In recent years, deep learning has significantly reshaped numerous fields and applications, fundamentally altering how we tackle a variety of challenges. Areas such as natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, healthcare, network security, wide-area surveillance, and precision agriculture have leveraged the merits of the deep learning era. Particularly, deep learning has significantly improved the analysis of remote sensing images, with a continuous increase in the number of researchers and contributions to the field. The high impact of deep learning development is complemented by rapid advancements and the availability of data from a variety of sensors, including high-resolution RGB, thermal, LiDAR, and multi-/hyperspectral cameras, as well as emerging sensing platforms such as satellites and aerial vehicles that can be captured by multi-temporal, multi-sensor, and sensing devices with a wider view. This study aims to present an extensive survey that encapsulates widely used deep learning strategies for tackling image classification challenges in remote sensing. It encompasses an exploration of remote sensing imaging platforms, sensor varieties, practical applications, and prospective developments in the field.

The growth of wireless networks has been remarkable in the last few years. One of the main reasons for this growth is the massive use of portable and stand-alone devices with wireless network connectivity. These devices have become essential on the daily basis in consumer electronics. As the dependency on wireless networks has increased, the attacks against them over time have increased as well. To detect these attacks, a network intrusion detection system (NIDS) with high accuracy and low detection time is needed. In this work, we propose a machine learning (ML) based wireless network intrusion detection system (WNIDS) for Wi-Fi networks to efficiently detect attacks against them. The proposed WNIDS consists of two stages that work together in a sequence. An ML model is developed for each stage to classify the network records into normal or one of the specific attack classes. We train and validate the ML model for WNIDS using the publicly available Aegean Wi-Fi Intrusion Dataset (AWID). Several feature selection techniques have been considered to identify the best features set for the WNIDS. Our two-stage WNIDS achieves an accuracy of 99.42% for multi-class classification with a reduced set of features. A module for eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) is implemented as well to understand the influence of features on each type of network traffic records.

PurposeU-Net is a deep learning technique that has made significant contributions to medical image segmentation. Although the accomplishments of deep learning algorithms in terms of image processing are evident, many challenges still need to be overcome to achieve human-like performance. One of the main challenges in building deeper U-Nets is black-box problems, such as vanishing gradients. Overcoming this problem allows us to develop neural networks with advanced network designs.ApproachWe propose three U-Net variants, namely efficient R2U-Net, efficient dense U-Net, and efficient fractal U-Net, that can create highly accurate segmentation maps. The first part of our contribution makes use of EfficientNet to distribute resources in the network efficiently. The second part of our work applies the following layer connections to design the U-Net decoders: residual connections, dense connections, and fractal expansion. We apply EfficientNet as the encoder to our three decoders to design three conceivable models.ResultsThe aforementioned three proposed deep learning models were tested on four benchmark datasets, including the CHASE DB1 and digital retinal images for vessel extraction (DRIVE) retinal image databases and the ISIC 2018 and HAM10000 dermoscopy image databases. We obtained the highest Dice coefficient of 0.8013, 0.8808, 0.8019, and 0.9295 for CHASE DB1, ISIC 2018, DRIVE, and HAM10000, respectively, and a Jaccard (JAC) score of 0.6686, 0.7870, 0.6694, and 0.8683 for CHASE DB1, ISIC 2018, DRIVE, and HAM10000, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that the proposed deep learning models achieved better segmentation results compared with the state-of-the-art models.ConclusionsU-Net is quite an adaptable deep learning framework and can be integrated with other deep learning techniques. The use of recurrent feedback connections, dense convolution, residual skip connections, and fractal convolutional expansions allow for the design of improved deeper U-Net models. With the addition of EfficientNet, we can now leverage the performance of an optimally scaled classifier for U-Net encoders.

Purpose: Soil texture identification is vital for various agricultural and engineering applications but generally involves rigorous laboratory work, especially for estimating USCS (Unified Soil Classification System) soil texture classes. Soil texture influences soil water storage capacity, soil fertility, compaction characteristics, and soil strength. Soil spectroscopy offers a reliable approach that is non-destructive, rapid, and cost-effective to estimate several soil properties including texture. For engineering applications, the USCS soil texture classes are preferred, but very few studies have focussed on estimating USCS soil texture using soil spectroscopy or remote sensing data in general. Methods: Two large soil spectral libraries (SSLs), viz., Kellog Soil Spectral Library (KSSL) and Open-source Soil Spectral Library (OSSL), as well as three deep learning algorithms (VGG-16, ResNet-16, and Swin transformers), were used in this study to predict six USCS soil texture classes and three USCS soil texture groups. The USCS soil texture classes and groups were derived by grouping clay, sand, and silt fractions that are closely associated with the corresponding USCS soil texture classes. Results: The results indicate that the Swin transformer model performed the best with an accuracy of 67% for six USCS soil texture class predictions and 81% for three USCS soil texture group predictions. Cohen’s kappa value implies a moderate agreement (0.55) for soil texture class predictions and a substantial agreement (0.64) for soil texture group predictions. Conclusion: The proposed methodology offers a novel approach for USCS soil texture class predictions utilizing SSLs and deep learning techniques.

Vision Transformers (ViTs) have demonstrated strong performance in hyperspectral image (HSI) classification; however, their robustness is highly sensitive to patch size. This study investigates the impact of spatial patch size on clean accuracy and adversarial robustness using a standard ViT and a Channel Attention Fusion variant (ViT-CAF). Patch sizes from 1 × 1 to 19 × 19 are evaluated across four benchmark datasets under FGSM, BIM, CW, PGD, and RFGSM attacks. Descriptive results show that smaller patches, particularly 1 × 1 and 3 × 3, generally yield higher adversarial accuracy, while larger patches amplify localized perturbations and degrade robustness. Parameter analysis indicates that patch-size-dependent variations arise mainly from the embedding layer, with the Transformer backbone remaining fixed, confirming that robustness differences are driven primarily by spatial context rather than model capacity. These findings reveal a trade-off between spatial granularity and adversarial resilience and provide guidance for patch size selection in ViT-based HSI applications.