Open Problem: Active Representation Learning

In this work, we introduce the concept of Active Representation Learning, a novel class of problems that intertwines exploration and representation learning within partially observable environments. We extend ideas from Active Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (active SLAM), and translate them to scientific discovery problems, exemplified by adaptive microscopy. We explore the need for a framework that derives exploration skills from representations that are in some sense actionable, aiming to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of data collection and model building in the natural sciences.

Leveraging Classic Deconvolution and Feature Extraction in Zero-Shot Image Restoration

Non-blind deconvolution aims to restore a sharp image from its blurred counterpart given an obtained kernel. Existing deep neural architectures are often built based on large datasets of sharp ground truth images and trained with supervision. Sharp, high quality ground truth images, however, are not always available, especially for biomedical applications. This severely hampers the applicability of current approaches in practice. In this paper, we propose a novel non-blind deconvolution method that leverages the power of deep learning and classic iterative deconvolution algorithms. Our approach combines a pre-trained network to extract deep features from the input image with iterative Richardson-Lucy deconvolution steps. Subsequently, a zero-shot optimisation process is employed to integrate the deconvolved features, resulting in a high-quality reconstructed image. By performing the preliminary reconstruction with the classic iterative deconvolution method, we can effectively utilise a smaller network to produce the final image, thus accelerating the reconstruction whilst reducing the demand for valuable computational resources. Our method demonstrates significant improvements in various real-world applications non-blind deconvolution tasks.

LUCYD: A Feature-Driven Richardson-Lucy Deconvolution Network

The process of acquiring microscopic images in life sciences often results in image degradation and corruption, characterised by the presence of noise and blur, which poses significant challenges in accurately analysing and interpreting the obtained data. This paper proposes LUCYD, a novel method for the restoration of volumetric microscopy images that combines the Richardson-Lucy deconvolution formula and the fusion of deep features obtained by a fully convolutional network. By integrating the image formation process into a feature-driven restoration model, the proposed approach aims to enhance the quality of the restored images whilst reducing computational costs and maintaining a high degree of interpretability. Our results demonstrate that LUCYD outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in both synthetic and real microscopy images, achieving superior performance in terms of image quality and generalisability. We show that the model can handle various microscopy modalities and different imaging conditions by evaluating it on two different microscopy datasets, including volumetric widefield and light-sheet microscopy. Our experiments indicate that LUCYD can significantly improve resolution, contrast, and overall quality of microscopy images. Therefore, it can be a valuable tool for microscopy image restoration and can facilitate further research in various microscopy applications. We made the source code for the model accessible under https://github.com/ctom2/lucyd-deconvolution.