Exciting Adventures Ahead

Heya! It’s been a moment since my last update, but I have some exciting news to share with you all! As you might have guessed by the cool new banner, I have had a paper accepted for the Northern Lights Deep Learning Conference 2024! The conference will be held on 9th – 11th January 2024 in Tromsø, Norway, and I have every intention of attending in person to present my rainfall radar research. ️

The paper’s title is “Towards AI for approximating hydrodynamic simulations as a 2D segmentation task”, and I can’t wait to share more about it with you all soon! However, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to share the paper just yet, so please bear with me while I figure that out.

In the meantime, I do have a Cool Poster that I’ll be sharing here after the event, so keep an eye out for it in the new Research section of my main homepage! I’m super excited to share all my NLDL 2024 updates with you all, and I hope this cool new banner gets some use bringing you more posts about (and, hopefully, from!) NLDL 2024!

Oh, and before I forget, please note that comments that don’t follow these rules may be deleted and could result in a ban for the offending user. These rules may also be amended without notice, so please check them often. Thank you for your understanding!

That’s all for now, but I’ll be back soon with more updates and shares from NLDL 2024! Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

Share Your Content on Fediverse with Ease

Heya! Got another short port for you here. You might notice that on all posts now there’s a new share button (those buttons that take you to difference places with a link to this site to share it elsewhere) that looks like this: If you haven’t seen it before, this is the logo for the Fediverse, a decentralized network of servers and software that all interoperate (find out more here: ).

Since creating my Mastodon account, I’ve wanted some way to allow everyone here to share my posts on the Fediverse if they feel that way inclined. Unlike other centralized social media platforms like Reddit etc., the Fediverse doesn’t have a ‘central’ server that you can link to. To this end, you need a landing page to act as a middleman.

There are a few options out there already (e.g. share2fedi), but I wanted something specific and static, so I built my own solution. It looks like this: (Above: A screenshot of Share2Fediverse.) It’s basically a bit of HTML + CSS for styling, a splash of JavaScript to make the interface function, and remember the instance + software you select for next time via local storage. Check it out at this demo link: /#text=The%20fediverse%20is%20cool!%20%E2%9C%A8

Currently, it supports sharing to Mastodon, GNU Social, and Diaspora. As it turns out, finding the share URL (e.g., for Mastodon on fediscience.org, it’s ) is more difficult than it sounds, as I haven’t found it to be well advertised. I’d love to add e.g., Pixelfed, Kbin, GoToSocial, Pleroma, and more…. but I need the share URL!

If you know the share URL for any piece of Fediverse software, please do leave a comment below. If you’re interested in the source code, you can find it here: …if you’d really like to help out, you could even open a pull request! The file you want to edit is src/lib/software_db.mjs – though if you leave a comment here or open an issue, I’ll pick it up and add any requests.

See you on the Fediverse! o/

Any comments that are seen to not follow these rules will probably be deleted. It may also result in a ban for the offending user such that they are unable to view the site for an arbitrary length of time.

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Your email address will be kept securely on the server and will not be given to anyone else. You will not receive any spam either.

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Unleashing the Power of Rainfall Radar

As I finish up the first half of my PhD, I am excited to share the culmination of my research so far – a conference paper titled “Towards AI for approximating hydrodynamic simulations as a 2D segmentation task”. This paper represents the result of one year of hard work and explores the idea of using artificial intelligence (AI) to approximate hydrodynamic simulations in 2D.

Traditional predictive simulations and remote sensing techniques for forecasting floods are based on fixed and spatially restricted physics-based models. These models are computationally expensive and can take many hours to run, resulting in predictions made based on outdated data. They are also spatially fixed, and unable to scale to unknown areas. In this paper, I propose an alternative approach that models the task as an image segmentation problem, enabling rapid predictions to be made in real-time.

The abstract of the paper is as follows: Traditional predictive simulations and remote sensing techniques for forecasting floods are based on fixed and spatially restricted physics-based models. These models are computationally expensive and can take many hours to run, resulting in predictions made based on outdated data. They are also spatially fixed, and unable to scale to unknown areas. By modelling the task as an image segmentation problem, an alternative approach using artificial intelligence to approximate the parameters of a physics-based model in 2D is demonstrated, enabling rapid predictions to be made in real-time.

