Physics Perception in Sloshing Scenes With Guaranteed Thermodynamic Consistency.

Physics perception very often faces the problem that only limited data or partial measurements on the scene are available. In this work, we propose a strategy to learn the full state of sloshing liquids from measurements of the free surface. Our approach is based on recurrent neural networks (RNN) that project the limited information available to a reduced-order manifold to not only reconstruct the unknown information but also be capable of performing fluid reasoning about future scenarios in real-time. To obtain physically consistent predictions, we train deep neural networks on the reduced-order manifold that, through the employ of inductive biases, ensure the fulfillment of the principles of thermodynamics. RNNs learn from history the required hidden information to correlate the limited information with the latent space where the simulation occurs. Finally, a decoder returns data to the high-dimensional manifold, to provide the user with insightful information in the form of augmented reality. This algorithm is connected to a computer vision system to test the performance of the proposed methodology with real information, resulting in a system capable of understanding and predicting future states of the observed fluid in real-time.

MORPH-DSLAM: Model Order Reduction for Physics-Based Deformable SLAM.

We propose a new methodology to estimate the 3D displacement field of deformable objects from video sequences using standard monocular cameras. We solve in real time the complete (possibly visco-)hyperelasticity problem to properly describe the strain and stress fields that are consistent with the displacements captured by the images, constrained by real physics. We do not impose any ad-hoc prior or energy minimization in the external surface, since the real and complete mechanics problem is solved. This means that we can also estimate the internal state of the objects, even in occluded areas, just by observing the external surface and the knowledge of material properties and geometry. Solving this problem in real time using a realistic constitutive law, usually non-linear, is out of reach for current systems. To overcome this difficulty, we solve off-line a parametrized problem that considers each source of variability in the problem as a new parameter and, consequently, as a new dimension in the formulation. Model Order Reduction methods allow us to reduce the dimensionality of the problem, and therefore, its computational cost, while preserving the visualization of the solution in the high-dimensionality space. This allows an accurate estimation of the object deformations, improving also the robustness in the 3D points estimation.

Monitoring Weeder Robots and Anticipating Their Functioning by Using Advanced Topological Data Analysis.

The present paper aims at analyzing the topological content of the complex trajectories that weeder-autonomous robots follow in operation. We will prove that the topological descriptors of these trajectories are affected by the robot environment as well as by the robot state, with respect to maintenance operations. Most of existing methodologies enabling efficient diagnosis are based on the data analysis, and in particular on some statistical quantities derived from the data. The present work explores the use of an original approach that instead of analyzing quantities derived from the data, analyzes the "shape" of the data, that is, the time series topology based on the homology persistence. We will prove that this procedure is able to extract valuable patterns able to discriminate the trajectories that the robot follows depending on the particular patch in which it operates, as well as to differentiate the robot behavior before and after undergoing a maintenance operation. Even if it is a preliminary work, and it does not pretend to compare its performances with respect to other existing technologies, this work opens new perspectives in considering quite natural and simple descriptors based on the intrinsic information that data contains, with the aim of performing efficient diagnosis and prognosis.

Empowering Materials Processing and Performance from Data and AI.

Third millennium engineering is addressing new challenges in materials sciences and engineering [...].

Physically sound, self-learning digital twins for sloshing fluids.

In this paper, a novel self-learning digital twin strategy is developed for fluid sloshing phenomena. This class of problems is of utmost importance for robotic manipulation of fluids, for instance, or, in general, in simulation-assisted decision making. The proposed method infers the (linear or non-linear) constitutive behavior of the fluid from video sequences of the sloshing phenomena. Real-time prediction of the fluid response is obtained from a reduced order model (ROM) constructed by means of thermodynamics-informed data-driven learning. From these data, we aim to predict the future response of a twin fluid reacting to the movement of the real container. The constructed system is able to perform accurate forecasts of its future reactions to the movements of the containers. The system is completed with augmented reality techniques, so as to enable comparisons among the predicted result with the actual response of the same liquid and to provide the user with insightful information about the physics taking place.

Nonlinear Regression Operating on Microstructures Described from Topological Data Analysis for the Real-Time Prediction of Effective Properties.

