Dr. Patrick M. Pilarski
Postdoctoral Fellow
RLAI, AICML
Dept. of Computing Science
University of Alberta
Contact - Education - Research - Media Coverage
Publications - Workshops and Talks - Links
Contact Info Education Research Publications & Presentations Workshops & Talks

  Contact Information

Email:
Phone: +1 (780) 492-2723
Office:Athabasca 4-17
Mailing Address: Department of Computing Science
2-21 Athabasca Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T6G 2E8

Weekly Schedule:View Calendar Here (U of Alberta network members only)

  Education and Bio

Patrick M. Pilarski is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Reinforcement Learning & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Alberta Innovates Centre for Machine Learning, Dept. of Computing Science, at the University of Alberta. He received the Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Alberta in 2009, and the B.ASc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of British Columbia in 2004. His research interests include real-time machine learning, artificial intelligence, human-machine interfaces, robotics, and biomedical pattern analysis. These interests drive Patrick's applied research into assistive rehabilitation robots and lab-on-a-chip systems. His recent work focuses on developing new methods for adaptable, amputee-accessible prosthesis control. Patrick is the author of eighteen articles, and co-inventor of two international patent filings involving machine intelligence and pattern analysis for lab-on-a-chip medical devices. He is the recipient of an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship in Artificial Intelligence.

  Research Interests
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Current Research:
  • Adaptive Rehabilitation
    • Real-time machine learning for intelligent artificial limbs: online algorithms and techniques that can help increase amputees' ability to customize and control their prosthetic devices through ongoing, apdative interaction.

  • Intelligent Systems and Interfaces
    • Reinforcement learning and artificial intelligence methods for use in complex real-world environments; applications in the health, transportation, and energy sectors.
    • Human-machine interfaces: theoretical and applied methods for communicating between complex distributed systems; long-term brain-computer interaction.
    • Human instruction and training of machine learning systems.
    • Prediction and control learning that is grounded in data-dense, real-time sensorimotor experience.
    • Continuous action actor-critic policy gradient algorithms.

  • Biomedical Pattern Analysis
    • Model-free interpretation of online, multi-signal human biofeedback (for example, myoelectric signals).
    • Pattern analysis and machine learning methods to facilitate the rapid, automated assessment of genetic anomalies in medical imaging samples (e.g., lab-on-a-chip fluorescent in situ hybridization images).
Ongoing and Past Research Interests:
  • Artificial intelligence, reinforcement learning, and machine learning.
  • Human-machine interfaces, adaptive distributed systems, and cognitive science.
  • Biomedical image analysis, pattern analysis, data mining, and computer vision.
  • Autonomous mobile robotics and rehabilitation robotics.
  • Nanobiotechnology, biomedical engineering, and lab-on-a-chip devices.

  Recent Media Coverage
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"Edmonton Clinic: Health science students at the U of A have a new place to learn"

Global News: Edmonton, January 18th, 2012
News Hour — Health Matters with Su-Ling Goh


"The Expert: Artificial Intelligence"

Avenue Magazine, Edmonton
Feature interview by Caroline Barlott
September 2011, pp. 26-27.


"The Arm that will Blow Your Mind"
by Richard Cairney

U of A Engineer Magazine
Spring 2011, pp. 10


"Paving the Way for Intelligent Prosthetics"
by Richard Cairney

U of A Engineer Magazine
Spring 2011, pp. 6-8



  Non-Research Interests

Patrick M. Pilarski is the co-editor of DailyHaiku, an international journal of contemporary English-language haiku, and poetry editor for its new sister publication DailyHaiga. He is author of the poetry collection Huge Blue (Leaf Press, 2009), and the chapbooks Contemplating Vows (with Nicole Pakan; Katabatic Books, 2011) and Five Weeks (2007). Patrick's creative writing has appeared in journals and anthologies across North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan, and on CBC Radio One as part of the CBC Poetry Face-off. An active member of the literary community, he has served as an organizer for the Edmonton Poetry Festival, and is currently the Vice President of the Leauge of Canadian Poets.

Other Non-Technical Pursuits:
  • Acting and musical theatre.
  • Scuba diving and martial arts.
  • Hiking, backpacking, and travel.
  • Gardening and tropical fish keeping.
  • Graphic design, visual art, and 3D animation.


