Univ. California, Santa Barbara
Abstract:We introduce LongCat ZigZag Attention (LoZA), which is a sparse attention scheme designed to transform any existing full-attention models into sparse versions with rather limited compute budget. In long-context scenarios, LoZA can achieve significant speed-ups both for prefill-intensive (e.g., retrieval-augmented generation) and decode-intensive (e.g., tool-integrated reasoning) cases. Specifically, by applying LoZA to LongCat-Flash during mid-training, we serve LongCat-Flash-Exp as a long-context foundation model that can swiftly process up to 1 million tokens, enabling efficient long-term reasoning and long-horizon agentic capabilities.
Abstract:Existing AI-driven video creation systems typically treat script drafting and key-shot design as two disjoint tasks: the former relies on large language models, while the latter depends on image generation models. We argue that these two tasks should be unified within a single framework, as logical reasoning and imaginative thinking are both fundamental qualities of a film director. In this work, we propose UniMAGE, a unified director model that bridges user prompts with well-structured scripts, thereby empowering non-experts to produce long-context, multi-shot films by leveraging existing audio-video generation models. To achieve this, we employ the Mixture-of-Transformers architecture that unifies text and image generation. To further enhance narrative logic and keyframe consistency, we introduce a ``first interleaving, then disentangling'' training paradigm. Specifically, we first perform Interleaved Concept Learning, which utilizes interleaved text-image data to foster the model's deeper understanding and imaginative interpretation of scripts. We then conduct Disentangled Expert Learning, which decouples script writing from keyframe generation, enabling greater flexibility and creativity in storytelling. Extensive experiments demonstrate that UniMAGE achieves state-of-the-art performance among open-source models, generating logically coherent video scripts and visually consistent keyframe images.
Abstract:Reliable and precise detection of small and irregular objects, such as meteor fragments and rocks, is critical for autonomous navigation and operation in lunar surface exploration. Existing multimodal 3D perception methods designed for terrestrial autonomous driving often underperform in off world environments due to poor feature alignment, limited multimodal synergy, and weak small object detection. This paper presents SCAFusion, a multimodal 3D object detection model tailored for lunar robotic missions. Built upon the BEVFusion framework, SCAFusion integrates a Cognitive Adapter for efficient camera backbone tuning, a Contrastive Alignment Module to enhance camera LiDAR feature consistency, a Camera Auxiliary Training Branch to strengthen visual representation, and most importantly, a Section aware Coordinate Attention mechanism explicitly designed to boost the detection performance of small, irregular targets. With negligible increase in parameters and computation, our model achieves 69.7% mAP and 72.1% NDS on the nuScenes validation set, improving the baseline by 5.0% and 2.7%, respectively. In simulated lunar environments built on Isaac Sim, SCAFusion achieves 90.93% mAP, outperforming the baseline by 11.5%, with notable gains in detecting small meteor like obstacles.
Abstract:Large Language Models (LLMs) are reshaping learning paradigms, cognitive processes, and research methodologies across a wide range of domains. Integrating LLMs with professional fields and redefining the relationship between LLMs and domain-specific applications has become a critical challenge for promoting enterprise digital transformation and broader social development. To effectively integrate LLMs into the accounting domain, it is essential to understand their domain-specific reasoning capabilities. This study introduces the concept of vertical-domain accounting reasoning and establishes evaluation criteria by analyzing the training data characteristics of representative GLM-series models. These criteria provide a foundation for subsequent research on reasoning paradigms and offer benchmarks for improving accounting reasoning performance. Based on this framework, we evaluate several representative models, including GLM-6B, GLM-130B, GLM-4, and OpenAI GPT-4, on a set of accounting reasoning tasks. Experimental results show that different prompt engineering strategies lead to varying degrees of performance improvement across models, with GPT-4 achieving the strongest accounting reasoning capability. However, current LLMs still fall short of real-world application requirements. In particular, further optimization is needed for deployment in enterprise-level accounting scenarios to fully realize the potential value of LLMs in this domain.
Abstract:Recent strides in video generation have paved the way for unified audio-visual generation. In this work, we present Seedance 1.5 pro, a foundational model engineered specifically for native, joint audio-video generation. Leveraging a dual-branch Diffusion Transformer architecture, the model integrates a cross-modal joint module with a specialized multi-stage data pipeline, achieving exceptional audio-visual synchronization and superior generation quality. To ensure practical utility, we implement meticulous post-training optimizations, including Supervised Fine-Tuning (SFT) on high-quality datasets and Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) with multi-dimensional reward models. Furthermore, we introduce an acceleration framework that boosts inference speed by over 10X. Seedance 1.5 pro distinguishes itself through precise multilingual and dialect lip-syncing, dynamic cinematic camera control, and enhanced narrative coherence, positioning it as a robust engine for professional-grade content creation. Seedance 1.5 pro is now accessible on Volcano Engine at https://console.volcengine.com/ark/region:ark+cn-beijing/experience/vision?type=GenVideo.
Abstract:The growing complexity of power system operations has created an urgent need for intelligent, automated tools to support reliable and efficient grid management. Conventional analysis tools often require significant domain expertise and manual effort, which limits their accessibility and adaptability. To address these challenges, this paper presents X-GridAgent, a novel large language model (LLM)-powered agentic AI system designed to automate complex power system analysis through natural language queries. The system integrates domain-specific tools and specialized databases under a three-layer hierarchical architecture comprising planning, coordination, and action layers. This architecture offers high flexibility and adaptability to previously unseen tasks, while providing a modular and extensible framework that can be readily expanded to incorporate new tools, data sources, or analytical capabilities. To further enhance performance, we introduce two novel algorithms: (1) LLM-driven prompt refinement with human feedback, and (2) schema-adaptive hybrid retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for accurate information retrieval from large-scale structured grid datasets. Experimental evaluations across a variety of user queries and power grid cases demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of X-GridAgent in automating interpretable and rigorous power system analysis.
