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--- projects [2015/08/26 21:58] – jarek
+++ projects [2017/01/05 21:15] (current) – roumani
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-====== Proposed Projects for Fall 2015 ======
+======Distributed leader election for simple robots======
+======Distributed leader election for simple robots======
+**Supervisors**: Professors Michael Jenkin and Patrick Dymond
+**Project**: How should a group of autonomous agents moving within multiple locations choose and maintain a leader to coordinate and control them?
+Utilizing the concept of an infection algorithm — a process much like the spread of a disease in which agents infect each other with
+information — it is possible to develop a probabilistic approach to this kind of leader election problem. Solutions to this type of problem finds wide application in distributed computing, and in particular distributed computing of autonomous agents and sensors which must compute information about control structures with limited information about the presence/absence of potential leaders in the environment.
+To make this project more specific, and given the limited time available for an undergraduate student project, this project will explore certain properties of leader election algorithms, both with real and simulated  groups of robots.  Using a simulator, performance bottlenecks in the infection algorithm will be studied, considering cases where direct communication is limited to agents in the same local area. Simulations will be supported using a collection of real devices (Android devices) who can communicate with each other in the local environment using bluetooth and/or WIFI.
+If time permits, the project will also study possible  enhancements of the infection algorithm as well as develop better upper bounds for the problem.
+**Required skills**: knowledge of Java or Python. Interest in algorithms for a distributed collection of simple robot agents. Completion of 3rd year courses in computer science or computer engineering.
+======Asynchronicity in infection algorithms======
+**Supervisors**: Professors Michael Jenkin and Patrick Dymond
+**Project**: How does changing the model of synchronization changing run time bounds on infection algorithms?
+Infection algorithms are a class of algorithms within which individual agents exchange information via infection. That is, the algorithm proceeds by the various agents transmitting (infecting) each other with information. Under an assumption of synchronization — that is, a model in which no two agents can infect each other at precisely the same time — it is possible to derive models of expected time until all agents have been infected. But how does this algorithm adapt when agents can actually infect each other simultaneously?  This project will explore this problem. First, a simple simulation algorithm will be implemented to test infection rates when it is assumed that at a given time instant only one infection can occur. This algorithm will then be generalized to a model under which within a given time interval more than one infection can occur. Experimental validation will explore how existing infection algorithms perform under this more realistic model.  Simulations will be supported using a collection of real devices (Android devices) who can communicate with each other in the local environment using bluetooth and/or WIFI.
+**Required skills**: knowledge of Java or Python. Interest in algorithms for a distributed collection of simple robot agents. Completion of 3rd year courses in computer science or computer engineering.
 \\
+======Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) aided by a single unique directional landmark======
+**Supervisors**: Professors Michael Jenkin and Patrick Dymond
+**Project**: How can a simple SLAM algorithm be improved if it is known a priori that there exists in the environment a single unique landmark that provides both position and orientation information?
+SLAM algorithms have been developed for a large number of different environments, and for relatively straightforward environments such as those found indoors, the problem can in many ways be considered solved. However, current algorithms have in the main concentrated on a general version of the problem in which no a priori information is assumed about the environment. From theoretical results we know that a single directional landmark is sufficient to solve the SLAM problem algorithmically, but can we exploit this result within the traditional probabilistic framework found in SLAM algorithms? Starting with a standard vision-based SLAM algorithm, this project will explore how a single landmark can be used to drive exploration and critically, drive algorithmic loop closure.
+**Required skills**: knowledge of Java or Python. Interest in algorithms for robots. Completion of 3rd year courses in computer science or computer engineering.
+\\
+======Extracting Information from Music======
+**Supervisor**: Vassilios Tzerpos
+**Required Background**: General CSE408x prerequisites, good knowledge of C++
+While humans are quite good at extracting musical information from audio, such as tempo and time signature, computers have room for improvement in this regard.
+This project will use the JUCE framework to create software that extracts such information from audio files. Existing algorithms will be implemented and compared, and possibly improved. The output will be both a stand-alone application, as well as plugins for digital audio workstations used in the music industry, such as Pro Tools, Ableton Live etc.
