Indoor localization systems have already wide applications mainly for providing localized information and directions. The majority of them focus on commercial applications providing information such ...us advertisements, guidance and asset tracking. Medical oriented localization systems are uncommon. Given the fact that an individual's indoor movements can be indicative of his/her clinical status, in this paper we present a low-cost indoor localization system with room-level accuracy used to assess the frailty of older people. We focused on designing a system with easy installation and low cost to be used by non technical staff. The system was installed in older people houses in order to collect data about their indoor localization habits. The collected data were examined in combination with their frailty status, showing a correlation between them. The indoor localization system is based on the processing of Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) measurements by a tracking device, from Bluetooth Beacons, using a fingerprint-based procedure. The system has been tested in realistic settings achieving accuracy above 93% in room estimation. The proposed system was used in 271 houses collecting data for 1⁻7-day sessions. The evaluation of the collected data using ten-fold cross-validation showed an accuracy of 83% in the classification of a monitored person regarding his/her frailty status (Frail, Pre-frail, Non-frail).
In this paper, a hybrid learning approach, which combines the extreme learning machine (ELM) with a genetic algorithm (GA), is proposed. The utilization of this hybrid algorithm enables the creation ...of heterogeneous single layer neural networks (SLNNs) with better generalization ability than traditional ELM in terms of lower mean square error (MSE) for regression problems or higher accuracy for classification problems. The architecture of this method is not limited to traditional linear neurons, where each input participates equally to the neuron’s activation, but is extended to support higher order neurons which affect the network’s generalization ability. Initially, the proposed heterogeneous hybrid extreme learning machine (He-HyELM) algorithm creates a number of custom created neurons with different structure, which are used for the creation of homogeneous SLNNs. These networks are trained with ELM and an application specific GA evolves them into heterogeneous networks according to a fitness criterion utilizing the uniform crossover operator for the recombination process. After the completion of the evolution process, the network with the best fitness is selected as the most optimal. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed learning algorithm can get better results than traditional ELM, homogeneous hybrid extreme learning machine (Ho-HyELM) and optimally pruned extreme learning machine (OP-ELM) for homogeneous and heterogeneous SLNNs.
Electroencephalography is one of the most commonly used methods for extracting information about the brain's condition and can be used for diagnosing epilepsy. The EEG signal's wave shape contains ...vital information about the brain's state, which can be challenging to analyse and interpret by a human observer. Moreover, the characteristic waveforms of epilepsy (sharp waves, spikes) can occur randomly through time. Considering all the above reasons, automatic EEG signal extraction and analysis using computers can significantly impact the successful diagnosis of epilepsy. This research explores the impact of different window sizes on EEG signals' classification accuracy using four machine learning classifiers. The machine learning methods included a neural network with ten hidden nodes trained using three different training algorithms and the k-nearest neighbours classifier. The neural network training methods included the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno algorithm, the multistart method for global optimization problems, and a genetic algorithm. The current research utilized the University of Bonn dataset containing EEG data, divided into epochs having 50% overlap and window lengths ranging from 1 to 24 s. Then, statistical and spectral features were extracted and used to train the above four classifiers. The outcome from the above experiments showed that large window sizes with a length of about 21 s could positively impact the classification accuracy between the compared methods.
Discrimination of eye movements and visual states is a flourishing field of research and there is an urgent need for non-manual EEG-based wheelchair control and navigation systems. This paper ...presents a novel system that utilizes a brain-computer interface (BCI) to capture electroencephalographic (EEG) signals from human subjects while eye movement and subsequently classify them into six categories by applying a random forests (RF) classification algorithm. RF is an ensemble learning method that constructs a series of decision trees where each tree gives a class prediction, and the class with the highest number of class predictions becomes the model's prediction. The categories of the proposed random forests brain-computer interface (RF-BCI) are defined according to the position of the subject's eyes: open, closed, left, right, up, and down. The purpose of RF-BCI is to be utilized as an EEG-based control system for driving an electromechanical wheelchair (rehabilitation device). The proposed approach has been tested using a dataset containing 219 records taken from 10 different patients. The BCI implemented the EPOC Flex head cap system, which includes 32 saline felt sensors for capturing the subjects' EEG signals. Each sensor caught four different brain waves (delta, theta, alpha, and beta) per second. Then, these signals were split in 4-second windows resulting in 512 samples per record and the band energy was extracted for each EEG rhythm. The proposed system was compared with naïve Bayes, Bayes Network, k-nearest neighbors (K-NN), multilayer perceptron (MLP), support vector machine (SVM), J48-C4.5 decision tree, and Bagging classification algorithms. The experimental results showed that the RF algorithm outperformed compared to the other approaches and high levels of accuracy (85.39%) for a 6-class classification are obtained. This method exploits high spatial information acquired from the Emotiv EPOC Flex wearable EEG recording device and examines successfully the potential of this device to be used for BCI wheelchair technology.