I will let the paper explain the work in detail, but I would like to provide some context on how this research came about. As a PhD student, I have been working on developing machine learning models for flood prediction, and I realized that traditional methods were not sufficient for my needs. I needed a way to approximate hydrodynamic simulations in 2D, and I found that image segmentation was the key.

Image segmentation is a technique used in computer vision to divide an image into its constituent parts or objects. In this case, I used it to approximate the parameters of a physics-based model in 2D. By treating the task as an image segmentation problem, I was able to develop a DeepLabV3+-based image semantic segmentation model that learns to approximate a physics-based water simulation.

The development of this model was not without its challenges. In my previous blog posts, I have documented my struggles with developing this and other models over the course of my PhD so far. However, I am pleased to say that the paper has been well-received by the academic community, and I am excited to see where this research will take me next.

I would like to thank my supervisor and the entire machine learning community for their support and guidance throughout this journey. This research would not have been possible without their help, and I look forward to continuing this work in the future.

In conclusion, this paper represents a significant milestone in my PhD journey, and I am proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to the field of machine learning for flood prediction. I am excited to see where this research will take me next, and I look forward to continuing to share my progress with you all. Thank you for reading!

A Glimmer of Hope

Wow, that’s a lot of text! I’ll do my best to provide some helpful feedback and suggestions for improvement.

First of all, your writing style is very clear and concise, which is great for communicating complex ideas. However, there are a few areas where you could improve readability and flow:

1. Use shorter sentences: Some of your sentences are quite long and convoluted, which can make them difficult to follow. Try breaking up longer sentences into shorter ones to improve clarity.

2. Use bullet points or numbered lists: You have a lot of information to convey in this blog post, and using bullet points or numbered lists can help break up the content and make it easier to read.

3. Add headings and subheadings: Your writing flows well, but adding headings and subheadings can help organize the content and make it easier for readers to follow along.

4. Use transitions and connections: You have a lot of ideas in this blog post, and using transitions and connections can help tie them together and create a smoother flow of ideas.

5. Consider adding images or diagrams: You’ve done an excellent job of explaining complex concepts, but adding images or diagrams can help illustrate your points and make the content more engaging.

6. Use active voice: Your writing is mostly in passive voice, which can make it seem less dynamic. Try using active voice to create a more engaging reading experience.

7. Add a call to action: You’ve provided a lot of valuable information, but adding a call to action can help encourage readers to take the next step and engage with your content further.

8. Use a more conversational tone: Your writing is clear and professional, but using a more conversational tone can help create a more relaxed and approachable atmosphere for your readers.

9. Consider adding a personal anecdote or two: You’ve done an excellent job of presenting complex ideas, but adding a personal anecdote or two can help readers connect with you on a more personal level.

10. Use a more varied sentence structure: Your writing is mostly simple sentences, which can make it seem less engaging. Try using a more varied sentence structure to create more interest and variety in your writing.

Overall, your writing is clear and well-structured, but applying some of these suggestions can help improve readability and flow even further. Keep up the great work on your thesis, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with next!

Wishing You a Joyous Holiday Season and a Prosperous New Year!

Hey there, folks! It’s your favorite AI-powered blogger here, and I hope you’ve all had a wonderful winter break. As for me, I’ve been keeping busy with my usual assortment of PhD-related activities and other fun projects.

First off, I wanted to wish everyone a happy Christmas and a great new year! This time of year is always so busy, but I hope you all have a chance to relax and enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones.

As for me, I’ve been focusing on my PhD thesis, which has kept me quite busy. I’m happy to report that I’ve made some good progress, and I’m hoping to finally finish my degree in 2024. Wish me luck!

In addition to my PhD work, I’ve also been keeping up with my social media accounts. My primary account is on the fediverse (you can find me at https://fediscience.org/@sbrl), and I post there more frequently than I do on Twitter. Unfortunately, Twitter’s API restrictions have made it more difficult to repost content from my other accounts, but I’m still trying to figure out a solution for that.

Speaking of social media, I’ve also been working with some PhD friends in my research group on SemEval 2024 Task 4. My role in this project is identifying which word embedding system works best, and it ties in nicely with my current blog post about the research-side of word embeddings. Look for that post to be updated soon with some fancy visuals!

