[SIIM CMIMI20] A DICOM Framework for Machine Learning Pipelines against Real-Time Radiology Images

Today I presented our Niffler open-source framework at SIIM CMIMI 2020 at ML Algorithms & Toolkits + Infrastructure to Support ML session. We had slightly more than 100 participants, including the 90+ attendees and 10 panelists. We had 8 minutes presentations followed by a unified Q&A session. My presentation slides are given below.

A DICOM Framework for Machine Learning Pipelines against Real-Time Radiology Images from Pradeeban Kathiravelu, Ph.D.

 
This is my virtual conference experience where I presented a paper. I have attended several virtual conferences such as KDD, EuroSys, and DisCoTec this year, thanks to COVID19 lock-down. I also presented my work at IEEE SDS this year. However, SDS was a recording. We already had pre-recorded the videos and shared. As such, CMIMI becomes my first virtual conference experience where I was also a presenter.
 

I miss attending conferences in-person. The virtual conferences do not feel the same at all. Yes, we still see the presentations. But I value that coffee-hour talks, going out with newly made friends/colleagues, finding potential collaborators, personal connections, and many more. But something is better than nothing. We could still watch and listen to the presentations and interact with the presenters. But the face-to-face communication -- I miss that. 

 

I hope we will overcome the pandemic together and be back to in-person or even better - hybrid conferences soon! KDD 2021 has planned to be hybrid, online as well as on-site in Singapore. I am optimistic! The 2 days with CMIMI were great. I wish success to everyone in their research.

Pandemic Atlanta Lockdown - Week 26

Thunderstorm at Hunting Island Beach

This week went fast as Monday was off with the long weekend. During the weekend, I made an Everclear hot cocktail drink inspired by Glögg (Finnish Christmas hot spiced alcoholic drink). I tried Glögg first time in 2013 when we visited Helsinki by a cruise from Stockholm. 

 

Today, I first made the non-alcoholic version following the food.com recipe except that I added sliced and shelled almonds as it should be in the original recipe (following the quantity suggested in the Norwegian alcoholic recipe). Then I filtered the drink, mix Everclear to the glass, and top it up with sliced and shelled almonds. 

 

I also used vodka, absinthe, and whiskey in place of Everclear for the drink in 3 shot glasses. The vodka version tastes precisely like the Finnish Glögg. A Finnish person may say no. But I cannot differentiate much. Everclear one is a bit too strong. Absinthe has tints of Anise flavor, which should not be strong in Glögg. The whiskey version interestingly tastes sweeter. This drink has heat properties because of all the spices and herbs for the cold winters. I am drinking it on a hot summer day. I am stupid.

2nd step: Filter the hot drink. That gives us basically a non-alcoholic Finnish Glögg (grape juice instead of red wine and other liquor). Recipe found online from https://t.co/IhrraSis4h pic.twitter.com/P5wpUAMPC0

— Pradeeban (@pradeeban) September 12, 2020

The *Everclear on Fire* drink I made myself tasted good. 10/10. Very satisfied compared to some of my previous failed experiments (such as cooking eggplant with Everclear + chicken with root beer).

Now, the negative side. I am not hungry anymore. Planning to skip my dinner. lol. https://t.co/nEgsI9UGjT

— Pradeeban (@pradeeban) September 13, 2020

The Airport Sleeper

Sleeping in BRU Airport in July 2019

I used to sleep at airports quite often. Once, In 2013, I flew from Stockholm to Lisboa and had an overnight layover in Zurich. Since it is night, I realized I could not do anything if I go to the city. I had a flight in the morning anyway. So I stayed at the crowded airport and witnessed it turned empty as shops started closing by midnight. Lisboa (LIS) and Brussels (BRU and CRL) are the other airports I have spent more nights. LIS is because the last metro arrives at the airport around 1 a.m, and the first one arrives around 7 a.m. So earlier flights, I had to leave the night before. Due to my frequent travels, LIS airport even felt like a second home to me. I mean, that was the location second to my house where I had spent most nights in Portugal. 

 

I intentionally spent some nights in CRL and BRU in 2017 when I did not have a proper apartment amid several short stints, back and forth between Lisboa and Brussels. With COVID19 spreading rapidly, sleeping at the airports has become a distant reality. But I believe we will eventually go back to the normal, and then I can consider the airports my second home again.

 

When I spent one night camping for the first time, I was quite confident that it should be a piece of cake. If I can sleep literally on the airport's hard floor or weirdly shaped chairs with my head resting on my backpack and feet on the suitcase, sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent should be a piece of cake. Although both sleeping at airports and sleeping in a tent both give you discomfort, they are different.

