TASR: Timestep-Aware Diffusion Model for Image Super-Resolution

Diffusion models have recently achieved outstanding results in the field of image super-resolution. These methods typically inject low-resolution (LR) images via ControlNet.In this paper, we first explore the temporal dynamics of information infusion through ControlNet, revealing that the input from LR images predominantly influences the initial stages of the denoising process. Leveraging this insight, we introduce a novel timestep-aware diffusion model that adaptively integrates features from both ControlNet and the pre-trained Stable Diffusion (SD). Our method enhances the transmission of LR information in the early stages of diffusion to guarantee image fidelity and stimulates the generation ability of the SD model itself more in the later stages to enhance the detail of generated images. To train this method, we propose a timestep-aware training strategy that adopts distinct losses at varying timesteps and acts on disparate modules. Experiments on benchmark datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. Code: https://github.com/SleepyLin/TASR

RFSR: Improving ISR Diffusion Models via Reward Feedback Learning

Generative diffusion models (DM) have been extensively utilized in image super-resolution (ISR). Most of the existing methods adopt the denoising loss from DDPMs for model optimization. We posit that introducing reward feedback learning to finetune the existing models can further improve the quality of the generated images. In this paper, we propose a timestep-aware training strategy with reward feedback learning. Specifically, in the initial denoising stages of ISR diffusion, we apply low-frequency constraints to super-resolution (SR) images to maintain structural stability. In the later denoising stages, we use reward feedback learning to improve the perceptual and aesthetic quality of the SR images. In addition, we incorporate Gram-KL regularization to alleviate stylization caused by reward hacking. Our method can be integrated into any diffusion-based ISR model in a plug-and-play manner. Experiments show that ISR diffusion models, when fine-tuned with our method, significantly improve the perceptual and aesthetic quality of SR images, achieving excellent subjective results. Code: https://github.com/sxpro/RFSR

360-Degree Video Super Resolution and Quality Enhancement Challenge: Methods and Results

Omnidirectional (360-degree) video is rapidly gaining popularity due to advancements in immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR). However, real-time streaming of such videos, especially in live mobile scenarios like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is challenged by limited bandwidth and strict latency constraints. Traditional methods, such as compression and adaptive resolution, help but often compromise video quality and introduce artifacts that degrade the viewer experience. Additionally, the unique spherical geometry of 360-degree video presents challenges not encountered in traditional 2D video. To address these issues, we initiated the 360-degree Video Super Resolution and Quality Enhancement Challenge. This competition encourages participants to develop efficient machine learning solutions to enhance the quality of low-bitrate compressed 360-degree videos, with two tracks focusing on 2x and 4x super-resolution (SR). In this paper, we outline the challenge framework, detailing the two competition tracks and highlighting the SR solutions proposed by the top-performing models. We assess these models within a unified framework, considering quality enhancement, bitrate gain, and computational efficiency. This challenge aims to drive innovation in real-time 360-degree video streaming, improving the quality and accessibility of immersive visual experiences.

MRStyle: A Unified Framework for Color Style Transfer with Multi-Modality Reference

In this paper, we introduce MRStyle, a comprehensive framework that enables color style transfer using multi-modality reference, including image and text. To achieve a unified style feature space for both modalities, we first develop a neural network called IRStyle, which generates stylized 3D lookup tables for image reference. This is accomplished by integrating an interaction dual-mapping network with a combined supervised learning pipeline, resulting in three key benefits: elimination of visual artifacts, efficient handling of high-resolution images with low memory usage, and maintenance of style consistency even in situations with significant color style variations. For text reference, we align the text feature of stable diffusion priors with the style feature of our IRStyle to perform text-guided color style transfer (TRStyle). Our TRStyle method is highly efficient in both training and inference, producing notable open-set text-guided transfer results. Extensive experiments in both image and text settings demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art in both qualitative and quantitative evaluations.

Towards Faster Graph Partitioning via Pre-training and Inductive Inference

Graph partitioning (GP) is a classic problem that divides the node set of a graph into densely-connected blocks. Following the IEEE HPEC Graph Challenge and recent advances in pre-training techniques (e.g., large-language models), we propose PR-GPT (Pre-trained & Refined Graph ParTitioning) based on a novel pre-training & refinement paradigm. We first conduct the offline pre-training of a deep graph learning (DGL) model on small synthetic graphs with various topology properties. By using the inductive inference of DGL, one can directly generalize the pre-trained model (with frozen model parameters) to large graphs and derive feasible GP results. We also use the derived partition as a good initialization of an efficient GP method (e.g., InfoMap) to further refine the quality of partitioning. In this setting, the online generalization and refinement of PR-GPT can not only benefit from the transfer ability regarding quality but also ensure high inference efficiency without re-training. Based on a mechanism of reducing the scale of a graph to be processed by the refinement method, PR-GPT also has the potential to support streaming GP. Experiments on the Graph Challenge benchmark demonstrate that PR-GPT can ensure faster GP on large-scale graphs without significant quality degradation, compared with running a refinement method from scratch. We will make our code public at https://github.com/KuroginQin/PRGPT.

