelaars
In the online continual learning paradigm, agents must learn from a changing distribution while respecting memory and compute constraints. E… (see more)xperience Replay (ER), where a small subset of past data is stored and replayed alongside new data, has emerged as a simple and effective learning strategy. In this work, we focus on the change in representations of observed data that arises when previously unobserved classes appear in the incoming data stream, and new classes must be distinguished from previous ones. We shed new light on this question by showing that applying ER causes the newly added classes’ representations to overlap significantly with the previous classes, leading to highly disruptive parameter updates. Based on this empirical analysis, we propose a new method which mitigates this issue by shielding the learned representations from drastic adaptation to accommodate new classes. We show that using an asymmetric update rule pushes new classes to adapt to the older ones (rather than the reverse), which is more effective especially at task boundaries, where much of the forgetting typically occurs. Empirical results show significant gains over strong baselines on standard continual learning benchmarks.
R5: Rule Discovery with Reinforced and Recurrent Relational Reasoning
Shengyao Lu
Keith G Mills
SHANGLING JUI
Di Niu
Systematicity, i.e., the ability to recombine known parts and rules to form new sequences while reasoning over relational data, is critical … (see more)to machine intelligence. A model with strong systematicity is able to train on small-scale tasks and generalize to large-scale tasks. In this paper, we propose R5, a relational reasoning framework based on reinforcement learning that reasons over relational graph data and explicitly mines underlying compositional logical rules from observations. R5 has strong systematicity and being robust to noisy data. It consists of a policy value network equipped with Monte Carlo Tree Search to perform recurrent relational prediction and a backtrack rewriting mechanism for rule mining. By alternately applying the two components, R5 progressively learns a set of explicit rules from data and performs explainable and generalizable relation prediction. We conduct extensive evaluations on multiple datasets. Experimental results show that R5 outperforms various embedding-based and rule induction baselines on relation prediction tasks while achieving a high recall rate in discovering ground truth rules.
Lacking social support is associated with structural divergences in hippocampus–default network co-variation patterns
Chris Zajner
Nathan Spreng
Multilevel development of cognitive abilities in an artificial neural network
Konstantin Volzhenin
Jean-Pierre Changeux
Several neuronal mechanisms have been proposed to account for the formation of cognitive abilities through postnatal interactions with the p… (see more)hysical and socio-cultural environment. Here, we introduce a three-level computational model of information processing and acquisition of cognitive abilities. We propose minimal architectural requirements to build these levels and how the parameters affect their performance and relationships. The first sensorimotor level handles local nonconscious processing, here during a visual classification task. The second level or cognitive level globally integrates the information from multiple local processors via long-ranged connections and synthesizes it in a global, but still nonconscious manner. The third and cognitively highest level handles the information globally and consciously. It is based on the Global Neuronal Workspace (GNW) theory and is referred to as conscious level. We use trace and delay conditioning tasks to, respectively, challenge the second and third levels. Results first highlight the necessity of epigenesis through selection and stabilization of synapses at both local and global scales to allow the network to solve the first two tasks. At the global scale, dopamine appears necessary to properly provide credit assignment despite the temporal delay between perception and reward. At the third level, the presence of interneurons becomes necessary to maintain a self-sustained representation within the GNW in the absence of sensory input. Finally, while balanced spontaneous intrinsic activity facilitates epigenesis at both local and global scales, the balanced excitatory-inhibitory ratio increases performance. Finally, we discuss the plausibility of the model in both neurodevelopmental and artificial intelligence terms.
Multilevel development of cognitive abilities in an artificial neural network
Konstantin Volzhenin
J. Changeux
Several neuronal mechanisms have been proposed to account for the formation of cognitive abilities through postnatal interactions with the p… (see more)hysical and socio-cultural environment. Here, we introduce a three-level computational model of information processing and acquisition of cognitive abilities. We propose minimal architectural requirements to build these levels and how the parameters affect their performance and relationships. The first sensorimotor level handles local nonconscious processing, here during a visual classification task. The second level or cognitive level globally integrates the information from multiple local processors via long-ranged connections and synthesizes it in a global, but still nonconscious manner. The third and cognitively highest level handles the information globally and consciously. It is based on the Global Neuronal Workspace (GNW) theory and is referred to as conscious level. We use trace and delay conditioning tasks to, respectively, challenge the second and third levels. Results first highlight the necessity of epigenesis through selection and stabilization of synapses at both local and global scales to allow the network to solve the first two tasks. At the global scale, dopamine appears necessary to properly provide credit assignment despite the temporal delay between perception and reward. At the third level, the presence of interneurons becomes necessary to maintain a self-sustained representation within the GNW in the absence of sensory input. Finally, while balanced spontaneous intrinsic activity facilitates epigenesis at both local and global scales, the balanced excitatory-inhibitory ratio increases performance. Finally, we discuss the plausibility of the model in both neurodevelopmental and artificial intelligence terms.