+\\
+======Immersive Virtual Worlds======
+**Supervisor**: Robert Allison
+**Required Background**: General CSE408x prerequisites, good programming skills, previous work with computer graphics would be helpful
+We have a new and unique fully immersive virtual environment at York. The student would develop interactive 3D virtual worlds to study self motion perception and human computer interaction in a virtual world.  In particular, working with a senior graduate student or postdoctoral fellow, the successful applicant would model 3D environments, render them in a virtual reality display and develop/implement interaction methods to control and interact with the simulation. Artistic background or skill would be an asset but is not required.
+\\
+======Virtual Walking Devices======
+**Supervisor**: Robert Allison
+**Required Background**: General CSE408x prerequisites, good programming and mechanical skills
+Simulating effective walking in an immersive virtual environment is challenging. Working with a senior graduate student, the successful applicant would help to develop a circular treadmill interface to support virtual walking metaphors.
+\\
+======Adapting a 3D Printer for Paste Extrusion======
+**Supervisor:** James Smith
+D printers are an enabling technology for engineering design.  However most low- to medium-end printers can only extrude plastics through a hot-end extrusion system.  A local company has developed a nozzle and pump system for pastes that can be integrated with existing printers.  A student group is sought to design a mounting bracket for an existing TAZ 4 printer that can be used to augment its ABS extruder with a Discov3ry paste extruder.  The bracket is to be printed with the TAZ and the design is to be released publicly to the open-source community.  Sample prints, calibration routines and possible modifications to the printer's software may be required.  Experience with programming and hardware are important prerequisites.
+For more information, please send email to drsmith@yorku.ca.
+Required Background: General CSE408x prerequisites
+\\
+======Peer-to-Peer agent based applications in smart power grids======
+**Supervisor:** Hany Farag
+Multi-agent systems have been mentioned recently as a potential technology for several operational control objectives in smart power grids. The multi-agents technology allows the rapid and detailed creation of a system model and creates a robust framework for distributed control. The distributed control structure consists of components called control agents. These control agents try, through communication and negotiation with other control agents, to: 1) determine the current state of the system and/or subsystems and 2) make decisions (set their local actuators or communicate with other agents) in such a way that their own objectives are met as closely as possible and any constraints are satisfied.
+This project aims to implement formulated distributed constraint optimization (DCOP) in a multi-agent platform for two objectives in smart grids: 1) voltage regulation and 2) electricity market,.  There are several Java-based open source platforms for peer-to-peer agent based applications e.g. (JADE,  Jadex, Jason,..etc). With the help of the supervisor, the student will choose the platform that suits the required applications. Also, the student will implement the formulated DCOP in the suitable multi-agent platform to test its effectiveness and robustness. Toward that end, an interface between the multi-agent platform in Java environment and the power grid simulator in MATLAB environment is required to transfer the measurements from MATLAB to the multi-agent platform and then transfer the actions from the multi-agent platform to MATLAB in real-time.
+The student should be a strong Java and MATLAB programmer. He should have prior knowledge about multi-agent platforms such as JADE. The work involves reading and understanding the formulated DCOP in smart grids and working with the supervisor and master/PhD student(s) to implement the developed algorithms and to measure the performance of the developed algorithm(s) in the multi-agent platform.
+For more information, please send email to hefarag@cse.yorku.ca.
+Required Background: General CSE408x prerequisites
+\\
 ======Clustering High-Dimensional Data Sets======
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-=====Data visualization in Skydive=====
+======Data visualization in Skydive======
-**Supervisor: Jarek Gryz**
+**Supervisor:** Jarek Gryz
 Skydive is a prototype system designed for database visualization using a concept of the so called
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-=====Genome-wide identification of plant micro RNAs=====
+======Genome-wide identification of plant micro RNAs======
-**Supervisor: Katalin Hudak**
+**Supervisor:** Katalin Hudak
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-=====Dynamic Interface Detection and Control Project=====
-**Supervisor: Michael Jenkin**
+======Dynamic Interface Detection and Control Project======
+**Supervisor:** Michael Jenkin
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-===== DDoS Attack using Google-bots =====
-**Supervisor: Ntalija Vlajic**
+====== DDoS Attack using Google-bots ======
+**Supervisor:** Natalija Vlajic
 **Recommended Background**: CSE 3213 or CSE 3214, CSE 3482
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+====Formerly Proposed Projects====
+====== Tilt Target Selection on Touchscreen Phones ======
+**Supervisor**: Scott MacKenzie
+**Required Background**: General 4080 prerequisites, CSE3461, and (preferably) CSE4441. Interest in user interfaces and human-computer interaction (HCI).  Students can use their own Android phone for the project or one supplied by the course supervisor.
