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Zhiyu Zhou

Publications and source records attributed to Zhiyu Zhou.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PinpointQA: A Benchmark for Small Object-Centric Spatial Understanding in Indoor Videos

Reliable embodied interaction in indoor environments requires agents to precisely localize small everyday objects from visual observations. Yet this fundamental capability remains challenging for multimodal large language models (MLLMs), particularly when spatial understanding must be performed from indoor videos. Existing benchmarks study video spatial intelligence and embodied reasoning, but do not directly evaluate whether a model can localize a small target object and express its position with sufficient precision. We introduce PinpointQA, a benchmark built from ScanNet++ and ScanNet200. It contains 1,024 scenes and 10,094 QA pairs across four progressively challenging tasks: Target Presence Verification, Nearest Reference Identification, Fine-Grained Spatial Description, and Structured Spatial Prediction. Ground-truth annotations are constructed from intermediate spatial representations derived from aligned 3D geometry and instance-level annotations, while evaluated models receive only sampled RGB video frames. Evaluations of representative MLLMs reveal a consistent performance decline across the task progression, with structured spatial prediction remaining particularly challenging, while supervised fine-tuning substantially improves performance. By isolating the spatial grounding capabilities that precede downstream embodied interaction, PinpointQA serves as both a diagnostic benchmark and an effective training resource. The project page is available at https://rainchowz.github.io/PinpointQA/.

cs.CV

RetroHolmes: When Semantic Plausibility Fails Retrospective Physical Process Reasoning

Humans can infer hidden physical processes from sparse observations, yet current evaluation protocols for Vision Language Models fail to assess whether such physical reasoning is genuinely captured. To address this gap, we introduce Retrospective Physical Process Reasoning, a new evaluation paradigm to reason backward from outcomes under explicit physical constraints. Building on the paradigm, we present RetroHolmes, the first real-world benchmark for Retrospective Physical Process Reasoning, comprising object-centric image pairs annotated with reachability labels and causal step sequences across diverse physical transitions. Using RetroHolmes, we analyze state of the art Vision Language Models and uncover systematic failure modes, including judgment bias in reachability assessment and belief dominance over physical evidence, mirroring sycophancy behavior observed in large language models. We further demonstrate a simple analysis-by-synthesis instantiation with visual simulation as an intermediate step, validating the diagnostic value of RetroHolmes and highlighting the importance of physically grounded intermediate representations for physical reasoning.

cs.MM

Attribute-Grounded Selective Reasoning for Artwork Emotion Understanding with Multimodal Large Language Models

Multimodal large language models (MLLMs) can produce fluent artwork emotion explanations, but they often suffer from attribute flooding: they enumerate many visible formal attributes without identifying which cues actually support the affective judgment. We therefore formulate artwork emotion understanding as Attribute-Grounded Selective Reasoning (AGSR), where predefined formal attributes serve as evidence units and only emotionally operative attributes should enter the final interpretation. To make this problem measurable, we extend EmoArt, originally introduced at ACM MM 2025 as a 132,664-artwork resource with content, formal-attribute, valence-arousal, and emotion annotations, by adding a 1,400-artwork human salience extension annotated by 15 art-trained annotators. This extension provides instance-level supervision for distinguishing attributes that are merely present from those that are emotionally salient. We further propose FAB-G (Formal-Attribute Bottleneck-Guided reasoning), a supervised multi-agent framework that first predicts attribute-level salience and then constrains downstream emotional analysis to the retained cues. Experiments show that FAB-G yields consistent gains in emotion, arousal, and valence prediction, achieves stronger agreement with human-marked salient attributes under Dice and Tversky metrics, and produces substantially more compact final explanations than prompting-based baselines. Cross-dataset evaluation further suggests that attribute-grounded salience selection transfers beyond the source distribution of EmoArt, while also revealing attribute-specific boundary cases. The dataset and project page are available at https://zhiliangzhang.github.io/EmoArt-130k/

cs.CV

MindPower: Enabling Theory-of-Mind Reasoning in VLM-based Embodied Agents

Theory of Mind (ToM) refers to the ability to infer others' mental states, such as beliefs, desires, and intentions. Current vision-language embodied agents lack ToM-based decision-making, and existing benchmarks focus solely on human mental states while ignoring the agent's own perspective, hindering coherent decision and action generation. To address this, we propose MindPower, a Robot-Centric framework integrating Perception, Mental Reasoning, Decision Making and Action. Given multimodal inputs, MindPower first perceives the environment and human states, then performs ToM Reasoning to model both self and others, and finally generates decisions and actions guided by inferred mental states. Furthermore, we introduce Mind-Reward, a novel optimization objective that encourages VLMs to produce consistent ToM Reasoning and behavior. Our model outperforms GPT-4o by 12.77% in decision making and 12.49% in action generation.