  Publications and Presentations

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Recent Journal, Conference, and Book Publications:
  1. A.R. Mahmood, R.S. Sutton, T. Degris, and P.M. Pilarski, “Tuning-Free Step-Size Adaptation,” accepted to the 37th IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP), March 25-30, 2012, Kyoto, Japan, 4 pages, 2012.

  2. P.M. Pilarski, M.R. Dawson, T. Degris, F. Fahimi, J.P. Carey, and R.S. Sutton, “Online Human Training of a Myoelectric Prosthesis Controller via Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning,” Proc. of the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), June 29-July 1, Zurich, Switzerland, pp. 134-140, 2011. (Download the PDF)

  3. R.S. Sutton, J. Modayil, M. Delp, T. Degris, P.M. Pilarski, A. White, D. Precup, “Horde: A Scalable Real-time Architecture for Learning Knowledge from Unsupervised Sensorimotor Interaction,” Proc. of 10th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS), May 2-6, 2011, Taipei, Taiwan, pp. 761-768, 2011. (Download the PDF)

  4. P.M. Pilarski and C.J. Backhouse, “Towards robust cellular image classification: theoretical foundations for wide-angle scattering pattern analysis,” Biomedical Optics Express, Vol. 1(4): 1225-1233, 2010. http://www.opticsinfobase.org/boe/abstract.cfm?URI=boe-1-4-1225

  5. L.M. Pilarski, P.M. Pilarski, A. Belch, “Multiple Myeloma May Include Microvessel Endothelial Cells of Malignant Origin,” Leukemia and Lymphoma, Vol. 51(4): 592-597, 2010.

  6. Pilarski, P.M., Su, X.T., Glerum, D.M., and Backhouse, C.J., “Computational analysis of mitochondrial placement and aggregation effects on wide-angle cell scattering patterns,” Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 7187: 71870J (12 pages), 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.809730

  7. S. Adamia, P.M. Pilarski, A.R. Belch and L.M. Pilarski, “Genetic Abnormalities in Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia,” Clin. Lymphoma and Myeloma, Vol. 9(1): 30-32, 2009.

  8. S. Adamia, A.A. Reichert, H. Kuppusamy, J. Kriangkum, A. Ghosh, J.J. Hodges, P.M. Pilarski, S.P. Treon, M.J. Mant, T. Reiman, A.R. Belch, and L.M. Pilarski, “Inherited and acquired variations in the hyaluronan synthase 1 (HAS1) gene may contribute to disease progression in multiple myeloma and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia,” Blood, Vol. 112(13): 5111-5121, 2008.

  9. P.M. Pilarski, X. Su, D. M. Glerum, and C. J. Backhouse, “Rapid simulation of wide-angle scattering from mitochondria in single cells,” Optics Express, Vol. 16(17): 12819-12834, 2008. http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-17-12819

  10. L.M. Pilarski, E. Baigorri, M.J. Mant, P.M. Pilarski, P. Adamson, H. Zola, A.R. Belch, “Multiple myeloma includes CD20+ B and plasma cells that persist in patients treated with rituximab,” Clinical Medicine: Oncology, Vol. 2: 275-287, 2008.
    http://la-press.com/article.php?article_id=659

  11. V. J. Sieben, C. S. Debes-Marun, P. M. Pilarski, G. V. Kaigala, L. M. Pilarski, and C. Backhouse, “FISH and chips: chromosomal analysis on microfluidic platforms”, IET Nanobiotechnology, Vol. 1(3): 27-35, 2007. (Download the PDF)

  12. P.M. Pilarski and C.J. Backhouse, “A method for cytometric image parameterization,” Optics Express, Vol. 14(26): 12720-12743, 2006.
    http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-14-26-12720

  13. A. R. Prakash, S. Adamia, V. Sieben, P. M. Pilarski, L. M. Pilarski, and C. J. Backhouse, "Small Volume PCR in PDMS Biochips with Integrated Fluid Control and Vapour Barrier," Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Vol. 113(1): 398-409, 2006.

