Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Epilepsy is a multifaceted neurological disorder characterized by superfluous and recurrent seizure activity. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals are indispensable tools for epilepsy diagnosis that reflect real-time insights of brain activity. Recently, epilepsy researchers have increasingly utilized Deep Learning (DL) architectures for early and timely diagnosis. This research focuses on resolving the challenges, such as data diversity, scarcity, limited labels, and privacy, by proposing potential contributions for epilepsy detection, prediction, and forecasting tasks without impacting the accuracy of the outcome. The proposed design of diversity-enhanced data augmentation initially averts data scarcity and inter-patient variability constraints for multiclass epilepsy detection. The potential features are extracted using a graph theory-based approach by analyzing the inherently dynamic characteristics of augmented EEG data. It utilizes a novel temporal weight fluctuation method to recognize the drastic temporal fluctuations and data patterns realized in EEG signals. Designing the Siamese neural network-based few-shot learning strategy offers a robust framework for multiclass epilepsy detection.

Deep learning strategies combined with wearable sensors have advanced the capabilities of monitoring systems in biomedical applications, offering precise and efficient solutions for diagnosing and managing diseases. However, applying these systems faces several challenges. One of the challenges is the diminishing performance when these systems encounter new data with more complex patterns than those seen before. Another challenge is the limited availability of labeled data, on which deep learning-based systems depend highly. Additionally, obtaining high-quality labeled data to train deep learning models is often expensive, requiring significant time and resources. Another significant challenge is ensuring the practicality, accessibility, and convenience of the monitoring systems.
This dissertation proposes an innovative deep learning framework to overcome these challenges and improve system generalization performance in classification and regression tasks, specifically monitoring patients with neurological disorders like Parkinson’s.

The Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) and Internet of Things (IoT) have become emerging and essential technologies of the past few decades that connect various heterogeneous systems and devices. Sensors and actuators are fundamental units in most CPS and IoT systems, they are used extensively in vehicle systems, smart health care systems, smart buildings and cities, and many other types of applications. The extensive use of sensors and actuators, coupled with their increasing connectivity, exposes them to a wide range of threats. Given their integration into various systems and the use of multiple technologies, it is very useful to characterize their functions abstractly. For concreteness, we study them here in the context of autonomous cars. An autonomous car is an example of a CPS, which includes IoT applications. For instance, IoT units allow an autonomous car to be connected wirelessly to roadside units, other vehicles, and fog and cloud systems. Also, the IoT allows them to collect and share information on traffic, navigation, roads, and other aspects. An autonomous car is a complex system, not only due to its intricate design but also because it operates in a dynamic environment, interacting with other vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure. To manage these functions, it must integrate various technologies from different sources. Specifically, a diverse array of sensors and actuators is essential for the functionality of autonomous vehicles.

Maintaining security in IoT systems depends on intrusion detection since these networks' sensitivity to cyber-attacks is growing. Based on the IoT23 dataset, this study explores the use of several Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) along with the hybrid models for binary and multi-class intrusion detection. The standalone machine and deep learning models like Random Forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) were used. Furthermore, two hybrid models were created by combining machine learning techniques: RF, XGBoost, AdaBoost, KNN, and SVM and these hybrid models were voting based hybrid classifier. Where one is for binary, and the other one is for multi-class classification. These models were tested using precision, recall, accuracy, and F1-score criteria and compared the performance of each model. This work thoroughly explains how hybrid, standalone ML and DL techniques could improve IDS (Intrusion Detection System) in terms of accuracy and scalability in IoT (Internet of Things).

Human Activity Recognition (HAR) plays a crucial role in various applications, including healthcare, fitness tracking, security, and smart environments, by enabling the automatic classification of human actions based on sensor and visual data. This dissertation presents a comprehensive exploration of HAR utilizing machine learning, sensor-based data, and Fusion approaches. HAR involves classifying human activities over time by analyzing data from sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes. Recent advancements in computational technology and sensor availability have driven significant progress in this field, enabling the integration of these sensors into smartphones and other devices. The first study outlines the foundational aspects of HAR and reviews existing literature, highlighting the importance of machine learning applications in healthcare, athletics, and personal use. In the second study, the focus shifts to addressing challenges in handling large-scale, variable, and noisy sensor data for HAR systems. The research applies machine learning algorithms to the KU-HAR dataset, revealing that the LightGBM classifier outperforms others in key performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. This study underscores the continued relevance of optimizing machine learning techniques for improved HAR systems. The study highlights the potential for future research to explore more advanced fusion techniques to fully leverage different data modalities for HAR. The third study focuses on overcoming common challenges in HAR research, such as varying smartphone models and sensor configurations, by employing data fusion techniques.

