Today Google announced a new program of “Focused Research Awards” in four key areas of computer science.
Among the awards was a $1.5 million commitment to UW CSE professor Gaetano Borriello for his work involving the use of mobile phones as data collection devices for public health and environment monitoring.
In a separate initiative, Google has committed $1 million to support computer vision and computer graphics research in the UW CSE Graphics and Imaging Laboratory, led by… Read more →
“Smart Dust? Not Quite, but We’re Getting There”
A New York Times feature on sensor-based computing, featuring extensive commentary by UW CSE affiliate professor and Intel Labs Seattle engineer Josh Smith, as well as UW CSE collaborator and UCLA professor Deborah Estrin.
“… technology’s virtuous cycle of smaller, faster and cheaper has reached the point that experts say sensors may soon be powerful enough to be the equivalent of tiny computers. Some ambitious sensor research projects provide a glimpse of where things are headed …
“Microchip-equipped… Read more →
Intel Labs may help bring personal robots to your home… soon
“If you missed the Robotics Industry Forum presentation by UW CSE’s Dieter Fox (and Director of Intel Labs Seattle) last week, you missed what may have been the most humorous and provocative session of the week. He predicts that low-cost sensors will be commercially available in 2010 that will enable affordable robots that can operate in unstructured environments like your home and safely share space with humans.”
Fox also talked about the trend of algorithms replacing mechanics in robotics.
Read… Read more →
CSE’s Loren Carpenter, Tapan Parikh win UW College of Engineering “Diamond Awards”
The “Diamond Awards” recognize outstanding University of Washington College of Engineering alumni in five categories.
This year, UW CSE M.S. alumnus Loren Carpenter was recognized in the “Entrepreneurial Excellence” category. Anyone delighted by animated films such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Cars, or amazed, thrilled, or fascinated by Jurassic Park, Titanic, and The Matrix, can thank Loren Carpenter. This internationally recognized pioneer in computer graphics has exerted game-changing impact on the entire film industry and other digital media.
Also… Read more →
“Guiding lights: Yoky Matsuoka”
This month, KING-TV is spotlighting some extraordinary Northwest mentors making a real difference in the community. Evening Magazine profiles UW CSE’s Yoky Matsuoka.… Read more →
Infrastructure Sensing in IEEE Computer
UW CSE’s Shwetak Patel is developing a system to make it easier for individuals and companies monitor “home” activity by using strategically placed sensors on air, water, gas, and electrical infrastructure. Patel expects his approach, which he calls infrastructure-mediated sensing (IMS), to be more cost effective and less labor intensive than other activity-sensing platforms.
“IMS uses a single sensor in a strategic place to measure pressure signals in air vents and waterlines as well as electrical signals in power lines. … Read more →
“While current technology is deployed, UW researchers work on next-generation devices”
University Week reports on the work of UW CSE’s Shwetak Patel.
“Most of the technology that will be installed as part of the UW smart grid demonstration project is commercially available. But UW engineers developing the next generation of smart-grid technologies will use data from the pilot project to advance their research.
“UW CSE’s Shwetak Patel is developing easily installed devices that measure consumption in real time down to the level of a single outlet. The device uses electrical… Read more →
“We’re Number Seven!”
Kiplinger ranks the top values in public education. The University of Washington is #7. Read all about it here.… Read more →
Where the jobs are … Part II
UW CSE’s winter recruiting fair is a madhouse! More photographs here. See previous post here.… Read more →
And the Oscar goes to …
UW CSE Ph.D. alumni Brett Allen and Per Christensen each have been selected to receive Scientific and Technical Academy Awards (“Oscars”) from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Brett (Ph.D. 2005, advised by Brian Curless and Zoran Popovic) was part of a four-man team at San Francisco’s Industrial Light & Magic that won for the development of the Imocap, a way for capturing actors’ movements to create realistic computer-animated characters. Imocap uses sensor-studded suits and custom software to… Read more →