research
Academic papers, presentations, and technical proposals.
2025
- Batch Prediction Framework: Long Context and Context Caching for Video AnalysisSean BrarApr 2025
This proposal outlines an efficient and scalable framework for analyzing educational video content using the Gemini API. The approach combines advanced techniques including optimized batch prediction, intelligent context caching, and conversational memory to reduce API usage significantly while improving coherence in multimodal interactions. Inspired by my previous development of ContextRAG, a retrieval-augmented generation system employing adaptive processing strategies, this architecture specifically addresses common limitations encountered when managing extensive and complex video inputs. By integrating these strategies into a cohesive system, the proposal provides both a practical tool for video analysis and a comprehensive demonstration of Gemini API best practices for developers.
2022
- An Analysis of Authoritarianism Concerning American and Chinese COVID-19 ResponseSean BrarMay 2022
This essay examines the COVID-19 responses of the United States and China through the lens of authoritarianism. Drawing on scholarly literature on democratic backsliding and authoritarian governance, it analyzes how both countries implemented authoritarian measures to combat the pandemic, though with different implications for their political futures. While China’s "virus exceptionalism" approach, including the Health Code surveillance app and draconian lockdowns, appears to strengthen the government’s authoritarian control, the United States’ response, despite containing authoritarian elements like business closures and vaccine mandates, has not significantly undermined American democracy. The paper argues that nearly all emergency policies contain authoritarian elements, but their long-term impact depends on whether governments relinquish these powers after the crisis subsides. The research highlights how the pandemic has accelerated existing political trends, potentially reinforcing China’s networked authoritarianism while not fundamentally altering America’s democratic institutions, despite concerns about government overreach.