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In this work, we develop an open-source surgical simulation environment that includes a realistic model obtained by MRI-scanning a physical phantom, for the purpose of training and evaluating a Learning from Demonstration (LfD) algorithm for autonomous suturing. The LfD algorithm utilizes Dynamic Movement Primitives (DMP) and Locally Weighted Regression (LWR), but focuses on the needle trajectory, rather than the instruments, to obtain better generality with respect to needle grasps. We conduct a user study to collect multiple suturing demonstrations and perform a comprehensive analysis of the ability of the LfD algorithm to generalize from a demonstration at one location in one phantom to different locations in the same phantom and to a different phantom. Our results indicate good generalization, on the order of 91.5%, when learning from more experienced subjects, indicating the need to integrate skill assessment in the future. 

Over-the-air federated learning (OTA-FL) is a communicationeffective approach for achieving distributed learning tasks. In this paper, we aim to enhance OTA-FL by seamlessly combining sensing into the communication-computation integrated system. Our research reveals that the wireless waveform used to convey OTA-FL parameters possesses inherent properties that make it well-suited for sensing, thanks to its remarkable auto-correlation characteristics. By leveraging the OTA-FL learning statistics, i.e., means and variances of local gradients in each training round, the sensing results can be embedded therein without the need for additional time or frequency resources. Finally, by considering the imperfections of learning statistics that are neglected in the prior works, we end up with an optimized the transceiver design to maximize the OTA-FL performance. Simulations validate that the proposed method not only achieves outstanding sensing performance but also significantly lowers the learning error bound. 

Abstract SBND is the near detector of the Short-Baseline Neutrino program at Fermilab. Its location near to the Booster Neutrino Beam source and relatively large mass will allow the study of neutrino interactions on argon with unprecedented statistics. This paper describes the expected performance of the SBND photon detection system, using a simulated sample of beam neutrinos and cosmogenic particles. Its design is a dual readout concept combining a system of 120 photomultiplier tubes, used for triggering, with a system of 192 X-ARAPUCA devices, located behind the anode wire planes. Furthermore, covering the cathode plane with highly-reflective panels coated with a wavelength-shifting compound recovers part of the light emitted towards the cathode, where no optical detectors exist. We show how this new design provides a high light yield and a more uniform detection efficiency, an excellent timing resolution and an independent 3D-position reconstruction using only the scintillation light. Finally, the whole reconstruction chain is applied to recover the temporal structure of the beam spill, which is resolved with a resolution on the order of nanoseconds.