Classification of plant diseases using machine and deep learning

Detection of plant disease has a crucial role in better understanding the economy of India in terms of agricultural productivity. Early recognition and categorization of diseases in plants are very crucial as it can adversely affect the growth and development of species. Numerous machine learning methods like SVM (support vector machine), random forest, KNN (k-nearest neighbor), Naïve Bayes, decision tree, etc., have been exploited for recognition, discovery, and categorization of plant diseases; however, the advancement of machine learning by DL (deep learning) is supposed to possess tremendous potential in enhancing the accuracy. This paper proposed a model comprising of Auto-Color Correlogram as image filter and DL as classifiers with different activation functions for plant disease. This proposed model is implemented on four different datasets to solve binary and multiclass subcategories of plant diseases. Using the proposed model, results achieved are better, obtaining 99.4% accuracy and 99.9% sensitivity for binary class and 99.2% accuracy for multiclass. It is proven that the proposed model outperforms other approaches, namely LibSVM, SMO (sequential minimal optimization), and DL with activation function softmax and softsign in terms of F-measure, recall, MCC (Matthews correlation coefficient), specificity and sensitivity.

Enhanced shuffled frog leaping algorithm with improved local exploration and energy-biased load reduction phase for load balancing of gateways in WSNs

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have grown widely due to their application in various domains, such as surveillance, healthcare, telecommunication, etc. In WSNs, there is a necessity to design energy-efficient algorithms for different purposes. Load balancing of gateways in cluster-based WSNs is necessary to maximize the lifetime of a network. Shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA) is a popular heuristic algorithm that incorporates a deterministic approach. Performance of any heuristic algorithm depends on its exploration and exploitation capability. The main contribution of this article is an enhanced SFLA with improved local search capability. Three strategies are tested to enhance the local search capability of SFLA to improve the load balancing of gateways in WSNs. The first proposed approach is deterministic in which the participation of the global best solution in information exchange is increased. The next two variations reduces the deterministic approach in the local search component of SFLA by introducing probability-based selection of frogs for information exchange. All three strategies improved the success of local search. Second contribution of article is increased lifetime of gateways in WSNs with a novel energy-biased load reduction phase introduced after the information exchange step. The proposed algorithm is tested with 15 datasets of varying areas of deployment, number of sensors and number of gateways. Proposed ESFLA-RW variation shows significant improvement over other variations in terms of successful local explorations, best fitness values, average fitness values and convergence rate for all datasets. Obtained results of proposed ESFLA-RW are significantly better in terms of network energy consumption, load balancing, first gateway die and network life. The proposed variations are tested to check the effect of various algorithm-specific parameters namely frog population size, probability of information exchange and probability of energy-biased load reduction phase. Higher population size and probabilities give better solutions and convergence rate.

Segmentation of MRI Brain Tumor Image using Optimization based Deep Convolutional Neural networks (DCNN)

Segmentation of brain image should be done accurately as it can help to predict deadly brain tumor disease so that it can be possible to control the malicious segments of brain image if known beforehand. The accuracy of the brain tumor analysis can be enhanced through the brain tumor segmentation procedure. Earlier DCNN models do not consider the weights as of learning instances which may decrease accuracy levels of the segmentation procedure. Considering the above point, we have suggested a framework for optimizing the network parameters such as weight and bias vector of DCNN models using swarm intelligent based algorithms like Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO) and Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA). The simulation results reveals that the WOA optimized DCNN segmentation model is outperformed than other three optimization based DCNN models i.e., GA-DCNN, PSO-DCNN, GWO-DCNN.

A Design of an Integrated Cloud-based Intrusion Detection System with Third Party Cloud Service

Although cloud computing is considered the most widespread technology nowadays, it still suffers from many challenges, especially related to its security. Due to the open and distributed nature of the cloud environment, this makes the cloud itself vulnerable to various attacks. In this paper, the design of a novel integrated Cloud-based Intrusion Detection System (CIDS) is proposed to immunise the cloud against any possible attacks. The proposed CIDS consists of five main modules to do the following actions: monitoring the network, capturing the traffic flows, extracting features, analyzing the flows, detecting intrusions, taking a reaction, and logging all activities. Furthermore an enhanced bagging ensemble system of three deep learning models is utilized to predict intrusions effectively. Moreover, a third-party Cloud-based Intrusion Detection System Service (CIDSS) is also exploited to control the proposed CIDS and provide the reporting service. Finally, it has been shown that the proposed approach overcomes all problems associated with attacks on the cloud raised in the literature.

A Strategic Approach for implementing A Smart Pedestrian Network (SPN) System

This paper presents a strategic approach for implementing a Smart Pedestrian Network (SPN) navigation System that is geared towards promoting sustainable mobility. The SPN system is being designed to reach multiple market segments by providing information on suitable walking routes aiming to satisfy potential users’ needs, but also multiple stakeholder demands. The paper presents the main objectives of the SPN system as well as its system structure, application features, functions, and relevant data sources. The proposed strategic implementation framework deems necessary for scaling up so that the SPN system is successfully implemented in a variety of urban conditions. The framework emphasizes the element of adaptability, so that SPN can be adjusted where and when necessary, to deal with a variety of contexts and specific sustainable mobility issues, depending on the particular municipality conditions. The proposed framework combines elements of both the waterfall and agile software development methods, as well as, aspects of Open Innovation, Customer Involvement and Co-Creation taking a multiple stakeholder approach.