Real-time decision making needs evaluating quantities of interest (QoI) in almost real time. When these QoI are related to models based on physics, the use of Model Order Reduction techniques allows speeding-up calculations, enabling fast and accurate evaluations. To accommodate real-time constraints, a valuable route consists of computing parametric solutions-the so-called computational vademecums-that constructed off-line, can be inspected on-line. However, when dealing with shapes and topologies (complex or rich microstructures) their parametric description constitutes a major difficulty. In this paper, we propose using Topological Data Analysis for describing those rich topologies and morphologies in a concise way, and then using the associated topological descriptions for generating accurate supervised classification and nonlinear regression, enabling an almost real-time evaluation of QoI and the associated decision making.

A Data-Driven Learning Method for Constitutive Modeling: Application to Vascular Hyperelastic Soft Tissues.

We address the problem of machine learning of constitutive laws when large experimental deviations are present. This is particularly important in soft living tissue modeling, for instance, where large patient-dependent data is found. We focus on two aspects that complicate the problem, namely, the presence of an important dispersion in the experimental results and the need for a rigorous compliance to thermodynamic settings. To address these difficulties, we propose to use, respectively, Topological Data Analysis techniques and a regression over the so-called General Equation for the Nonequilibrium Reversible-Irreversible Coupling (GENERIC) formalism (M. Grmela and H. Ch. Oettinger, Dynamics and thermodynamics of complex fluids. I. Development of a general formalism. Phys. Rev. E 56, 6620, 1997). This allows us, on one hand, to unveil the true "shape" of the data and, on the other, to guarantee the fulfillment of basic principles such as the conservation of energy and the production of entropy as a consequence of viscous dissipation. Examples are provided over pseudo-experimental and experimental data that demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.

Reduced-order modeling of soft robots.

We present a general strategy for the modeling and simulation-based control of soft robots. Although the presented methodology is completely general, we restrict ourselves to the analysis of a model robot made of hyperelastic materials and actuated by cables or tendons. To comply with the stringent real-time constraints imposed by control algorithms, a reduced-order modeling strategy is proposed that allows to minimize the amount of online CPU cost. Instead, an offline training procedure is proposed that allows to determine a sort of response surface that characterizes the response of the robot. Contrarily to existing strategies, the proposed methodology allows for a fully non-linear modeling of the soft material in a hyperelastic setting as well as a fully non-linear kinematic description of the movement without any restriction nor simplifying assumption. Examples of different configurations of the robot were analyzed that show the appeal of the method.

Computational Patient Avatars for Surgery Planning.

In this paper a new method is described for the generation of computational patient avatars for surgery planning. By "patient avatar" a computational, patient-specific, model of the patient is meant, that should be able to provide the surgeon with an adequate response under real-time restrictions, possibly including haptic response. The method is based on the use of computational vademecums (F. Chinesta et al., PGD-based computational vademecum for efficient design, optimization and control. Arch. Comput. Methods Eng. 20(1):31-59, 2013), that are properly interpolated so as to generate a patient-specific model. It is highlighted how the interpolation of shapes needs for a specialized technique, since a direct interpolation of biological shapes would produce, in general, non-physiological shapes. To this end a manifold learning technique is employed, that allows for a proper interpolation that provides very accurate results in describing patient-specific organ geometries. These interpolated vademecums thus give rise to very accurate patient avatars able to run at kHz feedback rates, enabling not only visual, but also haptic response to the surgeon.

Reduction of the chemical master equation for gene regulatory networks using proper generalized decompositions.

The numerical solution of the chemical master equation (CME) governing gene regulatory networks and cell signaling processes remains a challenging task owing to its complexity, exponentially growing with the number of species involved. Although most of the existing techniques rely on the use of Monte Carlo-like techniques, we present here a new technique based on the approximation of the unknown variable (the probability of having a particular chemical state) in terms of a finite sum of separable functions. In this framework, the complexity of the CME grows only linearly with the number of state space dimensions. This technique generalizes the so-called Hartree approximation, by using terms as needed in the finite sums decomposition for ensuring convergence. But noteworthy, the ease of the approximation allows for an easy treatment of unknown parameters (as is frequently the case when modeling gene regulatory networks, for instance). These unknown parameters can be considered as new space dimensions. In this way, the proposed method provides solutions for any value of the unknown parameters (within some interval of arbitrary size) in one execution of the program.