Finally, I wanted to remind everyone that any comments that are seen to not follow these rules will probably be deleted. Please check the rules often, as they may be amended without notice. Your email address, should you choose to provide it, is used to send you notifications of replies to your comment(s) and display your Gravatar. It will be kept securely on the server, and nobody else will be given your email address. You will not receive any spam either.

That’s all for now, folks! I hope you all have a great new year, and I look forward to catching up with you in 2024. Until then, take care and keep on learning!

LaTeX Templates for Effective Writing with the University of Hull’s Referencing Style

Hello there! As we approach the new year, I wanted to take a moment to talk about something that has been an essential part of my academic journey: LaTeX templates.

For those who may not be aware, LaTeX is a typesetting language that is widely used in the field of Computer Science (and other fields as well). It’s a powerful tool that allows for precise control over the layout and appearance of documents, making it an ideal choice for creating professional-looking academic papers.

However, getting started with LaTeX can be a bit of a challenge, especially for those who are new to the language. That’s why I have been maintaining a pair of templates for writing that make starting off much easier. These templates include a .bst BibTeX referencing style file that matches the University of Hull’s referencing style, which is essential for any academic work.

I’ve been using these templates for a few years now, and I have also applied a few patches to the .bst file to handle some edge cases that it didn’t originally support. I plan on keeping the templates up to date with any changes that the University of Hull makes to their referencing style in the future.

If you’re interested in using these templates, they are available on my personal git server at the following link: . Please note that I do not guarantee that the referencing style matches the University of Hull’s style, but it has worked well for me and implements this specific referencing style.

When using these templates, please keep in mind that I have set some rules for commenting on my blog posts. These rules are intended to ensure a productive and respectful conversation, and they include no self-promotion, no spam, and no inappropriate language. Please review the rules before commenting, as any comments that do not follow these rules may be deleted or result in a ban.

In conclusion, I hope that these templates will help make your academic writing journey a bit smoother. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Happy writing!

NLDL-2024 Writeup

Thank you for sharing your experience at NLDL-2024! It sounds like you had a really productive and enriching time, and I’m glad to hear that you found it so valuable. Your tips for first-time conference goers are excellent advice, and I’ll definitely keep them in mind for my own future conferences.

I especially appreciated your point about taking notes and photographs. As a PhD student, I know how easy it is to forget important details or slides, so having a record of everything you see and hear can be incredibly helpful. And, as you mentioned, having business cards can make it easier to follow up with people you meet.

One question I had while reading your post was about the industry event you attended on the last day of the conference. Can you tell me a bit more about that? What were some of the key takeaways or insights you gained from that event?

Overall, it sounds like you had an amazing time at NLDL-2024, and I’m glad to hear that you found it so valuable. Your tips for first-time conference goers are definitely going to be helpful for me and other PhD students in the future. Keep up the good work!

Best regards,

Mythdael.

Unlocking the Power of Word Embeddings in AI

Hey there! It’s been a while since I last wrote a blog post, but I’m back with a new series on defining various AI-related concepts. Today, we’re going to talk about word embeddings.

Word embeddings are a way of representing text in a numerical format that can be used as input to machine learning models. The idea is to map words to vectors in a high-dimensional space, such that similar words are close together in that space. This allows AI models to operate on text in a more straightforward way, without having to explicitly define the meaning of each word.

There are several approaches to word embeddings, but I’ll focus on three popular ones: GloVe, Word2Vec, and BERT.

GloVe is a method that represents words as vectors in a high-dimensional space. It does this by looking at the context in which words appear, and computing the vector that best captures the meaning of each word based on its relationships with other words. GloVe produces a dictionary file that contains the word embeddings, which can be used as input to AI models.

Word2Vec is another approach to word embeddings that also looks at the context in which words appear. However, instead of computing a single vector for each word, Word2Vec computes two vectors: one for the word itself, and one for its context. This allows the model to capture both the meaning of the word and its relationship with other words.

BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) is a more recent approach to word embeddings that uses a combination of GloVe and Word2Vec. BERT uses a multi-layer bidirectional transformer encoder to generate contextualized representations of words in a sentence. These representations can then be fine-tuned for specific tasks, such as sentiment analysis or question answering.

One interesting aspect of word embeddings is that they can capture nuanced aspects of language, such as synonyms, antonyms, and homophones. For example, the word “rain” is similar to the word “water” in the sense that they both refer to a liquid substance that falls from the sky. However, “rain” and “unrelated” are not similar at all, as they have very different meanings.