  14. P.M. Pilarski, S. Adamia, and C. J. Backhouse, “An Adaptable Microvalving System for On-Chip Polymerase Chain Reactions,” J. Immunological Methods, Vol. 305(1): 48-58, 2005. (Download the PDF)

  15. Mirzayans, T., Parimi, N., Pilarski, P., Backhouse, C., Wyard-Scott, L., Musilek, P., “A swarm-based system for object recognition,” Neural Network World, Vol. 15(3): 243-255, 2005. (Download the PDF)

  16. Pilarski, L. M., Adamia, S., Maxwell, C. A., Pilarski, P.M., Reiman, T., Belch, A. R. “Hyaluronan Synthases and RHAMM as Synergistic Mediators of Malignancy in B Lineage Cancers,” in Hyaluronan: Structure, Metabolism, Biological Activities, Therapeutic Applications, Chapter 4, pages 329-338, Editors: E.A. Balazs and V.C. Hascall, Matrix Biology Institute, Edgewater, New Jersey, USA, 2005.

  17. Pilarski, L.M., Reiman, T., Pilarski, P.M., Orr, F.W., Belch, A.R., “The Malignant Hierarchy in Multiple Myeloma: Relationships Between Malignant Cells and Bone Disease.” Bone Metastasis and Molecular Mechanisms, Chapter 7, pp. 109-138, Editors: Singh, G. and Orr, F.W., Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004.

  18. Pilarski, L.M., Adamia, S., Pilarski, P.M., Prakash, R., Lauzon, J., Backhouse, C.J., “Improved Diagnosis and Monitoring of Cancer Using Portable Microfluidics Platforms,” Proc. of the 2004 International Conference on MEMS, NANO and Smart Systems (ICMENS'04), pp. 340-343, Editors: Badawy, W. and Moussa, W., Banff, Canada, 2004.
Thesis:
  1. P.M. Pilarski, “Computational Analysis of Wide-Angle Light Scattering from Single Cells,” Ph.D. Thesis, Univesity of Alberta, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10048/774 (Download PDF)
Patents Filed:
  1. "Novel Methods for Cellular Image Analysis and Simulation", C.J. Backhouse, P.M. Pilarski, X. Su; provisional patent filed December 21, 2006; patent filed December 24, 2007 (PCT/CA2007/002321).

  2. "Automated FISH analysis, circulating microfluidic chip, and method for immobilizing cells to a microfluidic chip", L.M. Pilarski, C.J. Backhouse, V.J. Seiben, C. Debes Marun, P.M. Pilarski, G.V. Kaigala; provisional patent filed September 22, 2006; patent filed September 17, 2007 (PCT/CA2007/001641).
Other Contributions—Extended Abstracts, Abstracts, Posters, and Presentations:
  1. P.M. Pilarski, M.R. Dawson, T. Degris, F. Fahimi, J. Carey, R.S. Sutton, "Real-time Machine Learning in Rehabilitation Robotics for Adaptable Artificial Limbs," 2011 Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Research Symposium (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, November 2, 2011, abstract and poster presentation).

  2. P.M. Pilarski, M.R. Dawson, T. Degris, F. Fahimi, J. Carey, R.S. Sutton, "Real-time Machine Learning in Rehabilitation Robotics for Adaptable Artificial Limbs," Tech Futures Summit 2011: Deploying Innovation (Banff, Canada, August 28-30, 2011, abstract and poster presentation).

  3. T. Degris, P.M. Pilarski, J. Modayil, R.S. Sutton, M.J. Cimolini, and J. Raso, "An Encouraging Mobile Robot in the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital," 7th International Congress on Industrial and Applied Mathematics, ICIAM 2011 (Vancouver, Canada, July 18?22, 2011, poster presentation.)

  4. P.M. Pilarski, T. Degris, and R.S. Sutton “Small-Timescale Reinforcement Learning for Power Management on a Mobile Robot,”2010 Alberta Power Industry Consortium Power and Energy Innovation Forum (Edmonton, Canada, Nov. 4, 2010, invited poster presentation).

  5. J. Modayil, P.M. Pilarski, A. White, T. Degris, and R.S. Sutton, "Off-Policy Knowledge Maintenance for Robots," Robotics: Science and Systems Workshop—Towards Closing the Loop: Active Learning for Robotics (Zaragoza, Spain, June 27-30, 2010, 2 page extended abstract and poster). (Download the PDF)

  6. P.M. Pilarski, M.R. Dawson, T. Degris, F. Fahimi, J. Carey, and R.S. Sutton, "Continuous Actor-Critic Methods for Adaptive Prosthetics," in proceedings of the 2010 MITACS / CORS Joint Annual Conference (Edmonton, Alberta, May 25-28, 2010; abstract and oral presentation).

