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Understanding Human Imagination Through Diffusion Model

This paper develops a possible explanation for a facet of visual processing inspired by the biological brain's mechanisms for information gathering. The primary focus is on how humans observe elements in their environment and reconstruct visual information within the brain. Drawing on insights from diverse studies, personal research, and biological evidence, the study posits that the human brain captures high-level feature information from objects rather than replicating exact visual details, as is the case in digital systems. Subsequently, the brain can either reconstruct the original object using its specific features or generate an entirely new object by combining features from different objects, a process referred to as "Imagination." Central to this process is the "Imagination Core," a dedicated unit housing a modified diffusion model. This model allows high-level features of an object to be employed for tasks like recreating the original object or forming entirely new objects from existing features. The experimental simulation, conducted with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) incorporating a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for high-level feature extraction within the Information Processing Network and a Diffusion Network for generating new information in the Imagination Core, demonstrated the ability to create novel images based solely on high-level features extracted from previously learned images. This experimental outcome substantiates the theory that human learning and storage of visual information occur through high-level features, enabling us to recall events accurately, and these details are instrumental in our imaginative processes. / Master of Science / This study takes inspiration from how our brains process visual information to explore how we see and imagine things. Think of it like a digital camera, but instead of saving every tiny detail, our brains capture the main features of what we see. These features are then used to recreate images or even form entirely new ones through a process called "Imagination." It is like when you remember something from the past – your brain does not store every little detail but retains enough to help you recall events and create new ideas.
In our study, we created a special unit called the "Imagination Core," using a modified diffusion model, to simulate how this process works. We trained an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to extract the main features of objects and a Diffusion Network to generate new information in the Imagination Core. The exciting part? We were able to make the computer generate new images it had never seen before, only using details it learned from previous images. This supports the idea that, like our brains, focusing on important details helps us remember things and fuels our ability to imagine new things.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/117279
Date22 December 2023
CreatorsPham, Minh Nguyen
ContributorsElectrical and Computer Engineering, Jones, Creed F. III, Doan, Thinh Thanh, Williams, Ryan K.
PublisherVirginia Tech
Source SetsVirginia Tech Theses and Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
FormatETD, application/pdf
RightsIn Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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