My tent in the camping site

First, airports have electricity and closer access to the water, with hand soap (usually). The campsite we went to had a nearby washroom with a shower, also with hand soap. So it was similar in that aspect - although I was prepared for it to not having running water. On the positive side, though, if you find the right spot, especially in a good airport, you may have access to electricity and strong wifi. Some airports offer better sleeping arrangements for free, although sometimes you may end up sleeping on the cold ground. I have seen people setting up their sleeping bags in the airport to sleep more comfortably too.

The camping grounds give more privacy as you have your tent. You can also set the light as you prefer, whereas most of the airports tend to have bright lights most of the time. Our camping ground had a few pine cones. Although I cleared most of them, one broken one remained intact below my tent and was poking me once in a while when I moved to the side as I slept.

One good thing about sleeping in airports is, of course, most of the airports still at least have one cafe open. So a quick bite or hot drinks are always accessible. Moreover, airports give me hope. They are part of significant life events in most of the cases for me. Either migrating, going for a conference, family reunion, or a long-expected trip. As such, sleeping in airports has remained a pleasant memory for me despite all its discomforts. Every single time. Now that the COVID19 ruins all our travel plans, I am counting days to travel again eventually. Fingers crossed.

Pandemic Atlanta Lockdown - Week 25

Moonlight by the lake

I have this habit of repeatedly listening to my favorite song until I get bored of it. This year, I had a few favorite songs that I kept listening on repeat. The song gets a timestamp of the memories of the moment/time. Then I stop listening/watching. Years later, I listen to it again (often by chance) and feel like I have time-traveled to that first time when I listened to it on repeat. I indeed feel bad for the songs that I am listening for the first time in 2020. Quite boring/lonely memories are tied to them now.

 

 

Is there anyone else here who repeatedly listens to their favorite song until they get bored of it, or are y’all normal? pic.twitter.com/rxm6ic75QV

— Pradeeban (@pradeeban) September 18, 2020

[Nirvana in Fire]

[2020 Feelings] pic.twitter.com/dIidR2ZJ7P

— Pradeeban (@pradeeban) August 29, 2020

Pandemic Atlanta Lockdown - Week 24

Malibu Summer Rose

I was busy with two conferences this week - SigKDD and EuroPar. That also means, my week was different from the regular.

I can remember things when I am drunk. My behavior doesn't change with alcohol. Not sure whether it is good or bad. I got only drunk twice outside my home. It is funny how these moments make a good memory.

The first time, Barcelona (2013) Bar and club crawl. Lost count of the shots. My bestie sensed I was slightly unstable, grabbed my last shot glass from my hand, spilled it to the ground in the bar, and told me, "Enough" (He was drinking as much as me - but he had a higher tolerance then).  I was waiting outside for a few minutes after I went out of the bar to vomit in the street corner. I couldn't bother to find the bathroom in the bar. My friend came outside to ask whether I am doing ok. I told him I vomited, and now I am ok. Then we (I guess, maybe 6 out of 17 - 20 of the original group that we were with) decided to go back to the hotel.

I went out and vomited instantly.

The second time was in San Francisco (2016) on a cruise in a conference dinner. We were student volunteers. The professor in charge had given us the drink tickets and said, "you can have as many you want." I drank maybe 8 or 9 drinks. Somehow my friends (the other student volunteers) lost me when the boat landed (I thought so - they later told me I left before them). I walked alone for 30 - 40 mins straight to the hotel using my memory - because I know I was too drunk to call an Uber and interact with a human. I judged that walking drunk is safer than an Uber (and a potential to vomit inside the Uber). I safely arrived at the hotel and fell asleep instantly after removing my shoes.

I don't get drunk as often. So when I do, my memories are vivid. Other times I drank outside my home, never reached that level at all. First, drinks outside are expensive (unless I buy bottles - which I sometimes did), unlike me stocking hard liquor at home and drinking. Second, we never had alcoholics in our bunch (usually international students). Most of us were doing one or more of the below: partying, trying to find relationships/romance/..., and exploring the new countries and cultures. Getting hard-core drunk was not anyone's goal. We were mild at our parties.

During the pandemic era, I got drunk home alone twice (and perhaps drunk more than what I am used to when I go out - as usually it is just one or two beer or cocktail - the cocktails outside are watered down with too much ice too). In any case, I know when I am getting drunk. So I stop before that.

Next weekend is a long weekend. I am looking forward to it.