Shree K. Nayar
Encyclopedia
Shree K. Nayar is an engineer and computer scientist known for his work in the fields of computer vision
, computer graphics
and computational cameras. He is the T. C. Chang Professor of the Computer Science Department at Columbia University
. Nayar co-directs the Columbia Vision and Graphics Center and is the head of the Computer Vision Laboratory (CAVE), which develops advanced computer vision systems. In February 2008, he was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering
.
in Mesra, India
in 1984, and an M.S. in electrical and computer engineering from North Carolina State University
in Raleigh in 1986. He received a Ph.D in electrical and computer engineering from The Robotics Institute
of Carnegie Mellon University
in Pittsburgh in 1991.
Nayar worked as a research engineer for Taylor Instruments in 1984. From 1986 to 1990 he was a graduate research assistant at The Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University
. In the summer of 1989, he was a visiting researcher at Hitachi Ltd. in Yokohama
, Japan
. He joined the faculty of the Computer Science Department at Columbia University
in 1991, and in 2009 he became chair of the department.
. His inventions include cameras that can capture 360 degree, high dynamic range, and three-dimensional images. In 2009, he created the Bigshot Camera
, a kid-friendly digital camera designed for education. He also developed the Oren–Nayar Reflectance Model
in collaboration with Michael Oren. As of 2009, he has published over 200 scientific publications and holds over 30 patents on inventions related to imaging, computer vision and robotics.
Computer vision
Computer vision is a field that includes methods for acquiring, processing, analysing, and understanding images and, in general, high-dimensional data from the real world in order to produce numerical or symbolic information, e.g., in the forms of decisions...
, computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
and computational cameras. He is the T. C. Chang Professor of the Computer Science Department at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Nayar co-directs the Columbia Vision and Graphics Center and is the head of the Computer Vision Laboratory (CAVE), which develops advanced computer vision systems. In February 2008, he was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
.
Education and career
Nayar received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Birla Institute of TechnologyBirla Institute of Technology
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra , is an autonomous engineering and technology oriented institute of higher education located in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India...
in Mesra, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1984, and an M.S. in electrical and computer engineering from North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
in Raleigh in 1986. He received a Ph.D in electrical and computer engineering from The Robotics Institute
Robotics Institute
The Robotics Institute is a division of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is considered to be one of the leading centers of robotics research in the world....
of Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in Pittsburgh in 1991.
Nayar worked as a research engineer for Taylor Instruments in 1984. From 1986 to 1990 he was a graduate research assistant at The Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
. In the summer of 1989, he was a visiting researcher at Hitachi Ltd. in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He joined the faculty of the Computer Science Department at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1991, and in 2009 he became chair of the department.
Research
Nayar's research is in the field of computer vision and focuses on the creation of novel cameras, physics based models for vision, and algorithms for image understanding. His work is motivated by applications in the fields of machine vision, computer graphics, robotics, and digital imaging. Nayar developed the concept of computational cameras and is a leading researcher in the field of computational photographyComputational photography
Computational imaging refers to any image formation method that involves a digital computer. Computational photography refers broadly to computational imaging techniques that enhance or extend the capabilities ofdigital photography...
. His inventions include cameras that can capture 360 degree, high dynamic range, and three-dimensional images. In 2009, he created the Bigshot Camera
Bigshot (Camera for Education)
Bigshot is a digital camera designed by Shree K. Nayar at Columbia University's for the purpose of education. It is currently in the prototype phase.-History/Inspiration:...
, a kid-friendly digital camera designed for education. He also developed the Oren–Nayar Reflectance Model
Oren–Nayar Reflectance Model
The Oren-Nayar reflectance model, developed by Michael Oren and Shree K. Nayar, is a reflectance model for diffuse reflection from rough surfaces...
in collaboration with Michael Oren. As of 2009, he has published over 200 scientific publications and holds over 30 patents on inventions related to imaging, computer vision and robotics.
Recognition
Nayar has received several best paper awards for his scientific publications. For his achievements, he has received the following honors:- Elected to the American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesThe American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
, 2011 - Alumni Achievement Award, Carnegie Mellon University, 2009
- Elected to the National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
, 2008 - Great Teacher Award, Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, 2006 - Keck Engineering Teaching Excellence Award, 1995
- NTT Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award, 1994
- Fellow of the David and Lucile Packard FoundationDavid and Lucile Packard FoundationThe David and Lucile Packard Foundation is a private foundation that provides grants to not-for-profit organizations. It was created in 1964 by David Packard and his wife Lucile Salter Packard. Following David Packard's death in 1996, the Foundation became the beneficiary of part of his estate...
, 1992 - National Young Investigator Award, National Science FoundationNational Science FoundationThe National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, 1991 - David Marr PrizeMarr PrizeThe Marr Prize is a prestigious award in computer vision given by the committee of the International Conference on Computer Vision. Named after David Marr, the Marr Prize is considered one of the top honors for a computer vision researcher....
, International Conference on Computer Vision, 1990, 1995