+Touchscreen mobile devices commonly use a built-in accelerometer to sense movement or tilting actions of the device.  Tilt is commonly used the change the orientation of the display between portrait and landscape.  Gaming is another common use for tilting actions.  However, tilt may also be used for target selection, as a replacement for touch.  This research project will evaluate tilt as an input primitive for target selection on touchscreen mobile devices.
+**Readings**: MacKenzie, I. S., & Teather, R. J. (2012). FittsTilt: The application of Fitts’ law to tilt-based interaction. Proceedings of the Seventh Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction – NordiCHI 2012, pp. 568-577. New York: ACM.
+====== Attentive Sensing for Better Two-Way Communication in Remote Learning Environments ======
+**Supervisor**: James Elder
+**Required Background**: General CSE408x prerequisites, good programming skills,
+good math skills, knowledge of C and MATLAB programming languages
+One of the challenges in remote learning is to allow students to communicate effectively with the lecturer.  For example, when a student asks a question, communication will be more effective if the instructor has a zoomed view of the student’s face, so that s/he can interpret expressions etc.
+The goal of this project is to apply attentive sensing technology (www.elderlab.yorku.ca) to this problem.  This technology is able to monitor a large environment such as a classroom and direct a high-resolution ‘attentive’ sensor to events of interest.
+In particular, working with a senior graduate student or postdoctoral fellow, the  successful applicant will:
+  - Study the problem of detecting hand-raises in the preattentive sensor stream
+  - Implement algorithms for detecting hand-raises based upon this investigation
+  - Evaluate these algorithms in a real-classroom setting, using proprietary attentive sensing technology
+====== Attentive Sensing for Sport Video Recording Markets ======
+**Supervisor**: James Elder
+**Required Background**: Good programming skills; Good math skills; Knowledge of C and MATLAB programming languages
+The goal of this project is to modify York University’s patented attentive sensor technology to the sport video recording market.  Specific application domains under investigation include skiing, indoor BMX parks, and horse tracks.
+The general problem is to use attentive sensing technology (www.elderlab.yorku.ca) to visually detect and track multiple moving agents (e.g., skiers, riders, horses) and to select specific agents for active high-resolution smooth pursuit.
+The student will work with senior graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research scientists to help modify the attentive sensing technology to operate in these domains.   Specific tasks include:
+.     Ground-truth available datasets
+.     Evaluate current attentive algorithms on these datasets
+.     Modify these algorithms to improve performance on these datasets
+====== Continuation of a Path Diagram to Syntax Application ======
+**Supervisor**: Jeff Edmonds
+**Required Background**: General CSE408x prerequisites
+**Recommended Background**: Java software development
+Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a statistical technique that is becoming increasingly popular in the educational and behavioral sciences. SEM allows researchers to test the validity of hypothesized models involving complex relationships among multiple variables. Collected data is used to estimate the parameters of the equations and assessing the fit of the model.
+The software required is an application that allows researchers to define their hypothesized models visually and will output the correct syntax for the analytical software of their choosing.
+To date a promising functional application has been developed in JAVA by a Computer Science student as a 4080 project. The existing software allows the user to draw a path diagram and outputs code for the R package sem.  There are a number of improvements to be made (refinements and additions to graphical user interface) and then the application needs to be extended to output syntax appropriate for additional software applications (openMX, MPlus and EQS).  Though this project may not begin at “the first stages” of the software lifecycle, this scenario is likely common in the software development market. In addition, the student will be working with a primary “client” who is far less technically advanced, which is also reflective of real-world situations.
+More details {{:continuation_of_a_path_diagram_to_syntax_application.pdf|here}}.
+====== Enabling SaaS access to an experimental AI planner ======
+**Supervisor**: Sotirios Liaskos (liaskos at yorku dot ca)
+**Required Background**: Good knowledge of Unix tools / Python, Perl or Awk. Comfort with algorithms and programming. Essential: 2031 -- Software Tools. Desired:
+-- Functional & Logic Programming,
+-- Design and Analysis of Algorithms,
+-- Compilers and Interpreters.
+**Description**: This project involves enriching and integrating a set of fairly complex scripts, which are components of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) planner, and exporting them to the public in a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) fashion.