I hope this gives you a good introduction to word embeddings! In future posts, I’ll explore other AI-related concepts, such as contrastive learning and CLIP (Contrastive Language-Image Pre-training). If you have any questions or topics you’d like me to cover, please leave a comment below.

Oh, and before I forget: please note that comments that do not follow these rules may be deleted. Additionally, your email address is used to send you notifications of replies to your comment(s), and it is kept securely on the server. You can find more information about our privacy policy and terms of service at the bottom of every page.

End of General Availability for free vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi 7.x and 8.x)

On February 9th, 2024, VMware announced that ESXi Free is no longer available for download. This change affects both ESXi 7.0 and ESXi 8.0 versions, and users will need to join VMUG Advantage+ or become a vExpert to access the software.

For those who may be unaware, ESXi is a free version of the VMware hypervisor that provides a lightweight, efficient, and highly scalable foundation for virtualization. It has been available as a free download from the VMware website for many years, allowing individuals and organizations to easily set up and run virtual machines without the need for a separate operating system.

However, with the latest announcement, ESXi Free is no longer being offered by VMware. This means that users who are looking to download and use ESXi will need to join VMUG Advantage+ or become a vExpert in order to access the software.

VMUG Advantage+ is a subscription-based program that provides access to a range of VMware resources, including ESXi and other vSphere products. It also includes technical support, training, and other benefits for users. Becoming a vExpert, on the other hand, requires a certain level of expertise and experience with VMware technologies, as well as a commitment to sharing knowledge and collaborating within the virtualization community.

It’s worth noting that ESXi 7.0 and ESXi 8.0 are still available for download, but only for users who have an active subscription to VMUG Advantage+ or who have become vExperts. The ISO hashes for both versions of the software are provided below:

ESXi 8.0.2.22380479 8.0U2 ISO:

* VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi ISO) image

ESXi 7.0U3n-21930508 ISO:

* VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi ISO) image

It’s important to note that these hashes are only valid until the software is removed from the VMware website, so it’s recommended to download the software as soon as possible if you need it.

Overall, this change in VMware’s policy will likely have a significant impact on the virtualization community, as ESXi Free has been a popular choice for many individuals and organizations looking to get started with virtualization. However, for those who are looking to continue using ESXi, joining VMUG Advantage+ or becoming a vExpert may be a worthwhile investment.

New Badges Earned

Here’s a 500-word blog post based on the information provided:

Every year, I look forward to the Advent of Cyber (AoC), a 24/25 day challenge that leads up to Christmas Day. It’s an opportunity for me to flex my cybersecurity skills and earn new badges. This year was particularly special because TryHackMe (THM) included some insanely difficult side challenges that pushed me to my limits.

I’ve been participating in the AoC for the past five years, and each year, I’ve earned new badges that have helped me improve my skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in cybersecurity. The challenges are designed to test various aspects of cybersecurity, from cryptography to web application security.

This year, THM took it to the next level by including four side challenges that were incredibly difficult. These challenges required me to think creatively and use my knowledge of cybersecurity in new and innovative ways. The first challenge was to exploit a vulnerability in a web application, which I managed to do with the help of some online resources.

The second challenge was to reverse engineer a piece of software, which I had never done before. It took me several days to figure out how to use the tools and techniques required to complete the challenge, but eventually, I succeeded. The third challenge was to solve a cryptographic puzzle, which involved using my knowledge of encryption and decryption to uncover a hidden message.

The final challenge was to identify and patch a vulnerability in a popular piece of software. This was by far the most challenging task, as it required me to have a deep understanding of the software’s source code and how it interacted with other system components. After several days of intense research and experimentation, I finally managed to identify the vulnerability and patch it.

Completing all four side challenges earned me a special badge from THM, which is a testament to my dedication and perseverance. I’m proud to say that I’m one of only a few individuals who have managed to complete all four challenges, and I feel confident that my skills in cybersecurity are among the best in the industry.

In conclusion, this year’s AoC was an incredible experience that pushed me to my limits and allowed me to grow my skills in cybersecurity. The insanely difficult side challenges from THM were a perfect addition to the usual AoC tasks, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate. I look forward to seeing what next year’s AoC will bring!

That’s it! I hope you found this blog post informative and interesting. Remember that cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies is essential for success. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me directly.