Neural correlates of local parallelism during naturalistic vision
John Wilder
Morteza Rezanejad
Sven J. Dickinson
A. Jepson
Dirk. B. Walther
Human observers can rapidly perceive complex real-world scenes. Grouping visual elements into meaningful units is an integral part of this p… (see more)rocess. Yet, so far, the neural underpinnings of perceptual grouping have only been studied with simple lab stimuli. We here uncover the neural mechanisms of one important perceptual grouping cue, local parallelism. Using a new, image-computable algorithm for detecting local symmetry in line drawings and photographs, we manipulated the local parallelism content of real-world scenes. We decoded scene categories from patterns of brain activity obtained via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 38 human observers while they viewed the manipulated scenes. Decoding was significantly more accurate for scenes containing strong local parallelism compared to weak local parallelism in the parahippocampal place area (PPA), indicating a central role of parallelism in scene perception. To investigate the origin of the parallelism signal we performed a model-based fMRI analysis of the public BOLD5000 dataset, looking for voxels whose activation time course matches that of the locally parallel content of the 4916 photographs viewed by the participants in the experiment. We found a strong relationship with average local symmetry in visual areas V1-4, PPA, and retrosplenial cortex (RSC). Notably, the parallelism-related signal peaked first in V4, suggesting V4 as the site for extracting paralleism from the visual input. We conclude that local parallelism is a perceptual grouping cue that influences neuronal activity throughout the visual hierarchy, presumably starting at V4. Parallelism plays a key role in the representation of scene categories in PPA.
Neural correlates of local parallelism during naturalistic vision
John Wilder
Morteza Rezanejad
Sven Dickinson
Allan Jepson
Dirk B. Walther
Human observers can rapidly perceive complex real-world scenes. Grouping visual elements into meaningful units is an integral part of this p… (see more)rocess. Yet, so far, the neural underpinnings of perceptual grouping have only been studied with simple lab stimuli. We here uncover the neural mechanisms of one important perceptual grouping cue, local parallelism. Using a new, image-computable algorithm for detecting local symmetry in line drawings and photographs, we manipulated the local parallelism content of real-world scenes. We decoded scene categories from patterns of brain activity obtained via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 38 human observers while they viewed the manipulated scenes. Decoding was significantly more accurate for scenes containing strong local parallelism compared to weak local parallelism in the parahippocampal place area (PPA), indicating a central role of parallelism in scene perception. To investigate the origin of the parallelism signal we performed a model-based fMRI analysis of the public BOLD5000 dataset, looking for voxels whose activation time course matches that of the locally parallel content of the 4916 photographs viewed by the participants in the experiment. We found a strong relationship with average local symmetry in visual areas V1-4, PPA, and retrosplenial cortex (RSC). Notably, the parallelism-related signal peaked first in V4, suggesting V4 as the site for extracting paralleism from the visual input. We conclude that local parallelism is a perceptual grouping cue that influences neuronal activity throughout the visual hierarchy, presumably starting at V4. Parallelism plays a key role in the representation of scene categories in PPA.
Digital Ageism: Challenges and Opportunities in Artificial Intelligence for Older Adults
Charlene H Chu
Rune Nyrup
Kathleen Leslie
Jiamin Shi
Andria Bianchi
Alexandra Lyn
Molly McNicholl
Shehroz S Khan
A. Grenier
Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are changing our world through their impact on sectors including health care, edu… (see more)cation, employment, finance, and law. AI systems are developed using data that reflect the implicit and explicit biases of society, and there are significant concerns about how the predictive models in AI systems amplify inequity, privilege, and power in society. The widespread applications of AI have led to mainstream discourse about how AI systems are perpetuating racism, sexism, and classism; yet, concerns about ageism have been largely absent in the AI bias literature. Given the globally aging population and proliferation of AI, there is a need to critically examine the presence of age-related bias in AI systems. This forum article discusses ageism in AI systems and introduces a conceptual model that outlines intersecting pathways of technology development that can produce and reinforce digital ageism in AI systems. We also describe the broader ethical and legal implications and considerations for future directions in digital ageism research to advance knowledge in the field and deepen our understanding of how ageism in AI is fostered by broader cycles of injustice.
