Integrated Novelty Detection Systems: From Sensor Networks to Multi-Novelty Computer Vision

Abstract

Novelty detection is crucial in various technological and scientific domains. Its importance spans from ensuring the reliability of sensor networks to enhancing the adaptability of computer vision systems. As AI systems become increasingly sophisticated and complex, effective anomaly detection is essential for maintaining reliability and accuracy. This work addresses novelty detection in weather sensor networks and computer vision. In weather sensor networks, particularly for monitoring rainfall, detecting blocked rain gauges can significantly impact data reliability, food security, and disaster management. This work evaluates four existing quality control methods for detecting blocked rain gauges and demonstrates their limitations, particularly in detecting clusters of faulty sensors. By comparing methods such as the Conditional Mixture Model (CMM), PSWQ (Fz-filter), Kernel Regression, and Gaussian Method, we identify their shortcomings and propose three novel quality control techniques that integrate probabilistic fault detection and consistency-based diagnosis framework to improve timely detection of blocked sensors, while reducing false alarms. In the realm of computer vision, current systems often fail to handle multiple types of novelty due to their focus on single-novelty scenarios. We highlight the need for integrated systems capable of handling multiple types of novelty. To support this, we introduce the Novel Snapshot Serengeti (NOVEL-SS) dataset, derived from the Snapshot Serengeti camera trap data, which includes various forms of novelty. We also present the DCA (Detect, Characterize, and Accommodate) baseline system, designed to handle multiple novelty by detecting, characterizing, and accommodating them. This work aims to advance the robustness and adaptability of novelty detection systems across both weather sensor networks and computer vision applications.