+The components are various Unix executables and LISP programs that need to interact in complex ways. The components may be residing in different servers in different universities. Currently integration is performed manually, at the expense of usability. Thus, we aim at constructing a module that: (a) integrates involved components to deliver output in one call, (b) exports a unique web interface (preferably following WSDL/SOAP) to be easily accessed by custom front-end tools by anyone, anywhere, (c ) offers a simple front-end for human users.
+Learning objectives:
+  * Understand the technologies and process involved in turning native code into a web-service ("servicizing").
+  * Study a state-of-the-art AI planner and understand its workings.
+  * Exercise scripting skills.
+====== Predicting Angular Error in Rigid Registration ======
+**Supervisor**: Burton Ma
+**Description**: Registration is a fundamental step in image-based surgical
+navigation. Several (seemingly) different approaches for predicting
+distance errors in registration are known, but for some surgical
+procedures, the angular error in registration is more important.
+This project will validate an approach for predicting angular
+error in registration; the student will use a combination of
+simulated and actual registration data for testing purposes.
+====== Calibration of a Tracked Pointer ======
+**Supervisor**: Burton Ma
+**Description**: Tracked pointers are the most common tools used in surgical
+navigation systems. A typical pointer has a tracked target on one
+end and a sharp or ball tip on the other end. Finding the location
+of the tip relative to the target is a calibration problem. One
+solution to the calibration problem involves pivoting the pointer
+about the tip while tracking the target; if the tip is kept
+stationary, then the target moves on the surface of a sphere.
+Fitting the tracking data to the surface of a sphere yields the
+location of the tip as the sphere center. Unfortunately, the
+calibrated tip position obtained using such a spherical calibration
+has high variance. This project will investigate how much variance
+there is in the calibrated tip position, and methods for reducing
+the variance of the calibrated tip position.
+====== A privacy safeguard framework for sharing photos on Facebook ======
+**Supervisor**: Uyen Trang Nguyen
+**Description**:
+One of the major privacy concerns in Online Social Networks is photo sharing.  A user may post his/her friends’ photos without their consent.  The friends have no control over the user’s Facebook activities, namely photo sharing.  In this project, we design and implement a third-party Facebook application that allows people to protect their identities in photos uploaded by another user without their consent.
+**Required prerequisite background**:  Proficiency in programming, especially in Java and Web application programming.
+**Desired prerequisite**: Knowledge of image processing, Facebook API, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
+===Simulation for Forest Fire Detection===
+Supervisor: Rob Allison
+Required Background: General CSE408x prerequisites
+Recommended Background: CSE3431 or CSE4471 or equivalent
+Description
+Detection of forest fires is a challenging activity that requires considerable training. The objective of this project is to implement a virtual reality simulation to incorporate key aspects of this task and then to perform an evaluation with a small user study.
+----
+===Study of self-motion perception in microgravity===
+Supervisor: Rob Allison
+Required Background: General CSE408x prerequisites
+Recommended Background: CSE3431 or CSE4471 or equivalent
+Description
+This is a computer graphics project to present visual motion stimuli to an observer. The software will experimentally control scene content, collect user responses and control the camera trajectory to simulate the desired self-motion profile.
+----
+===Stereoscopic cinema calculator===
+Supervisor: Rob Allison
+Required Background: General CSE408x prerequisites
+Recommended Background: CSE3431 or CSE4471 or equivalent
+Description
+Directors of three-dimensional movies sometimes use 'stereo calculators' to compute the simulated depth of objects in the film show to the viewer in order to maximize the stereoscopic effects and maintain comfortable viewing. However current calculators have limited ability to visualize the results of the calculations. This project will combine stereo calculations with visualization software to assist the director in artistic and technical decisions.
+----
+===Computer pointing devices and the speed-accuracy tradeoff===
+Supervisor: Scott MacKenzie
+Required Background: General 4080 prerequisites, CSE3461, and (preferably) CSE4441
+Recommended Background: Interest in user interfaces and human-computer interaction (HCI). Understanding of experiment design. Experience in doing user studies.
+----
+===One key text entry===
+Supervisor: Scott MacKenzie
+Required Background: General 4080 prerequisites, CSE3461, and (preferably) CSE4441
+Recommended Background: Interest in user interfaces and human-computer interaction (HCI). Understanding of experiment design. Experience in doing user studies.