IoBT stands for the Internet of Battlefield Things. This concept extends the principles of the Internet of Things (IoT) for military and defense use. IoBT integrates smart devices, sensors, and technology on the battlefield to improve situational awareness, communication, and decision-making in military operations. Sensitive military data typically includes information crucial to national security, such as the location of soldiers and equipment. Unauthorized access to location data may compromise operational confidentiality and impede the element of surprise in military operations. Therefore, ensuring the security of location data is crucial for the success and efficiency of military operations. We propose two systems to address this issue.
First, we propose a novel deception-based scheme to enhance the location-information security of IoBT nodes. The proposed scheme uses a novel encryption method, dummy IDs, and dummy packets technology. We develop a mathematical model to evaluate our scheme in terms of safety time (ST), probability of failure (PF), and the probability of identifying the real packet in each location information update (PIRP). Then, we develop NetLogo simulations to validate the mathematical model. The proposed scheme increases ST, reduces PF and PIRP.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has undergone remarkable expansion in recent years, leading to a proliferation of devices capable of connecting to the internet, collecting data, and sharing information. However, this rapid growth has also introduced a myriad of security challenges, resulting in an uptick in cyber-attacks targeting IoT infrastructures. To mitigate these threats and ensure the integrity of data, researchers have been actively engaged in the development of robust Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) utilizing various machine learning (ML) techniques. This dissertation presents a comprehensive overview of three distinct approaches toward IoT intrusion detection, each leveraging ML methodologies to enhance security measures. The first approach focuses on a multi-class classification algorithm, integrating models such as random forest, logistic regression (LR), decision tree (DT), and Xgboost. Through meticulous evaluation utilizing evaluation metrics including F1 score, recall, and precision under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve, this approach demonstrates a remarkable 99 % accuracy in detecting IoT attacks. In the second approach, a deep ensemble model comprising Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) architectures is proposed for intrusion detection in IoT environments. Evaluation on the UNSW 2018 IoT Botnet dataset showcases the proficiency of this approach, achieving an accuracy of 98.4 % in identifying malicious activities. Lastly, the dissertation explores a real-time Intrusion Detection System (IDS) framework deployed within the Pyspark architecture, aimed at efficiently detecting IoT attacks while minimizing detection time.

Telemetry data has become a crucial resource for detecting abnormal driving behaviors, especially for elderly drivers with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia. This thesis proposes a novel spatial deep learning method that combines traditional telematics features with Grid-Index Resolution (GIR) to enhance the detection of abnormal driving behavior. By utilizing grid-indexed spatial-temporal analysis, the approach aims to capture more intricate driving patterns, which are often missed by traditional methods that rely only on basic telematics data such as speed, direction, and distance.
The methodology integrates Simple Neural Networks (SNN) to process traditional telematics features and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to handle spatial relationships through grid-based data. The fusion of these two feature sets into a combined model improves the model's ability to accurately classify normal and abnormal driving behaviors.
This thesis evaluates the proposed approach using a dataset collected over 3.5 years from elderly drivers, including those with MCI. Experimental results demonstrate that the combined model achieves a classification accuracy of 97%, outperforming existing methods. The findings suggest that integrating grid-based spatial-temporal analysis into deep learning models offers significant potential for improving road safety, insurance risk assessment, and targeted interventions for at-risk drivers.

Short-circuit faults can cause significant damage to power grid infrastructure, resulting in costly maintenance for utility providers. Rapid identification of fault locations can help mitigate these damages and associated expenses. Recent studies have demonstrated that graph neural network (GNN) models, using phasor data from various points in a power grid, can accurately locate fault events by accounting for the grid’s topology—a feature not typically leveraged by other machine learning methods. However, despite their high performance, GNN models are often viewed as ”black-box” systems, making their decision logic difficult to interpret. This thesis demonstrates that explanation methods can be applied to GNN models to enhance their transparency by clarifying the reasoning behind fault location predictions. By systematically benchmarking several explanation techniques for a GNN model trained for fault location detection, we assess and recommend the most effective methods for elucidating fault detection predictions in power grid systems.

The increasing integration of renewable energy sources (RES) and electric vehicles (EVs) into microgrids presents both opportunities and challenges in terms of optimizing energy use and minimizing electricity costs. This dissertation explores the development of an advanced optimization framework using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance battery operation in microgrids. The proposed solution leverages AI techniques to dynamically manage the charging and discharging of batteries, considering fluctuating energy demands, variable electricity pricing, and intermittent RES generation.
By employing a fuzzy logic-based control algorithm, the system intelligently allocates energy from solar power, grid electricity, and battery storage, while coordinating EV charging schedules to reduce peak demand charges. The optimization framework integrates predictive modeling for energy consumption and generation, alongside real-time data from weather forecasts and electricity markets, to make informed decisions. Additionally, the approach considers the trade-off between maximizing renewable energy usage and minimizing reliance on costly grid power during peak hours.