Gabor Lugosi

Luc Devroye

Density estimation has evolved enormously since the days of bar plots and histograms, but researchers and users are still struggling with the problem of the selection of the bin widths. This text explores a new paradigm for the data-based or automatic selection of the free parameters of density estimates in general so that the expected error is within a given constant multiple of the best possible error. The paradigm can be used in nearly all density estimates and for most model selection problems, both parametric and nonparametric. It is the first book on this topic. The text is intended for first-year graduate students in statistics and learning theory, and offers a host of opportunities for further research and thesis topics. Each chapter corresponds roughly to one lecture, and is supplemented with many classroom exercises. A one year course in probability theory at the level of Feller's Volume 1 should be more than adequate preparation. Gabor Lugosi is Professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, and Luc Debroye is Professor at McGill University in Montreal. In 1996, the authors, together with Lászlo Györfi, published the successful text, A Probabilistic Theory of Pattern Recognition with Springer-Verlag. Both authors have made many contributions in the area of nonparametric estimation.

Combinatorial Methods in Density Estimation

Thls text ls about one small fteld on the crossroads of statlstlcs, operatlons research and computer sclence. Statistleians need random number generators to test and compare estlmators before uslng them ln real l fe. In operatlons research, random numbers are a key component ln arge scale slmulatlons. Computer sclen tlsts need randomness ln program testlng, game playlng and comparlsons of algo rlthms. The appl catlons are wlde and varled. Yet all depend upon the same com puter generated random numbers. Usually, the randomness demanded by an appl catlon has some bullt-ln structure: typlcally, one needs more than just a sequence of Independent random blts or Independent uniform 0,1] random vari ables. Some users need random variables wlth unusual densltles, or random com blnatorlal objects wlth speclftc propertles, or random geometrlc objects, or ran dom processes wlth weil deftned dependence structures. Thls ls preclsely the sub ject area of the book, the study of non-uniform random varlates. The plot evolves around the expected complexlty of random varlate genera tlon algorlthms. We set up an ldeal zed computatlonal model (wlthout overdolng lt), we lntroduce the notlon of unlformly bounded expected complexlty, and we study upper and lower bounds for computatlonal complexlty. In short, a touch of computer sclence ls added to the fteld. To keep everythlng abstract, no tlmlngs or computer programs are lncluded. Thls was a Iabor of Iove. George Marsagl a created CS690, a course on ran dom number generat on at the School of Computer Sclence of McG ll Unlverslty."

Non-Uniform Random Variate Generation

Gérard Biau

This text presents a wide-ranging and rigorous overview of nearest neighbor methods, one of the most important paradigms in machine learning. Now in one self-contained volume, this book systematically covers key statistical, probabilistic, combinatorial and geometric ideas for understanding, analyzing and developing nearest neighbor methods. Gérard Biau is a professor at Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris). Luc Devroye is a professor at the School of Computer Science at McGill University (Montreal).

Lectures on the Nearest Neighbor Method

Michael Kohler

Bülent Karasözen

Ralf Korn

This book is devoted to Professor Jürgen Lehn, who passed away on September 29, 2008, at the age of 67. It contains invited papers that were presented at the Wo- shop on Recent Developments in Applied Probability and Statistics Dedicated to the Memory of Professor Jürgen Lehn, Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, April 23–24, 2009, which was jointly organized by the Technische Univ- sität Darmstadt (TUD) and METU. The papers present surveys on recent devel- ments in the area of applied probability and statistics. In addition, papers from the Panel Discussion: Impact of Mathematics in Science, Technology and Economics are included. Jürgen Lehn was born on the 28th of April, 1941 in Karlsruhe. From 1961 to 1968 he studied mathematics in Freiburg and Karlsruhe, and obtained a Diploma in Mathematics from the University of Karlsruhe in 1968. He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Regensburg in 1972, and his Habilitation at the University of Karlsruhe in 1978. Later in 1978, he became a C3 level professor of Mathematical Statistics at the University of Marburg. In 1980 he was promoted to a C4 level professorship in mathematics at the TUD where he was a researcher until his death.

Dedicated to the Memory of Jürgen Lehn

Recent Developments in Applied Probability and Statistics

Laszlo Györfi

A self-contained and coherent account of probabilistic techniques, covering: distance measures, kernel rules, nearest neighbour rules, Vapnik-Chervonenkis theory, parametric classification, and feature extraction. Each chapter concludes with problems and exercises to further the readers understanding. Both research workers and graduate students will benefit from this wide-ranging and up-to-date account of a fast- moving field.

Luc Devroye

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