Semestre de printemps 2010 (22 février - 4 juin)

1

EDIC courses

Advanced Topics in Database Systems (CS-603) - Ailamaki Anastasia: Monday 10:15-12:00 INF211
The course is intended for students who (a) have taken database courses before and want to know what is new and sizzling in the database community; or (b) are looking for a Ph.D. topic; or (c) are already involved in a project that needs database expertise, and want to learn more about it. The list of topics include some basic techniques, such as join algorithms, access methods, query optimization, query processing,and transaction management, the quantity of which will vary based on the students' background; the list will then be enriched with new topics and applications: adaptive query processing, automated database design, Web query caching, data streams, and cache-conscious and architecture-conscious database system designs, to name a few.

Bio-Inspired Processing of Cognitive Signals (COM-603) - Suesstrunk Sabine & Ebrahimi Touradj: Thursday 9:15-12:00 INM11
The goal of the course is to introduce engineering students to basic concepts of human processing of biological communication signals and to demonstrate advantages of emulation of the human-like signal processing by machine.

Digital 3D Geometry Processing (CS-619) - Pauly Mark & Weise Thibaut (One-time course): Wednesday 13:15-17:00 INR113
Digital 3D geometric models are widely used in computer graphics, entertainment, CAD, architecture, engineering, bio-medicine, and many related fields. In this course we will cover the entire 3D content creation pipeline from acquisition and reconstruction, mesh generation and optimization, denoising, fairing, and simplification, to interactive editing and animation. We will consider 3D surfaces represented by polygon meshes, the most widely used geometry representation in computer graphics. Practical programming exercises are an integral part of the course. Students will scan their own 3D objects and implement the basic algorithms to reconstruct, filter, simplify, remesh, and interactively edit the acquired geometric shape, in order to create their own digital 3D models that can be integrated into arbitrary virtual environments.

Distributed Cognitive Systems (CS-606) - Dillenbourg Pierre & Jermann Patrick: Tuesday 14:15-16:00 ELE111 (Cancelled)
The goal is to be able to ground the analysis of users interactions into existing theories of group cognition and to use sound methods for experimental design and data analysis.
Contents:
Group cognition theories: cognitive science, distributed cognition, situated cognition, social psychology, pragmatics and socio-cultural theory. Emprirical research methodologies: quasi- and experimental design, qualitative and quantative interaction analysis. Current research trends in computer-supported collaborative learning. The lectures will require weekly readings. The practical work will be about using statistical methods and tools in interaction analysis.

Dynamical Networks (COM-604) - Hasler Martin: Thursday 8:15-10:00 BC03
Networks are used as models for complex interactions in many application fields, in particular in engineering, physics, biology and sociology. In this course we will consider networks of interacting deterministic or probabilistic (Markov chains) dynamical systems. The objectives are: 1) to cast practical problems into the framework of dynamical networks; 2) to understand the global behavior of the network; 3) to understand to what extent the dynamics of the individual systems and to what extent the network structure are responsible for the global behavior; 4) to be able to apply the theory to specific problems.

Machine Learning (CS-607) - Billard Aude & Fleuret François: Wednesday 14:15-18:00 INM10
The aim of machine learning is to construct systems able to learn to solve tasks given a set of examples of those tasks and some prior knowledge about them. Several fundamental strategies have been proposed over the years to cope with this generic setting. These include the "statistical learning theory" and the "Bayesian approach" to machine learning. The goal of this course is to present in a unified way these strategies, their differences and commonalities, as well as the various concepts underlying them. Illustrating these concepts, several machine learning algorithms will also be presented for well-known models such as artificial neural networks, kernel machines, and graphical models.

Random Matrices and Communication Systems (COM-612) - Lévêque Olivier: Monday 13:15-15:00 (2) & Thursday 10:15-12:00 INR113
The goal is (a) to understand the fundamentals of random matrix theory; (b) to get familiar with the recent applications to wireless communications; (c) to get to work on open problems in the field.

Stochastic Models in Communication and Computer Sciences (COM-616) - Bénézit Florence. Every two weeks from Feb 22nd, 2010: Monday 9:15-12:00 -Tuesday 9:15-12:00 & Friday 9:15-11:00 & 14:15-16:00  (2)   INR113
The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the basic stochastic models indispensable in communications systems and computer science, with a view towards simulation. The main keywords are stochastics processes, Markov chains, point processes, stochastic simulation, queuing networks, wide-sense stationary signals.

Theory of Computation (CS-614) - Moret Bernard: Tuesday 13:15-15:00 CO015 & Thursday 13:15-16:00 (1) INM11
The goal is (a) to learn the theoretical foundations of Computer Science: what can be the subject of computation, what can be computed efficiently, both in terms of developing solutions and in terms of verifying assertions, and (b) to develop skills in reading papers and producing rigorous proofs in this area.

Project II - Spring semester (Project regulations)

(1) Including hour(s) of exercises or practical work
(2) Exercise session

Easter break : April 2-11, 2010

Recommended courses

Body Perception and Self Consciousness (BIO-718) - Blanke Olaf

Autonomous Robots (ENG-605) - Floreano Dario & al.
 

Semestre d'automne 2009-2010

EDIC courses

Research Seminar in Computer & Communication Sciences (CS-609): 8 sessions between Sep 14 and Sep 25, 17:00-18:30 (16:00-17:30 on Sep 18) INM202

Advanced Topics in Cryptology (COM-702) - Lenstra Arjen: Tuesday 10:15-12:00 BC02
The latest research in cryptology will be studied in an interactive way. Students will read, present and discuss results from the most recent major cryptology conferences and explore ways to improve these results. A particular focus will be the study and development of new results related to cryptographic hash functions with properties that can be proved based on common mathematical hardness assumptions or on properties of underlying block ciphers. The course is intended to stimulate students in their own research.

Advanced Topics in Networked Systems (CS-615) - Kostic Dejan: Wednesday 13:15-15:00 INN326
This is a networked systems course with an experimental systems viewpoint: the course will discuss the architecture and teach the understanding of the performance of real systems. The syllabus for this research-oriented course is driven by published papers, both classic and current. After completing the course, the students should be able to engage in doctoral-level research in this field. Paper evaluations that demand critical reasoning will be a part of the grade. Students will also be expected to present up to two research papers and they will be graded on the quality of the presentation.

Advanced Topics in Software Systems (CS-617) - Candea George: Friday 10:15-12:00 INN326
The goal of this course is to attain maturity in the design, implementation, refactoring, analysis, testing, evaluation, deployment, evolution, and maintenance of computer systems software. The skill to critically read, evaluate and improve research papers and projects in these topics will be developed.

Advanced Topics in Storage Systems (CS-702) - Anastasiadis Stergios (invited prof.): Tuesday 14:15-17:00 INF211 (Room INM200 on Nov. 10) (One-time course)
The course covers a combination of classical and latest research publications on storage system topics in the context of modern operating system environments. The studied material emphasizes principled system design, prototype implementations and quantitative performance evaluation. Examined issues include virtualization, consistency, search, deduplication and global file systems. Participating students are expected to actively contribute to the critical discussions during paper reading sessions. Additionally, the students under the guidance of the instructor will work on a project of their choice that will explore interesting research directions. Overall, the course will help students get familiar with the design, implementation and experimental evaluation of modern storage system facilities.

Logic and Automata Theory (CS-618) - Kuncak V., Iosif R. & Jobstmann B.: Friday 13:15-16:00 BC355  (One-time course)
Many major hardware and software companies are now using the technique of Model Checking in practice. Examples of its use include the verification of VLSI circuits, communication protocols, software device drivers, real-time embedded systems, and security algorithms. The works of Pnueli, Clarke, Emerson and Sifakis on algorithmic verification of systems using the Model Checking have been awarded the 1996 and 2007 Turing awards. The basis of this work is the relation of logic with automata theory. This course is intended to introduce the student to these techniques, focusing on decision methods for classical non-interpreted logics and integer arithmetic theories.