Digital Ageism: Challenges and Opportunities in Artificial Intelligence for Older Adults
Charlene H Chu
Rune Nyrup
Kathleen Leslie
Jiamin Shi
Andria Bianchi
Alexandra Lyn
Molly McNicholl
Shehroz S Khan
Amanda Grenier
Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are changing our world through their impact on sectors including health care, edu… (see more)cation, employment, finance, and law. AI systems are developed using data that reflect the implicit and explicit biases of society, and there are significant concerns about how the predictive models in AI systems amplify inequity, privilege, and power in society. The widespread applications of AI have led to mainstream discourse about how AI systems are perpetuating racism, sexism, and classism; yet, concerns about ageism have been largely absent in the AI bias literature. Given the globally aging population and proliferation of AI, there is a need to critically examine the presence of age-related bias in AI systems. This forum article discusses ageism in AI systems and introduces a conceptual model that outlines intersecting pathways of technology development that can produce and reinforce digital ageism in AI systems. We also describe the broader ethical and legal implications and considerations for future directions in digital ageism research to advance knowledge in the field and deepen our understanding of how ageism in AI is fostered by broader cycles of injustice.
Bayesian stroke modeling details sex biases in the white matter substrates of aphasia
Julius M. Kernbach
Gesa Hartwigsen
Jae‐Sung Lim
Hee-Joon Bae
Kyung‐Ho Yu
Gottfried Schlaug
Anna K. Bonkhoff
Natalia S. Rost
Invariant representation driven neural classifier for anti-QCD jet tagging
Taoli Cheng
Biomedical Research and Informatics Living Laboratory for Innovative Advances of New Technologies in Community Mobility Rehabilitation: Protocol for Evaluation and Rehabilitation of Mobility Across Continuums of Care
Sara Ahmed
P. Archambault
Claudine Auger
Joyce Phua Pau Fung
Eva Kehayia
Anouk Lamontagne
Annette Majnemer
Sylvie Nadeau
Alain Ptito
B. Swaine
Background Rapid advances in technologies over the past 10 years have enabled large-scale biomedical and psychosocial rehabilitation researc… (see more)h to improve the function and social integration of persons with physical impairments across the lifespan. The Biomedical Research and Informatics Living Laboratory for Innovative Advances of New Technologies (BRILLIANT) in community mobility rehabilitation aims to generate evidence-based research to improve rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI). Objective This study aims to (1) identify the factors limiting or enhancing mobility in real-world community environments (public spaces, including the mall, home, and outdoors) and understand their complex interplay in individuals of all ages with ABI and (2) customize community environment mobility training by identifying, on a continuous basis, the specific rehabilitation strategies and interventions that patient subgroups benefit from most. Here, we present the research and technology plan for the BRILLIANT initiative. Methods A cohort of individuals, adults and children, with ABI (N=1500) will be recruited. Patients will be recruited from the acute care and rehabilitation partner centers within 4 health regions (living labs) and followed throughout the continuum of rehabilitation. Participants will also be recruited from the community. Biomedical, clinician-reported, patient-reported, and brain imaging data will be collected. Theme 1 will implement and evaluate the feasibility of collecting data across BRILLIANT living labs and conduct predictive analyses and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify mobility subgroups. Theme 2 will implement, evaluate, and identify community mobility interventions that optimize outcomes for mobility subgroups of patients with ABI. Results The biomedical infrastructure and equipment have been established across the living labs, and development of the clinician- and patient-reported outcome digital solutions is underway. Recruitment is expected to begin in May 2022. Conclusions The program will develop and deploy a comprehensive clinical and community-based mobility-monitoring system to evaluate the factors that result in poor mobility, and develop personalized mobility interventions that are optimized for specific patient subgroups. Technology solutions will be designed to support clinicians and patients to deliver cost-effective care and the right intervention to the right person at the right time to optimize long-term functional potential and meaningful participation in the community. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/12506