cs.AI

ProtO-RU: An O-RAN Split-7.2 Radio Unit using SDRs

We present ProtO-RU, the first open source, software-defined O-RAN Split-7.2 Radio Unit built using SDRs and commodity CPUs. Unlike proprietary hardware-based commercial O-RUs, ProtO-RU is built on the open-source srsRAN software stack, and it is fully programmable. We demonstrate that ProtO-RU integrates with the srsRAN and OpenAirInterface5G CU/DU stacks, supports both TDD and FDD duplexing modes, and interoperates with commercial 5G UEs. Our evaluation shows that ProtO-RU remains stable under sustained load with multiple UEs and delivers throughput comparable to Split-8 and commercial O-RUs. ProtO-RU opens up new opportunities for RU-level innovations and lowers the barrier of entry for end-to-end O-RAN research.

cs.NI

Design, synthesis, and physical properties of the intergrowth compound Eu$_2$CuZn$_2$As$_3$

The rational combination of existing magnetic topological compounds presents a promising route for designing new topological materials. We report the synthesis and comprehensive characterization of the layered quaternary intergrowth compound Eu$_2$CuZn$_2$As$_3$, which combines structural units of two known magnetic topological materials, EuCuAs and EuZn$_2$As$_2$. Eu$_2$CuZn$_2$As$_3$ exhibits an antiferromagnetic ground state with successive magnetic transitions: quasi-two-dimensional ordering at $T_\mathrm{M} = 29.3$\,K, long-range antiferromagnetic ordering at $T_\mathrm{N} = 19$\,K, and spin-reorientation at $T_\mathrm{SR} = 16.3$\,K. The stepwise magnetic transitions manifest as plateau-like anomalies in the heat capacity. These transitions originate from multiple superexchange pathways and periodic variation of interplane Eu-Eu distances in the intergrowth structure. Charge transport shows a pronounced resistivity increase above $T_\mathrm{N}$ followed by minimal change below the ordering temperature. Magnetic fields rapidly suppress this resistivity rise, yielding significant negative magnetoresistance. Remarkably, Eu$_2$CuZn$_2$As$_3$ inherits the nonlinear anomalous Hall effect characteristic of its parent compounds. Energy evaluations of collinear spin configurations reveal a lowest-energy state with ferromagnetic coupling between Eu planes in EuCuAs units while maintaining antiferromagnetic coupling within EuZn$_2$As$_2$ units. The corresponding electronic structure displays potentially topologically nontrivial features. Our work demonstrates the efficacy of structural hybridization for discovering novel magnetic topological materials and establishes a general strategy for materials discovery.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Interplay of magnetic ordering and charge transport in a distorted ScAl$_3$C$_3$-type GdZn$_3$As$_3$

We present the synthesis and characterization of GdZn$_3$As$_3$, a previously unreported variant of the $RM_3X_3$ family ($R$ = lanthanides; $M$ = Zn, Cd; $X$ = P, As), prepared in both single-crystal and polycrystalline forms. Unlike other $RM_3X_3$ compounds that crystallize in undistorted hexagonal structures, GdZn$_3$As$_3$ adopts a distorted ScAl$_3$C$_3$-type orthorhombic structure with $Cmcm$ space group. Magnetic measurements demonstrate that GdZn$_3$As$_3$ undergoes a ferromagnetic transition at the Curie temperature ($T_{\mathrm{C}}$) of 6.3~K, which is unique among known $RM_3X_3$ materials. This magnetic transition is further confirmed by specific heat and electrical resistivity measurements. GdZn$_3$As$_3$ displays metallic behavior with a pronounced resistivity peak near $T_{\mathrm{C}}$, which is strongly suppressed by magnetic fields, leading to significant negative magnetoresistance. Hall effect measurements reveal a low carrier density and a clear nonlinear anomalous Hall effect in GdZn$_3$As$_3$. Furthermore, both specific heat and resistivity data suggest the presence of additional magnetic transition(s) below $T_{\mathrm{C}}$, requiring further investigation. These results demonstrate that GdZn$_3$As$_3$ possesses distinct structural, magnetic, and electronic transport properties within the $RM_3X_3$ family, establishing it as an exceptional platform for investigating competing magnetic interactions in low-carrier-density rare-earth triangular-lattice systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Structural design and multiple magnetic orderings of the intergrowth compound Eu$_2$CuMn$_2$P$_3$