Mathematical Principles of Signal Processing (COM-606) - Ridolfi Andrea: Thursday 13:15-17:00 INR113 (no class on September 17, 2009)
The goals of this course are to get acquainted with the advanced Fourier analysis of signals, both deterministic and stochastic, and to allow students to understand and use advanced mathematical tools that are necessary in selected applications of signal processing and communications, including neurobiological data analysis, random sampling, pulse modulated transmissions and ultra-wide band signals, network traffic analysis.

Quantum Information Theory and Computation (COM-611) - Macris Nicolas: Tuesday 10:15-12:00 INR113 / Friday 10:15-12:00 INR113
It appears that today we are able to manipulate matter at the nanoscale, so that information processing will have to take the laws of quantum physics into account. In this course the students will be introduced to the theoretical concepts and ways of thinking that have been developed in the last two decades to take advantage of genuine quantum resources. The role of quantum parallelism and of entanglement will be emphasized throughout the course.

Secure Distributed Computing (CS-701) - Cachin Christian (invited prof.): Tuesday 08:15-10:00 BC02
The goal of this course is to understand distributed cryptosystems and protocols for distributed systems that use the replication paradigm for tolerating faults or even malicious attacks. The course will consist of two parts: an introduction to this active area of research, with presentation of the principles, and a seminar-style interactive presentation of recently developed systems by the participants.

Security and Cooperation in Wireless Networks (COM-614) - Hubaux Jean-Pierre: Wednesday 14:15-17:00 INM203
The goals of the course are (i) to understand the main challenges related to malicious and selfish behaviors in wireless networks, primarily at the MAC and network layers (the considered wireless networks include sensor, ad hoc, vehicular, mesh, and RFID networks), (ii) to be able to design mechanisms to thwart these misbehaviors, and (iii) to understand the potential of cooperative behavior and the risks related to non-cooperative behavior in wireless networks.

Selected Topics in Computer Vision (COM-711) - Lepetit V., Strecha C., Smith K.: Tuesday 8:15-10:00 BC04
The goal of Computer Vision is to process images acquired with cameras in order to produce a representation of objects in the world. Although there already exists a number of working systems that perform parts of this task in specialized domains, the generic "Vision Problem" is far from being solved. The aim of this course is to teach the students how to reason in rigorous manner on Computer Vision related problems. We will focus on a few subsets and study them in depth. We will try to understand what makes Computer Vision so hard, what is the state-of-the-art, and what are promising directions for future research.

Project I - Fall semester (Project regulations)

Master courses (candidacy exam)

Advanced Algorithms (CS-450) - Moret Bernard: Monday 10:15-12:00 CE5 / Thursday 10:15-12:00 INM202 / 13:15-16:00 INM200

Dynamical System Theory for Engineers (COM-502) - Hasler Martin: Wednesday 08:15-12:00 BC01 / Thursday 08:15-10:00 BC01

Information Theory and Coding (COM-404) - Diggavi Suhas: Monday 13:15-15:00 ELA1 / Tuesday 13:15-17:00 SG1

Further recommended courses (to be completed)

Network Economics and Game Theory - Van der Schaar M. & Zaal B. (UCLA): from Aug 31 to Sep 4 - BC03 (One-time course)

Applied Machine Learning (Master) - Billard Aude & al. CO011/Friday 8:15-12:00

Année académique 2010-2011

EDIC courses

Advanced Topics in Distributed Systems (CS-616) - Kostic Dejan

Advanced Topics in Operating Systems (CS-613) - Candea George

Advanced Topics in Memory Systems (CS-604) - Falsafi Babak

Advanced Virtual Reality Systems and Telepresence (COM-704) - Thalmann Daniel

Network Coding and Information Flow (COM-608) - Fragouli Christina

Principles in Wireless Networks (COM-710) - Diggavi Suhas

Problem Solving in Computer Sciences (CS-608)

Research Topics in Estimation Methods with application to Satellite Positioning and Navigation (COM-709) - Skaloud Jan

Sensor Networks: from Theory to Practice (COM-615) - Barretxenea G., Ingelrest F., Roy O.