Improving Change Point Detection Using Self-Supervised VAEs : A Study on Distance Metrics and Hyperparameters in Time Series Analysis

Abstract: This thesis addresses the optimization of the Variational Autoencoder-based Change Point Detection (VAE-CP) approach in time series analysis, a vital component in data-driven decision making. We evaluate the impact of various distance metrics and hyperparameters on the model’s performance using a systematic exploration and robustness testing on diverse real-world datasets. Findings show that the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) distance metric significantly enhances the quality of the extracted latent variable space and improves change point detection. The research underscores the potential of the VAE-CP approach for more effective and robust handling of complex time series data, advancing the capabilities of change point detection techniques.