+----
+===The Algorithmics Animation Workshop===
+Supervisor: Andy Mirzaian
+Required background: General prerequisites
+Recommended background: CSE 3101
+Description
+The URL for Algorithmics Animation Workshop (AAW) is http://www.cs.yorku.ca/~aaw. The main purpose of AAW is to be a pedagogical tool by providing animation of important algorithms and data structures in computer science, especially those studied in courses CSE 3101, 4101, 5101, 6114, 6111. This is an open ended project in the sense that more animations can be added to this site over time.
+----
+===Selenium/Eiffel Web Test Driven Development===
+Supervisor: Jonathan Ostroff
+Required background: General prerequisites, at least a B+ in CSE 3311
+Recommended background: Knowledge of Javascript a plus
+Description
+The Selenium IDE is an integrated development environment for Selenium scripts. It is implemented as a Firefox extension, and allows you to record, edit, and debug tests of web applications. The Selenium IDE is a recording tool, or you may edit your scripts by hand. With autocomplete support and the ability to move commands around quickly, Selenium IDE is the nice environment for creating webtests no matter what style of tests you prefer.
+Tests can be translated to Java (JUnit), C#, Python etc. It can be extended to any language that can make HTTP calls.
+The goal of this project is (1) to translate Selenium tests into tests that can be run under Eiffel (e.g. via ESpec or AutoTest), and (2) to provide a complete Eiffel web application creation template (with embedded database such as sqlite) for creating and testing web applications.
+----
+===Automated Reasoning System for Quantified Propositional Logic===
+Supervisor: Zbigniew Stachniak
+Required background: General prerequisites
+Recommended background: Passion for programming and experimentation; Some knowledge of propositional and predicate logic
+Description
+Quantified Propositional Logics (QPL) plays an important role in a number of computer science disciplines from the theoretical computer science to knowledge representation and verification. There are also a number of open problems concerning this logic, and formulated more than 70 years ago, that can be finally solved (or at least approached) using automated reasoning techniques. The first step in such investigations has to be the design and implementation of a theorem prover, or automated reasoning system, for QPL. Such a system should, in principle, be able to determine whether or not a given formula of QPL is a theorem (or a tautology) in this logic.
+The theorem prover for QPL is to be designed, implemented, and fully tested.
+Background: Various variants of QPL have been formally formulated for the first time in the 1920s by a number of logicians and mathematicians. In modern computer science, QPL plays a significant role in theoretical computer science (proof complexity, satisfiability) as well as in verification and AI.
+----
+===NABU Network Emulator===
+Supervisor: Zbigniew Stachniak
+Required background: General prerequisites
+Recommended background: Java (including 2D graphics); Some knowledge of PC hardware architecture; Some knowledge of (any) assembler language is an asset.
+Description
+Have you ever considered writing your own emulator of an interesting system? There has been a substantial activity in building software emulators of historically significant computers, game consoles, and, recently, smart communication devices. As a result, there is at least one emulator of almost every significant system. This activity contributes, in the first place, to the preservation and dissemination of significant hardware and software technologies. It also allows for cost-effective development of contemporary software and hardware. The project's objective is to design and implement an emulator of the NABU Network – one of the earliest “proto-Internet” networks. The emulator is to be implemented in Java.
+Background : The NABU Network was designed and implemented by a Canadian company NABU Manufacturing between 1981 and 1983. The underlying idea behind the network was to link home personal computers to cable television networks which would supply a continuous, high speed stream of computer programs and information (at the rate of 6.5 Mbits per second) to almost an unlimited number of users. Cable television was a uniquely ideal technology for NABU to deliver software and data to home computers because of its high bandwidth and networking capabilities. After the official launch on Ottawa Cablevision in October of 1983, the NABU Network was introduced by Ottawa's Skyline Cablevision in 1984 and a year later in Sowa, Japan, via a collaboration between NABU and ASCII Corp. NABU Network subscribers could rent or buy a NABU PC and dedicated network adaptor, and use an ordinary television set as a display monitor. Once connected to the network, a user could choose from various application programs and services in categories including entertainment, information and guides, education, and professional programs. Dedicated NABU magazines, newsletters, programming guides, and user groups provided subscribers with supplementary information and support. To learn more, visit here .
+----