In this paper we investigate the essential minimum functionality of the autonomous blockchain, and the minimum hardware and software required to support it in the micro-scale in the IoT world. The ...application of deep-blockchain operation in the lower-level activity of the IoT ecosystem, is expected to bring profound clarity and constitutes a unique challenge. Setting up and operating bit-level blockchain mechanisms on minimal IoT elements like smart switches and active sensors, mandates pushing blockchain engineering to the limits. "How deep can blockchain actually go?" "Which is the minimum Thing of the IoT world that can actually deliver autonomous blockchain functionality?" To answer, an experiment based on IoT micro-controllers was set. The "
" was defined to set the minimum essential micro-blockchain functionality. The protocol was developed and installed on a peer, ad-hoc, autonomous network of casual, real-life IoT micro-devices. The setup was tested, benchmarked, and evaluated in terms of computational needs, efficiency, and collective resistance against malicious attacks. The leading considerations are highlighted, and the results of the experiment are presented. Findings are intriguing and prove that fully autonomous, private micro-blockchain networks are absolutely feasible in the smart dust world, utilizing the capacities of the existing low-end IoT devices.
Over the last decade, virtual reality (VR) has become an increasingly accessible commodity. Head-mounted display (HMD) immersive technologies allow researchers to simulate experimental scenarios that ...would be unfeasible or risky in real life. An example is extreme heights exposure simulations, which can be utilized in research on stress system mobilization. Until recently, electroencephalography (EEG)-related research was focused on mental stress prompted by social or mathematical challenges, with only a few studies employing HMD VR techniques to induce stress. In this study, we combine a state-of-the-art EEG wearable device and an electrocardiography (ECG) sensor with a VR headset to provoke stress in a high-altitude scenarios while monitoring EEG and ECG biomarkers in real time. A robust pipeline for signal clearing is implemented to preprocess the noise-infiltrated (due to movement) EEG data. Statistical and correlation analysis is employed to explore the relationship between these biomarkers with stress. The participant pool is divided into two groups based on their heart rate increase, where statistically important EEG biomarker differences emerged between them. Finally, the occipital-region band power changes and occipital asymmetry alterations were found to be associated with height-related stress and brain activation in beta and gamma bands, which correlates with the results of the self-reported Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire.
In this work, a regression method is implemented on a low-cost digital temperature sensor to improve the sensor’s accuracy; thus, following the EN12830 European standard. This standard defines that ...the maximum acceptable error regarding temperature monitoring devices should not exceed 1 °C for the refrigeration and freezer areas. The purpose of the proposed method is to improve the accuracy of a low-cost digital temperature sensor by correcting its nonlinear response using simple linear regression (SLR). In the experimental part of this study, the proposed method’s outcome (in a custom created dataset containing values taken from a refrigerator) is compared against the values taken from a sensor complying with the EN12830 standard. The experimental results confirmed that the proposed method reduced the mean absolute error (MAE) by 82% for the refrigeration area and 69% for the freezer area—resulting in the accuracy improvement of the low-cost digital temperature sensor. Moreover, it managed to achieve a lower generalization error on the test set when compared to three other machine learning algorithms (SVM, B-ELM, and OS-ELM).
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common in men, with an increasing incidence. Pathology diagnosis complemented with prognostic and predictive ...biomarker information is the first step for personalized treatment. The increased diagnostic load in the pathology laboratory, combined with the reported intra- and inter-variability in the assessment of biomarkers, has prompted the quest for reliable machine-based methods to be incorporated into the routine practice. Recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made significant progress in the medical field, showing potential for clinical applications. Herein, we aim to systematically review the current research on AI in CRC image analysis. In histopathology, algorithms based on Deep Learning (DL) have the potential to assist in diagnosis, predict clinically relevant molecular phenotypes and microsatellite instability, identify histological features related to prognosis and correlated to metastasis, and assess the specific components of the tumor microenvironment.
Lung cancer is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, with a high incidence rate, especially in tobacco smokers. Lung cancer accurate diagnosis is based on distinct histological patterns combined ...with molecular data for personalized treatment. Precise lung cancer classification from a single H&E slide can be challenging for a pathologist, requiring most of the time additional histochemical and special immunohistochemical stains for the final pathology report. According to WHO, small biopsy and cytology specimens are the available materials for about 70% of lung cancer patients with advanced-stage unresectable disease. Thus, the limited available diagnostic material necessitates its optimal management and processing for the completion of diagnosis and predictive testing according to the published guidelines. During the new era of Digital Pathology, Deep Learning offers the potential for lung cancer interpretation to assist pathologists' routine practice. Herein, we systematically review the current Artificial Intelligence-based approaches using histological and cytological images of lung cancer. Most of the published literature centered on the distinction between lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, and small cell lung carcinoma, reflecting the realistic pathologist's routine. Furthermore, several studies developed algorithms for lung adenocarcinoma predominant architectural pattern determination, prognosis prediction, mutational status characterization, and PD-L1 expression status estimation.
Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects a significant percentage of the elderly. EEG has emerged as a promising tool for the timely diagnosis and ...classification of AD or other dementia types. This paper proposes a novel approach to AD EEG classification using a Dual-Input Convolution Encoder Network (DICE-net). Approach: Recordings of 36 AD, 23 Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and 29 age-matched healthy individuals (CN) were used. After denoising, Band power and Coherence features were extracted and fed to DICE-net, which consists of Convolution, Transformer Encoder, and Feed-Forward layers. Main results: Our results show that DICE-net achieved an accuracy of 83.28% in the AD-CN problem using Leave-One-Subject-Out validation, outperforming several baseline models, and achieving good generalization performance. Significance: Our findings suggest that a convolution transformer network can effectively capture the complex features of EEG signals for the classification of AD patients versus control subjects and may be expanded to other types of dementia, such as FTD. This approach could improve the accuracy of early diagnosis and lead to the development of more effective interventions for AD.
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