  7. A. Mahmood, T. Degris, P.M. Pilarski, and R.S. Sutton, "Robust Step-size Adaptation for Online Optimization," in proceedings of the 2010 MITACS/CORS Joint Annual Conference (Edmonton, May 25-28, 2010, abstract, poster, and oral presentation).

  8. P.M. Pilarski, X.T. Su, D.M. Glerum, and C.J. Backhouse, "Disease Characterization Using Wide-Angle Light Scattering Patterns", in proceedings of the iCORE Alberta Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research Symposium (University of Alberta, Edmonton, 22 June 2009, abstract and poster).

  9. S. Adamia, A. Reichert, A. Ghosh, J. Hodges, P. Pilarski, S. Treon, M.J. Mant, T. Reiman, A.R. Belch, and L.M. Pilarski, "Gerraline and somatic mutations in the hyaluronan synthase-1 (HAS1) gene may contribute to oncogenesis in multiple myeloma (MM) and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM)," Blood, Vol. 110(11): 733A-734A, 2007.

  10. Pilarski, P. M., Sieben, V. J., Marun, C. D. & Backhouse, C. J., "Computer vision for fish screening in myeloma", in proceedings of the XIth International Myeloma Workshop (Kos 2007, poster), and Haematologica - The Hematology Journal, Vol. 92: 108-108, 2007.

  11. Sieben, V. J., Debes-Marun, C., Pilarski, P. M.; Kaigala, G. K., Pilarski, L. M. & Backhouse, C. J., "Microchips for optimized fish screening in myeloma," in proceedings of the XIth International Myeloma Workshop (Kos 2007, oral), and Haematologica - The Hematology Journal, Vol. 92: 64-65, 2007.

  12. V. J. Sieben, C. S. Debes-Marun, P. M. Pilarski, G. V. Kaigala, L. M. Pilarski, and C. Backhouse, "FISH AND CHIPS: Chromosomal analysis utilizing microfluidic platforms," in proceedings of Nanotechnology in Biomedicine (Keystone) (Tahoe City, California, USA, 2007, poster).

  13. P.M. Pilarski, V.J. Sieben, C. Debes Marun, and C.J. Backhouse, "An artificial intelligence system for detecting abnormal chromosomes in malignant lymphocytes," proceedings of the iCORE Alberta Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research Symposium (University of Alberta, Edmonton, 04 May 2007, abstract & poster).

  14. Debes Marun CS, Sieben V, Pilarski PM, Reiman T, Belch AR, Pilarski LM. "FISH and Chips: Novel Point of Care Technology to Detect Chromosomal Abnormalities", Blood 108: 971a, 2006.

  15. Adamia S, Hodges J, Pilarski PM, Teron S, Mant MJ, Reiman T, Belch AR, Pilarski LM. "Accumulation of inherited and acquired mutations in hyaluronan synthase 1 gene may contribute to oncogenesis in multiple myeloma and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia", Blood 108: 980a, 2006.

  16. Pilarski, P.M., Sieben, V.J., Debes Marun, C., Backhouse, C.J., "An Artificial Intelligence System for Detecting Abnormal Chromosomes in Malignant Lymphocytes",  in proceedings of the Candian Society for Immunology conference (Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2006, oral, abstract, and poster).

  17. Pilarski, P.M., Siu, N., Iverson, L., "Email Redirected: A User-centric Reinvention of Email Clients", in proceedings of the Advanced Systems Institute of British Columbia ASI Exchange 2004 (Vancouver , Canada, 2004, abstract and poster) .

  18. Pilarski, P.M., Prakash, R., Adamia, S., Kaler, K.V.I.S., Backhouse, C.J. " Microvalving in Genetic Analysis Systems", poster for the International Conference on MEMS, Nano and Smart Systems (IEEE Conference) (Banff, AB, 2003).
  19. Adamia, S., Pilarski, P.M., Lauzon, J., Backhouse, C.J., Pilarski, L.M. "Microfluidics Platforms for Molecular Monitoring of Human Cancer", in proceedings of the Alberta Cancer Board Annual Research Meeting ( Banff , AB, 2003, abstract and poster).

