Research of Yi Ma

Areas of Interest:

My main research interest is in finding the most pertinent mathematical principles for analyzing and understanding high-dimensional sensorial data such as images, so that machines and human can make more intelligent decisions. The research endeavor has led me into the following specific areas.

Computer Vision	Mathematics & Statistics	Decision & Control
- Multiple-View Geometry - Image & Video Segmentation - Object Recognition & Detection	- Algebraic Sets and Manifolds - Data Clustering & Classification - Sparse Representation	- Vision-Based Decision & Control - Identification of Hybrid Systems - Autonomous Robot Navigation

A recent essay by me reflecting on the methodology for research: Warning Signs of Bogus Research Progresses.

Powerpoint slides from a recent talk by me on How to do Research.

Project Websites:

Low-Rank Matrix Recovery via Convex Optimization (with Wright, Ganesh, Rao, and Lin et. al.).
Face Recognition via Sparse Representation (with Wright, Ganesh, Yang, Zhou, and Wagner et. al.).
Clustering and Classification via Lossy Compression (with Wright, Yang, Mobahi, and Rao, et. al.).
Generalized Principal Component Analysis (with Huang and Vidal).
Multiple-View Geometry and 3D Reconstruction (with Kosecka, Soatto, and Sastry).

Funded Projects:

Federal:

Harnessing Sparse and Low-Dimensional Structures for Robust Clustering of Visual Data (sponsored by ONR).
SGER: Explorations of Robust Image Classification (sponsored by NSF-IIS).
PHYSNET: Physical Interaction Using the Internet (sponsored by NSF-HCC).
Control and Sensing under Limited Information (sponsored by NSF-ECS).
Estimation of Hybrid Models as Algebraic Sets (sponsored by NSF-CCF).
Estimation of Hybrid Models in Computer Vision (sponsored by ONR).
Identification of Hybrid Dynamical Systems (sponsored by NSF-EHS).
Identifying Spatial and Dynamical Patterns from Images (sponsored by NSF-IIS).

University:

DARPA Urban Challenge (sponsored by the University of Illinois and others).
Geometry and Algebra in Computer Vision, RAP Program (sponsored by Math Department, the University of Illinois).
Vision-Based Control (sponsored by the University of Illinois Research Board).

Industry:

Microsoft Research Fellowship (sponsored by the Microsoft Live Lab.).