Imitation Learning with Deep Attentive Tabular Neural Networks for Environmental Prediction and Control in Smart Home

Automated indoor environmental control is a research topic that is beginning to receive much attention in smart home automation. All machine learning models proposed to date for this purpose have relied on reinforcement learning using simple metrics of comfort as reward signals. Unfortunately, such...

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Main Authors: Omar al-Ani, Sanjoy Das, Hongyu Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-06-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/13/5091
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author Omar al-Ani
Sanjoy Das
Hongyu Wu
author_facet Omar al-Ani
Sanjoy Das
Hongyu Wu
author_sort Omar al-Ani
collection DOAJ
description Automated indoor environmental control is a research topic that is beginning to receive much attention in smart home automation. All machine learning models proposed to date for this purpose have relied on reinforcement learning using simple metrics of comfort as reward signals. Unfortunately, such indicators do not take into account individual preferences and other elements of human perception. This research explores an alternative (albeit closely related) paradigm called imitation learning. In the proposed architecture, machine learning models are trained with tabular data pertaining to environmental control activities of the real occupants of a residential unit. This eliminates the need for metrics that explicitly quantify human perception of comfort. Moreover, this article introduces the recently proposed deep attentive tabular neural network (TabNet) into smart home research by incorporating TabNet-based components within its overall framework. TabNet has consistently outperformed all other popular machine learning models in a variety of other application domains, including gradient boosting, which was previously considered ideal for learning from tabular data. The results obtained herein strongly suggest that TabNet is the best choice for smart home applications. Simulations conducted using the proposed architecture demonstrate its effectiveness in reproducing the activity patterns of the home unit’s actual occupants.
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spelling doaj.art-6c6b7f69ed46479184bde6ed62d5f57e2023-11-18T16:30:16ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732023-06-011613509110.3390/en16135091Imitation Learning with Deep Attentive Tabular Neural Networks for Environmental Prediction and Control in Smart HomeOmar al-Ani0Sanjoy Das1Hongyu Wu2Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USAElectrical & Computer Engineering Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USAElectrical & Computer Engineering Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USAAutomated indoor environmental control is a research topic that is beginning to receive much attention in smart home automation. All machine learning models proposed to date for this purpose have relied on reinforcement learning using simple metrics of comfort as reward signals. Unfortunately, such indicators do not take into account individual preferences and other elements of human perception. This research explores an alternative (albeit closely related) paradigm called imitation learning. In the proposed architecture, machine learning models are trained with tabular data pertaining to environmental control activities of the real occupants of a residential unit. This eliminates the need for metrics that explicitly quantify human perception of comfort. Moreover, this article introduces the recently proposed deep attentive tabular neural network (TabNet) into smart home research by incorporating TabNet-based components within its overall framework. TabNet has consistently outperformed all other popular machine learning models in a variety of other application domains, including gradient boosting, which was previously considered ideal for learning from tabular data. The results obtained herein strongly suggest that TabNet is the best choice for smart home applications. Simulations conducted using the proposed architecture demonstrate its effectiveness in reproducing the activity patterns of the home unit’s actual occupants.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/13/5091comfort indexdeep tabular learningenvironmental controlimitation learningreinforcement learningPPV
spellingShingle Omar al-Ani
Sanjoy Das
Hongyu Wu
Imitation Learning with Deep Attentive Tabular Neural Networks for Environmental Prediction and Control in Smart Home
Energies
comfort index
deep tabular learning
environmental control
imitation learning
reinforcement learning
PPV
title Imitation Learning with Deep Attentive Tabular Neural Networks for Environmental Prediction and Control in Smart Home
title_full Imitation Learning with Deep Attentive Tabular Neural Networks for Environmental Prediction and Control in Smart Home
title_fullStr Imitation Learning with Deep Attentive Tabular Neural Networks for Environmental Prediction and Control in Smart Home
title_full_unstemmed Imitation Learning with Deep Attentive Tabular Neural Networks for Environmental Prediction and Control in Smart Home
title_short Imitation Learning with Deep Attentive Tabular Neural Networks for Environmental Prediction and Control in Smart Home
title_sort imitation learning with deep attentive tabular neural networks for environmental prediction and control in smart home
topic comfort index
deep tabular learning
environmental control
imitation learning
reinforcement learning
PPV
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/13/5091
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AT sanjoydas imitationlearningwithdeepattentivetabularneuralnetworksforenvironmentalpredictionandcontrolinsmarthome
AT hongyuwu imitationlearningwithdeepattentivetabularneuralnetworksforenvironmentalpredictionandcontrolinsmarthome