MetaFood CVPR 2024 Challenge on Physically Informed 3D Food Reconstruction: Methods and Results

The increasing interest in computer vision applications for nutrition and dietary monitoring has led to the development of advanced 3D reconstruction techniques for food items. However, the scarcity of high-quality data and limited collaboration between industry and academia have constrained progress in this field. Building on recent advancements in 3D reconstruction, we host the MetaFood Workshop and its challenge for Physically Informed 3D Food Reconstruction. This challenge focuses on reconstructing volume-accurate 3D models of food items from 2D images, using a visible checkerboard as a size reference. Participants were tasked with reconstructing 3D models for 20 selected food items of varying difficulty levels: easy, medium, and hard. The easy level provides 200 images, the medium level provides 30 images, and the hard level provides only 1 image for reconstruction. In total, 16 teams submitted results in the final testing phase. The solutions developed in this challenge achieved promising results in 3D food reconstruction, with significant potential for improving portion estimation for dietary assessment and nutritional monitoring. More details about this workshop challenge and access to the dataset can be found at https://sites.google.com/view/cvpr-metafood-2024.

Probing many-body Bell correlation depth with superconducting qubits

Quantum nonlocality describes a stronger form of quantum correlation than that of entanglement. It refutes Einstein's belief of local realism and is among the most distinctive and enigmatic features of quantum mechanics. It is a crucial resource for achieving quantum advantages in a variety of practical applications, ranging from cryptography and certified random number generation via self-testing to machine learning. Nevertheless, the detection of nonlocality, especially in quantum many-body systems, is notoriously challenging. Here, we report an experimental certification of genuine multipartite Bell correlations, which signal nonlocality in quantum many-body systems, up to 24 qubits with a fully programmable superconducting quantum processor. In particular, we employ energy as a Bell correlation witness and variationally decrease the energy of a many-body system across a hierarchy of thresholds, below which an increasing Bell correlation depth can be certified from experimental data. As an illustrating example, we variationally prepare the low-energy state of a two-dimensional honeycomb model with 73 qubits and certify its Bell correlations by measuring an energy that surpasses the corresponding classical bound with up to 48 standard deviations. In addition, we variationally prepare a sequence of low-energy states and certify their genuine multipartite Bell correlations up to 24 qubits via energies measured efficiently by parity oscillation and multiple quantum coherence techniques. Our results establish a viable approach for preparing and certifying multipartite Bell correlations, which provide not only a finer benchmark beyond entanglement for quantum devices, but also a valuable guide towards exploiting multipartite Bell correlation in a wide spectrum of practical applications.

SCKansformer: Fine-Grained Classification of Bone Marrow Cells via Kansformer Backbone and Hierarchical Attention Mechanisms

The incidence and mortality rates of malignant tumors, such as acute leukemia, have risen significantly. Clinically, hospitals rely on cytological examination of peripheral blood and bone marrow smears to diagnose malignant tumors, with accurate blood cell counting being crucial. Existing automated methods face challenges such as low feature expression capability, poor interpretability, and redundant feature extraction when processing high-dimensional microimage data. We propose a novel fine-grained classification model, SCKansformer, for bone marrow blood cells, which addresses these challenges and enhances classification accuracy and efficiency. The model integrates the Kansformer Encoder, SCConv Encoder, and Global-Local Attention Encoder. The Kansformer Encoder replaces the traditional MLP layer with the KAN, improving nonlinear feature representation and interpretability. The SCConv Encoder, with its Spatial and Channel Reconstruction Units, enhances feature representation and reduces redundancy. The Global-Local Attention Encoder combines Multi-head Self-Attention with a Local Part module to capture both global and local features. We validated our model using the Bone Marrow Blood Cell Fine-Grained Classification Dataset (BMCD-FGCD), comprising over 10,000 samples and nearly 40 classifications, developed with a partner hospital. Comparative experiments on our private dataset, as well as the publicly available PBC and ALL-IDB datasets, demonstrate that SCKansformer outperforms both typical and advanced microcell classification methods across all datasets. Our source code and private BMCD-FGCD dataset are available at https://github.com/JustlfC03/SCKansformer.

Matten: Video Generation with Mamba-Attention

In this paper, we introduce Matten, a cutting-edge latent diffusion model with Mamba-Attention architecture for video generation. With minimal computational cost, Matten employs spatial-temporal attention for local video content modeling and bidirectional Mamba for global video content modeling. Our comprehensive experimental evaluation demonstrates that Matten has competitive performance with the current Transformer-based and GAN-based models in benchmark performance, achieving superior FVD scores and efficiency. Additionally, we observe a direct positive correlation between the complexity of our designed model and the improvement in video quality, indicating the excellent scalability of Matten.

The Feasibility of Implementing Large-Scale Transformers on Multi-FPGA Platforms

FPGAs are rarely mentioned when discussing the implementation of large machine learning applications, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), in the data center. There has been much evidence showing that single FPGAs can be competitive with GPUs in performance for some computations, especially for low latency, and often much more efficient when power is considered. This suggests that there is merit to exploring the use of multiple FPGAs for large machine learning applications. The challenge with using multiple FPGAs is that there is no commonly-accepted flow for developing and deploying multi-FPGA applications, i.e., there are no tools to describe a large application, map it to multiple FPGAs and then deploy the application on a multi-FPGA platform. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of implementing large transformers using multiple FPGAs by developing a scalable multi-FPGA platform and some tools to map large applications to the platform. We validate our approach by designing an efficient multi-FPGA version of the I-BERT transformer and implement one encoder using six FPGAs as a working proof-of-concept to show that our platform and tools work. Based on our proof-of-concept prototype and the estimations of performance using the latest FPGAs compared to GPUs, we conclude that there can be a place for FPGAs in the world of large machine learning applications. We demonstrate a promising first step that shows that with the right infrastructure and tools it is reasonable to continue to explore the possible benefits of using FPGAs for applications such as LLMs.