Research projects

The neuroinformatics research group

Non-Gaussian Bayesian networks for causal discovery

Period: 01/2005-12/2007
Researchers: Patrik Hoyer, Aapo Hyvärinen
Funding: UH, HIIT/BRU

The goal of statistical data analysis is often to find causal relations between observed variables. However, traditional statistical methods cannot usually analyse causal relations. Lately, different methods that are assumed to be able to discover causal relations have been developed on the basis of the analysis of the effects of hypothetical interventions. In this project, we strive to develop new methods for causal analysis by combining two families of methods: Bayesian networks and independent component analysis

Statistical modelling of image and video data

Period: 04/2003-12/2009
Researchers: Aapo Hyvärinen, Jarmo Hurri, Mika Inki, Urs Köster, Jussi Lindgren
HIIT/BRU,
Funding: The Academy of Finland, HeCSE, an international foundation

We develop new statistical models of image and video data. The models are useful for research on both human and computer vision (incl. image processing). In 2007, we continued development of models of the statistical characteristics of quadratic features.

XtraVision: Extrastriate visual processing

Period: 01/2006-12/2009
Researchers: Aapo Hyvärinen, Urs Köster
Funding: Academy of Finland

Research on human vision is a multidisciplinary field of study. Possible approaches include 1) psychological experiments which attempt to measure when the subject perceives certain stimuli or differences among them (also called psychophysics), 2) direct physical measurement of brain activity, e.g., using modern brain imaging methods, and 3) mathematical and computational modelling of the visual system based on computer simulations. The XtraVision consortium combines these three approaches to study a brain area called the extrastriate cortex. We collaborate with the Dept of Psychology and the Brain Research Unit of TKK. The consortium is funded by the NEURO program of the Academy of Finland .