  20. Adamia, S., Footz, T., Prakash, R., Pilarski, P.M., Pilarski, L.M., Backhouse, C.J. "Microfluidics platforms for genetic analysis", in proceedings of the American Society for Microbiology Bio-, Micro-, Nanosystems (New York, 2003, abstract and poster).

  21. Adamia, S., Pilarski, P.M., Prakash, R., Lauzon, J., Backhouse, C.J. and Pilarski, L.M. "Microsystems and Cancer: Improved Detection of Disease Related Genes in Myeloma Patients Using Microfluidics Platforms", in proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (San Diego, CA, 2003, abstract) and Blood 102 (11): 2528, 2003.

  Invited Seminars and Workshops (Selected)
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  • “New Methods for Real-time Machine Learning and their Application to Assistive Medical Robotics,” P.M. Pilarski, invited seminar for the International Seminar Series on Biomedical Engineering, Dept. of Medical System Engineering (Chiba University, Japan, Nov. 18, 2011).

  • “Reinforcement Learning Artificial Intelligence in Rehabilitation for Adaptive Prostheses,” P.M. Pilarski, invited presentation, ICE: The Tech Conference; Alberta Council of Technologies / Alberta ICT Council Machine Learning Conference (Edmonton, Alberta, Nov. 3, 2010).

  • “Reinforcement Learning Artificial Intelligence for Robotic Adaptation to New Environments,” P.M. Pilarski, invited presentation, ICE: The Tech Conference; Alberta Council of Technologies / Alberta ICT Council Machine Learning Conference (Edmonton, Alberta, Nov. 3, 2010).

  • Panel member for "Off-loading Intelligence—When Machines Decide," Alberta Council of Technologies / Alberta ICT Council Machine Learning Forum (Edmonton, June 1, 2010).

  • "Feature and Variable Selection: Context for Representation Learning in RL", P.M. Pilarski, invited presentation/tutorial, The 5th Barbados Workshop on Reinforcement Learning (Bellairs Research Institute, Holetown, Barbados, April 6-9, 2010).

  • "Machine Learning and Image Analysis for Lab-on-a-Chip Medical Diagnostics", P.M. Pilarski, invited seminar for Department of Computing Science Artificial Intelligence Seminar Series (University of Alberta, September 2009).

  • "Computational intelligence and computer vision for use with emerging micro­ and nano­technology devices", P.M. Pilarski, invited seminar for the Reykjavik University School of Computer Science and School of Science and Engineering (Reykjavik University, Iceland, October 14, 2008).

  • "A New Look at Rapid Medical Diagnostics", P.M. Pilarski, invited presentation for the University of Alberta Senate (Univeristy of Alberta, January 2008).

  • "Nanobiotechnology: lab-on-a-chip for rapid medical diagnostics", P.M. Pilarski, invited talk, Operating Room Nurses of Alberta Annual Conference (Red Deer, Alberta, Oct 25, 2007).

  • "Nanobiotechnology", P. M. Pilarski, V.J. Sieben, G.V. Kaigala, The Alberta Clinical Engineering Society Telehealth Educational Series (University of Alberta, Edmonton, 21 February 2006).

  • "A Computational Method for Rapid Cellular Identification", P. M. Pilarski, 1st Annual Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Students' Association Conference (University of Alberta, Edmonton, 27 January 2006).

  • "Cellular Level Computing:  rapid medical diagnostics for cancerous cell identification", P. M. Pilarski, invited research presentation, Netera Days: Exploring New Tools For Research (University of Alberta, Edmonton, 12 October 2005).

  • "Thinking Small:  An Introduction to Nanotechnology", P. M. Pilarski, invited presentation for FGSR Outreach - Peace River Highschool (University of Alberta, Edmonton, June 2005).

  • "Ants Marching: Swarm-Based Feature Characterization", P. M. Pilarski, invited research presentation, Facility for Advanced Computational Intelligence and Applications (University of Alberta, Edmonton, November 2004).

  • "Intelligent Microvalving in Genetic Analysis Systems", P. M. Pilarski, invited research presentation, Cross Cancer Institute (Edmonton, July 2003).

  External Links
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Copyright © P.M. Pilarski, 2005-2009
All Rights Reserved


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