No Arabic abstract
We investigate different opinion formation models on adaptive network topologies. Depending on the dynamical process, rewiring can either (i) lead to the elimination of interactions between agents in different states, and accelerate the convergence to a consensus state or break the network in non-interacting groups or (ii) counter-intuitively, favor the existence of diverse interacting groups for exponentially long times. The mean-field analysis allows to elucidate the mechanisms at play. Strikingly, allowing the interacting agents to bear more than one opinion at the same time drastically changes the models behavior and leads to fast consensus.
We propose an exactly solvable model for the dynamics of voters in a two-party system. The opinion formation process is modeled on a random network of agents. The dynamical nature of interpersonal relations is also reflected in the model, as the connections in the network evolve with the dynamics of the voters. In the infinite time limit, an exact solution predicts the emergence of consensus, for arbitrary initial conditions. However, before consensus is reached, two different metastable states can persist for exponentially long times. One state reflects a perfect balancing of opinions, the other reflects a completely static situation. An estimate of the associated lifetimes suggests that lack of consensus is typical for large systems.
I will discuss some aspects of the concept of point in quantum gravity, using mainly the tool of noncommutative geometry. I will argue that at Plancks distances the very concept of point may lose its meaning. I will then show how, using the spectral action and a high momenta expansion, the connections between points, as probed by boson propagators, vanish. This discussion follows closely [1] (Kurkov-Lizzi-Vassilevich Phys. Lett. B 731 (2014) 311, [arXiv:1312.2235 [hep-th]].
The objective of this work is speaker diarisation of speech recordings in the wild. The ability to determine speech segments is a crucial part of diarisation systems, accounting for a large proportion of errors. In this paper, we present a simple but effective solution for speech activity detection based on the speaker embeddings. In particular, we discover that the norm of the speaker embedding is an extremely effective indicator of speech activity. The method does not require an independent model for speech activity detection, therefore allows speaker diarisation to be performed using a unified representation for both speaker modelling and speech activity detection. We perform a number of experiments on in-house and public datasets, in which our method outperforms popular baselines.
Recent generalization of the coevolving voter model (J. Toruniewska et al, PRE 96 (2017) 042306) is further generalized here, including spin-dependent probability of rewiring. Mean field results indicate that either the system splits into two separate networks with different spins, or one of spin orientation goes extinct. In both cases, the density of active links is equal to zero. The results are discussed in terms of homophily in social contacts.
We propose a minimal model for the collective dynamics of opinion formation in the society, by modifying kinetic exchange dynamics studied in the context of income, money or wealth distributions in a society. This model has an intriguing spontaneous symmetry breaking transition.