Optimization of a k-covering of a bounded set with circles of two given radii

A numerical method for investigating k-coverings of a convex bounded set with circles of two given radii is proposed. Cases with constraints on the distances between the covering circle centers are considered. An algorithm for finding an approximate number of such circles and the arrangement of their centers is described. For certain specific cases, approximate lower bounds of the density of the k-covering of the given domain are found. We use either 0–1 linear programming or general integer linear programming models. Numerical results demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed methods are presented.

A binary Bird Swarm Optimization based load balancing algorithm for cloud computing environment

Task scheduling and load balancing are a concern for service providers in the cloud computing environment. The problem of scheduling tasks and balancing loads in a cloud is categorized under an NP-hard problem. Thus, it needs an efficient load scheduling algorithm that not only allocates the tasks onto appropriate VMs but also maintains the trade-off amidst VMs. It should keep an equilibrium among VMs in a way that reduces the makespan while maximizing the utilization of resources and throughput. In response to it, the authors propose a load balancing algorithm inspired by the mimicking behavior of a flock of birds, which is called the Bird Swarm Optimization Load Balancing (BSO-LB) algorithm that considers tasks as birds and VMs as destination food patches. In the considered cloud simulation environment, tasks are assumed to be independent and non-preemptive. To evaluate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm under real workloads, the authors consider a dataset (GoCJ) logged by Goggle in 2018 for the execution of cloudlets. The proposed algorithm aims to enhance the overall system performance by reducing response time and keeping the whole system balanced. The authors have integrated the binary variant of the BSO algorithm with the load balancing method. The proposed technique is analyzed and compared with other existing load balancing algorithms such as MAX-MIN, RASA, Improved PSO, and other scheduling algorithms as FCFS, SJF, and RR. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms when being compared with the different algorithms mentioned above. It is noteworthy that the proposed approach illustrates an improvement in resource utilization and reduces the makespan of tasks.

Convolutional neural-network-based classification of retinal images with different combinations of filtering techniques

Retinal image analysis is one of the important diagnosis methods in modern ophthalmology because eye information is present in the retina. The image acquisition process may have some effects and can affect the quality of the image. This can be improved by better image enhancement techniques combined with the computer-aided diagnosis system. Deep learning is one of the important computational application techniques used for a medical imaging application. The main aim of this article is to find the best enhancement techniques for the identification of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and are tested with the commonly used deep learning techniques, and the performances are measured. In this article, the input image is taken from the Indian-based database named as Indian Diabetic Retinopathy Image Dataset, and 13 filters are used including smoothing and sharpening filters for enhancing the images. Then, the quality of the enhancement techniques is compared using performance metrics and better results are obtained for Median, Gaussian, Bilateral, Wiener, and partial differential equation filters and are combined for improving the enhancement of images. The output images from all the enhanced filters are given as the convolutional neural network input and the results are compared to find the better enhancement method.

Novel image enhancement approaches for despeckling in ultrasound images for fibroid detection in human uterus

Ultrasonography is an extensively used medical imaging technique for multiple reasons. It works on the basic theory of echoes from the tissues under consideration. However, the occurrence of signal dependent noise such as speckle destroys utility of ultrasound images. Speckle noise is subject to the composition of image tissue and parameters of image. It reduces the effectiveness of many image processing steps and decreases human perception of fine details form ultrasound images. In many medical image processing methods, despeckling is used as the preprocessing step before segmentation and feature extraction. Many speckle reduction filters are proposed but while combining many techniques some speckle diagnostic information should be preserved. Removal of speckle noise from ultrasound image by preserving edges and added features is a great challenging task in ultrasound image restoration. This paper aims at a comprehensive description and comparison of reduction of speckle noise of ultrasound fibroid image. Many filters are applied on ultrasound scanned images and the performance is marked in terms of some statistical measures. Even though several despeckling filters are there for speckle reduction, all are not good for ultrasound scanned images. A comparison of quality measures such as mean square error, peak signal-to-noise ratio, and signal-to-noise ratio is done in ultrasound images in despeckling.

On the 100 Gbps DWDM with Optical Carrier Suppression Modulation

This paper investigates the transmission performance of 16-channel DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) system with two complex Optical Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying modulator configurations using 2 LiNb MZM (Mach-Zehnder Modulator) and 3 LiNb MZM. The link performance is evaluated for 100 Gbps data rate per channel in a total 750 km single mode fiber link. The perfomance is analyzed in terms of forward power, reflected power and bit-error rate of the received signal. From the simulation results we prove, that the link performance can be improved by adopting the high efficiency optical modulation.