We report the design, synthesis, crystal structure, and physical properties of a layered intergrowth compound, Eu$_2$CuMn$_2$P$_3$. The structure of Eu$_2$CuMn$_2$P$_3$ features an alternating arrangement of hexagonal EuCuP block layers and trigonal EuMn$_2$P$_2$ block layers, interconnected through shared Eu planes. This structural hybridization leads to multiple magnetic orderings in Eu$_2$CuMn$_2$P$_3$: weak antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of Mn at $T_\mathrm{N}^\mathrm{Mn}$ = 80 K, AFM ordering of Eu at $T_\mathrm{N}^\mathrm{Eu}$ = 29 K, a spin-reorientation transition at $T_\mathrm{SR}$ = 14.5 K, and weak ferromagnetism below $T_\mathrm{N}^\mathrm{Mn}$. The spin configurations at different temperature regions were discussed based on the calculations of magnetic energies for various collinear arrangements. Resistivity measurements reveal a pronounced transition peak at $T_\mathrm{N}^\mathrm{Eu}$, which is suppressed in the presence of a magnetic field, resulting in a significant negative magnetoresistance effect. The computed semimetallic band structure, characterized by a small density of states at the Fermi level, aligns well with experimental observations. The successful synthesis of Eu$_2$CuMn$_2$P$_3$ and its fascinating magnetic properties highlight the effectiveness of our block-layer design strategy. By assembling magnetic block layers of compounds with compatible crystal symmetries and closely matched lattice parameters, this approach opens exciting avenues for discovering layered materials with unique magnetic behaviors.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Unusual magnetic and transport properties in the Zintl phase Eu$_{11}$Zn$_6$As$_{12}$

Narrow-gap rare-earth Zintl phases frequently exhibit fascinating physical phenomena due to their various crystal structures, complex magnetic properties, and tunable transport behaviors. Here we report the synthesis, magnetic, thermodynamic, and transport properties of a Eu-containing Zintl arsenide, Eu$_{11}$Zn$_6$As$_{12}$, which consists of infinite chains of Eu cations and anionic frameworks constructed from corner-sharing ZnAs$_4$ tetrahedra. Eu$_{11}$Zn$_6$As$_{12}$ exhibits complicated magnetic behavior owing to intricate exchange interactions mediated by the discrete anionic fragments. Two long-range magnetic transitions at 22 K ($T_\mathrm{N}$) and 9 K ($T^*$), as well as exceptionally strong ferromagnetic fluctuations around 29 K ($T_\mathrm{F}$), are indicated by the susceptibility, heat capacity and resistivity measurements. Besides, Eu$_{11}$Zn$_6$As$_{12}$ displays metallic behavior, attributable to the hole carriers doped by slight Eu vacancies or the mixed valence of Eu$^{2+}$ and Eu$^{3+}$. A prominent resistivity peak occurs around $T_\mathrm{N}$, which is rapidly suppressed by the applied field, leading to a prominent negative magnetoresistance effect. A resistivity hysteresis is observed below 5 K, caused by a small net ferromagnetic component. Our study presents the distinct magnetic and transport properties of Eu$_{11}$Zn$_6$As$_{12}$, and further experiments are required to elucidate the origin of these novel behaviors. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that Eu-based Zintl phases are a fertile ground to study the interplay between magnetism and charge transport.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Manipulating magnetism and transport properties of EuCd$_2$P$_2$ with a low carrier concentration

Materials that exhibit strongly coupled magnetic order and electronic properties are crucial for both fundamental research and technological applications. However, finding a material that not only shows remarkable magnetoresistive responses but also has an easily tunable ground state remains a challenge. Here, we report successful manipulation of the magnetic and transport properties of EuCd$_2$P$_2$, which is transformed from an A-type antiferromagnet ($T_\mathrm{N}$ = 11 K) exhibiting colossal magnetoresistance into a ferromagnet ($T_\mathrm{C}$ = 47 K) with metallic behavior. The dramatic alteration results from a low hole concentration of $10^{19}$ cm$^{-3}$ induced by changing the growth conditions. Electronic structure and total energy calculations confirm the tunability of magnetism with a small carrier concentration for EuCd$_2$P$_2$. It is feasible to switch between the magnetic states by using field-effect to control the carrier density, thereby changing the magneto-electronic response. The controllable magnetism and electrical transport of EuCd$_2$P$_2$ make it a potential candidate for spintronics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Carrier-induced transition from antiferromagnetic insulator to ferromagnetic metal in the layered phosphide EuZn$_2$P$_2$

EuZn$_2$P$_2$ was reported to be an insulating antiferromagnet with $T_\mathrm{N}$ of 23.5 K. In this study, single crystals of EuZn$_2$P$_2$ exhibiting metallic behavior and a ferromagnetic order of 72 K ($T_\mathrm{C}$) are successfully synthesized via a salt flux method. The presence of hole carriers induced by the Eu vacancies in the lattice is found to be crucial for the drastic changes in magnetism and electrical transport. The carriers mediate the interlayer ferromagnetic interaction, and the coupling strength is directly related to $T_\mathrm{C}$, as evidenced by the linear dependence of $T_\mathrm{C}$ and the fitted Curie-Weiss temperatures on the Eu-layer distances for ferromagnetic Eu$M_2X_2$ ($M$ = Zn, Cd; $X$ = P, As). The ferromagnetic EuZn$_2$P$_2$ shows conspicuous negative magnetoresistance (MR) near $T_\mathrm{C}$, owing to strong magnetic scattering. The MR behavior is consistent with the Majumdar-Littlewood model, indicating that the MR can be enhanced by decreasing the carrier density. Our findings suggest that Eu$M_2X_2$ has highly tunable magnetism and charge transport, making it a promising material family for potential applications in spintronics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci