Strategy to improve the accuracy of convolutional neural network architectures applied to digital image steganalysis in the spatial domain

In recent years, Deep Learning techniques applied to steganalysis have surpassed the traditional two-stage approach by unifying feature extraction and classification in a single model, the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Several CNN architectures have been proposed to solve this task, improving steganographic images’ detection accuracy, but it is unclear which computational elements are relevant. Here we present a strategy to improve accuracy, convergence, and stability during training. The strategy involves a preprocessing stage with Spatial Rich Models filters, Spatial Dropout, Absolute Value layer, and Batch Normalization. Using the strategy improves the performance of three steganalysis CNNs and two image classification CNNs by enhancing the accuracy from 2% up to 10% while reducing the training time to less than 6 h and improving the networks’ stability.

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SFRNet: Feature Extraction-Fusion Steganalysis Network Based on Squeeze-and-Excitation Block and RepVgg Block

Security and Communication Networks ◽

10.1155/2021/3676720 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Guiyong Xu ◽

Yang Xu ◽

Sicong Zhang ◽

Xiaoyao Xie

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Feature Extraction ◽

Convolutional Neural Network ◽

Network Architecture ◽

Detection Accuracy ◽

Image Size ◽

Feature Maps ◽

Accuracy Rate ◽

Excellent Performance ◽

Training Time

In the era of big data, convolutional neural network (CNN) has been widely used in the field of image classification and has achieved excellent performance. More and more researchers are beginning to combine deep neural networks with steganalysis to improve performance in recent years. However, most of the steganalysis algorithm based on the convolutional neural network has only run test against the WOW and S-UNIWARD algorithms; meanwhile, their versatility is insufficient due to long training time and the limit of image size. This paper proposes a new network architecture, called SFRNet, to solve these problems. The feature extraction and fusion layer can extract more features from the digital image. The RepVgg block is used to accelerate the inference and increase memory utilization. The SE block improves the detection accuracy rate because it can learn feature weights to make effective feature maps with significant weights and invalid or ineffective feature maps with small weights. Experimental results show that the SFRNet has achieved excellent performance in the detection accuracy rate against four state-of-the-art steganography algorithms in the spatial domain, e.g., HUGO, WOW, S-UNIWARD, and MiPOD, under different payloads. The SFRNet detection accuracy rate achieves 89.6% against S-UNIWARD algorithm with the payload of 0.4bpp and 72.5% at 0.2bpp. As the same time, the training time of our network is greatly reduced by 35% compared with Yedroudj-Net.

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Sensitivity of deep learning applied to spatial image steganalysis

PeerJ Computer Science ◽

10.7717/peerj-cs.616 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. e616

Author(s):

Reinel Tabares-Soto ◽

Harold Brayan Arteaga-Arteaga ◽

Alejandro Mora-Rubio ◽

Mario Alejandro Bravo-Ortíz ◽

Daniel Arias-Garzón ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Deep Learning ◽

Traditional Approach ◽

Detection Accuracy ◽

Activation Functions ◽

Single Model ◽

Image Steganalysis ◽

Spatial Image ◽

Overall Performance ◽

Report Accuracy

In recent years, the traditional approach to spatial image steganalysis has shifted to deep learning (DL) techniques, which have improved the detection accuracy while combining feature extraction and classification in a single model, usually a convolutional neural network (CNN). The main contribution from researchers in this area is new architectures that further improve detection accuracy. Nevertheless, the preprocessing and partition of the database influence the overall performance of the CNN. This paper presents the results achieved by novel steganalysis networks (Xu-Net, Ye-Net, Yedroudj-Net, SR-Net, Zhu-Net, and GBRAS-Net) using different combinations of image and filter normalization ranges, various database splits, different activation functions for the preprocessing stage, as well as an analysis on the activation maps and how to report accuracy. These results demonstrate how sensible steganalysis systems are to changes in any stage of the process, and how important it is for researchers in this field to register and report their work thoroughly. We also propose a set of recommendations for the design of experiments in steganalysis with DL.

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Nodule Detection with Convolutional Neural Network Using Apache Spark and GPU Frameworks

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11062838 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 2838

Author(s):

Nikitha Johnsirani Venkatesan ◽

Dong Ryeol Shin ◽

Choon Sung Nam

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Radiation Dose ◽

Convolutional Neural Network ◽

Model Performance ◽

Performance Comparison ◽

Apache Spark ◽

Training Time ◽

Learning Framework ◽

Proposed Model

In the pharmaceutical field, early detection of lung nodules is indispensable for increasing patient survival. We can enhance the quality of the medical images by intensifying the radiation dose. High radiation dose provokes cancer, which forces experts to use limited radiation. Using abrupt radiation generates noise in CT scans. We propose an optimal Convolutional Neural Network model in which Gaussian noise is removed for better classification and increased training accuracy. Experimental demonstration on the LUNA16 dataset of size 160 GB shows that our proposed method exhibit superior results. Classification accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, Precision, Recall, F1 measurement, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the model performance are taken as evaluation metrics. We conducted a performance comparison of our proposed model on numerous platforms, like Apache Spark, GPU, and CPU, to depreciate the training time without compromising the accuracy percentage. Our results show that Apache Spark, integrated with a deep learning framework, is suitable for parallel training computation with high accuracy.