Abstract:Learning a general motion tracking policy from human motions shows great potential for versatile humanoid whole-body control. Conventional approaches are not only inefficient in data utilization and training processes but also exhibit limited performance when tracking highly dynamic motions. To address these challenges, we propose EGM, a framework that enables efficient learning of a general motion tracking policy. EGM integrates four core designs. Firstly, we introduce a Bin-based Cross-motion Curriculum Adaptive Sampling strategy to dynamically orchestrate the sampling probabilities based on tracking error of each motion bin, eficiently balancing the training process across motions with varying dificulty and durations. The sampled data is then processed by our proposed Composite Decoupled Mixture-of-Experts (CDMoE) architecture, which efficiently enhances the ability to track motions from different distributions by grouping experts separately for upper and lower body and decoupling orthogonal experts from shared experts to separately handle dedicated features and general features. Central to our approach is a key insight we identified: for training a general motion tracking policy, data quality and diversity are paramount. Building on these designs, we develop a three-stage curriculum training flow to progressively enhance the policy's robustness against disturbances. Despite training on only 4.08 hours of data, EGM generalized robustly across 49.25 hours of test motions, outperforming baselines on both routine and highly dynamic tasks.
Abstract:Perivascular spaces (PVS), when abnormally enlarged and visible in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) structural sequences, are important imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease and potential indicators of neurodegenerative conditions. Despite their clinical significance, automatic enlarged PVS (EPVS) segmentation remains challenging due to their small size, variable morphology, similarity with other pathological features, and limited annotated datasets. This paper presents the EPVS Challenge organized at MICCAI 2024, which aims to advance the development of automated algorithms for EPVS segmentation across multi-site data. We provided a diverse dataset comprising 100 training, 50 validation, and 50 testing scans collected from multiple international sites (UK, Singapore, and China) with varying MRI protocols and demographics. All annotations followed the STRIVE protocol to ensure standardized ground truth and covered the full brain parenchyma. Seven teams completed the full challenge, implementing various deep learning approaches primarily based on U-Net architectures with innovations in multi-modal processing, ensemble strategies, and transformer-based components. Performance was evaluated using dice similarity coefficient, absolute volume difference, recall, and precision metrics. The winning method employed MedNeXt architecture with a dual 2D/3D strategy for handling varying slice thicknesses. The top solutions showed relatively good performance on test data from seen datasets, but significant degradation of performance was observed on the previously unseen Shanghai cohort, highlighting cross-site generalization challenges due to domain shift. This challenge establishes an important benchmark for EPVS segmentation methods and underscores the need for the continued development of robust algorithms that can generalize in diverse clinical settings.
Abstract:Aim: This study investigates treatment response prediction to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in breast cancer patients, using longitudinal contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images (CE-MRI) and clinical data. The goal is to develop machine learning (ML) models to predict pathologic complete response (PCR binary classification) and 5-year relapse-free survival status (RFS binary classification). Method: The proposed framework includes tumour segmentation, image registration, feature extraction, and predictive modelling. Using the image registration method, MRI image features can be extracted and compared from the original tumour site at different time points, therefore monitoring the intratumor changes during NACT process. Four feature extractors, including one radiomics and three deep learning-based (MedicalNet, Segformer3D, SAM-Med3D) were implemented and compared. In combination with three feature selection methods and four ML models, predictive models are built and compared. Results: The proposed image registration-based feature extraction consistently improves the predictive models. In the PCR and RFS classification tasks logistic regression model trained on radiomic features performed the best with an AUC of 0.88 and classification accuracy of 0.85 for PCR classification, and AUC of 0.78 and classification accuracy of 0.72 for RFS classification. Conclusions: It is evidenced that the image registration method has significantly improved performance in longitudinal feature learning in predicting PCR and RFS. The radiomics feature extractor is more effective than the pre-trained deep learning feature extractors, with higher performance and better interpretability.
Abstract:Despite advances in scientific AI, a coherent framework for Scientific General Intelligence (SGI)-the ability to autonomously conceive, investigate, and reason across scientific domains-remains lacking. We present an operational SGI definition grounded in the Practical Inquiry Model (PIM: Deliberation, Conception, Action, Perception) and operationalize it via four scientist-aligned tasks: deep research, idea generation, dry/wet experiments, and experimental reasoning. SGI-Bench comprises over 1,000 expert-curated, cross-disciplinary samples inspired by Science's 125 Big Questions, enabling systematic evaluation of state-of-the-art LLMs. Results reveal gaps: low exact match (10--20%) in deep research despite step-level alignment; ideas lacking feasibility and detail; high code executability but low execution result accuracy in dry experiments; low sequence fidelity in wet protocols; and persistent multimodal comparative-reasoning challenges. We further introduce Test-Time Reinforcement Learning (TTRL), which optimizes retrieval-augmented novelty rewards at inference, enhancing hypothesis novelty without reference answer. Together, our PIM-grounded definition, workflow-centric benchmark, and empirical insights establish a foundation for AI systems that genuinely participate in scientific discovery.