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Efficient and Compact Convolutional Neural Network Architectures for Non-temporal Real-time Fire Detection

2020 19th IEEE International Conference on Machine Learning and Applications (ICMLA) ◽

10.1109/icmla51294.2020.00030 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

William Thomson ◽

Neelanjan Bhowmik ◽

Toby P. Breckon

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Convolutional Neural Network ◽

Real Time ◽

Fire Detection ◽

Network Architectures ◽

Neural Network Architectures

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Natural Disasters Intensity Analysis and Classification Based on Multispectral Images Using Multi-Layered Deep Convolutional Neural Network

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21082648 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 2648

Author(s):

Muhammad Aamir ◽

Tariq Ali ◽

Muhammad Irfan ◽

Ahmad Shaf ◽

Muhammad Zeeshan Azam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Convolutional Neural Network ◽

Natural Disasters ◽

Deep Convolutional Neural Network ◽

Multispectral Images ◽

Learning Techniques ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Disaster Intensity ◽

And Performance

Natural disasters not only disturb the human ecological system but also destroy the properties and critical infrastructures of human societies and even lead to permanent change in the ecosystem. Disaster can be caused by naturally occurring events such as earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and wildfires. Many deep learning techniques have been applied by various researchers to detect and classify natural disasters to overcome losses in ecosystems, but detection of natural disasters still faces issues due to the complex and imbalanced structures of images. To tackle this problem, we propose a multilayered deep convolutional neural network. The proposed model works in two blocks: Block-I convolutional neural network (B-I CNN), for detection and occurrence of disasters, and Block-II convolutional neural network (B-II CNN), for classification of natural disaster intensity types with different filters and parameters. The model is tested on 4428 natural images and performance is calculated and expressed as different statistical values: sensitivity (SE), 97.54%; specificity (SP), 98.22%; accuracy rate (AR), 99.92%; precision (PRE), 97.79%; and F1-score (F1), 97.97%. The overall accuracy for the whole model is 99.92%, which is competitive and comparable with state-of-the-art algorithms.

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Methods for Preventing Visual Attacks in Convolutional Neural Networks Based on Data Discard and Dimensionality Reduction

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11115235 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 5235

Author(s):

Nikita Andriyanov

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Convolutional Neural Network ◽

Network Inference ◽

Recognition Accuracy ◽

Network Architectures ◽

Reduced Dimensions ◽

Different Types ◽

Rectangular Area ◽

Noise Impulse ◽

Selection Of

The article is devoted to the study of convolutional neural network inference in the task of image processing under the influence of visual attacks. Attacks of four different types were considered: simple, involving the addition of white Gaussian noise, impulse action on one pixel of an image, and attacks that change brightness values within a rectangular area. MNIST and Kaggle dogs vs. cats datasets were chosen. Recognition characteristics were obtained for the accuracy, depending on the number of images subjected to attacks and the types of attacks used in the training. The study was based on well-known convolutional neural network architectures used in pattern recognition tasks, such as VGG-16 and Inception_v3. The dependencies of the recognition accuracy on the parameters of visual attacks were obtained. Original methods were proposed to prevent visual attacks. Such methods are based on the selection of “incomprehensible” classes for the recognizer, and their subsequent correction based on neural network inference with reduced image sizes. As a result of applying these methods, gains in the accuracy metric by a factor of 1.3 were obtained after iteration by discarding incomprehensible images, and reducing the amount of uncertainty by 4–5% after iteration by applying the integration of the results of image analyses in reduced dimensions.

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Surface EMG-Based Instantaneous Hand Gesture Recognition Using Convolutional Neural Network with the Transfer Learning Method

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21072540 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (7) ◽

pp. 2540

Author(s):

Zhipeng Yu ◽

Jianghai Zhao ◽

Yucheng Wang ◽

Linglong He ◽

Shaonan Wang

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Convolutional Neural Network ◽

Transfer Learning ◽

Gesture Recognition ◽

Recognition System ◽

Surface Emg ◽

Hand Gesture Recognition ◽

Hand Gesture ◽

Training Time ◽

Generalization Ability

In recent years, surface electromyography (sEMG)-based human–computer interaction has been developed to improve the quality of life for people. Gesture recognition based on the instantaneous values of sEMG has the advantages of accurate prediction and low latency. However, the low generalization ability of the hand gesture recognition method limits its application to new subjects and new hand gestures, and brings a heavy training burden. For this reason, based on a convolutional neural network, a transfer learning (TL) strategy for instantaneous gesture recognition is proposed to improve the generalization performance of the target network. CapgMyo and NinaPro DB1 are used to evaluate the validity of our proposed strategy. Compared with the non-transfer learning (non-TL) strategy, our proposed strategy improves the average accuracy of new subject and new gesture recognition by 18.7% and 8.74%, respectively, when up to three repeated gestures are employed. The TL strategy reduces the training time by a factor of three. Experiments verify the transferability of spatial features and the validity of the proposed strategy in improving the recognition accuracy of new subjects and new gestures, and reducing the training burden. The proposed TL strategy provides an effective way of improving the generalization ability of the gesture recognition system.

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