Japanese Takeo Kanade wins the Frontiers award for giving robots the sense of sight

The Japanese researcher Takeo Kanade has been awarded the Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Information and Communication Technologies category for his contribution to the development of mathematical foundations that have driven artificial vision and robot perception. This is the 16th edition of these awards held by the BBVA Foundation, in which the contributions of various academics in the field of scientific studies, technology, humanities and artistic creation are recognized. The prize is worth 400,000 euros.

Kanade, professor of Computer Science and Robotics at the Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburgh (United States), has been recognized for creating fundamental algorithms that have allowed computers and robots to understand and interpret images and visual scenes, revolutionizing technologies such as robotic surgery, autonomous driving and facial recognition. His research has achieved “solutions for a multitude of practical problems” such as the detection of objects in a visual field and 3D reconstruction of scenes, which “have made key technologies possible and revolutionized sports broadcasting,” the jury highlights in its ruling.

Over four decades, Kanade has been a pioneer in the scientific study of artificial vision, developing algorithms “that have significantly transformed the technological world in which we live,” highlights the jury. His innovative approach to robotic perception, he adds, has been instrumental in advancing the connection between perception and action in robots, being a catalyst for the development of artificial intelligence and robotics.

Among his notable contributions is the Lucas-Kanade method for estimating optical flow in images, as well as techniques to simplify three-dimensional image processing. In the words of the jury, these techniques have been “fundamental” for applications such as autonomous driving, drone guidance and 360-degree recreation of sports scenes.

In the field of robotic surgery, Kanade's contributions have resulted in the creation of systems such as HipNav, used to improve precision in hip replacement surgeries. The winner explained that his vision of the future “includes technologies to improve the quality of life, such as robots and devices to help elderly or disabled people live independently”, as well as virtual reality applications for immersive experiences at cultural events. and coordination of responses to natural disasters.

Kanade has also taken advantage of the forum to express his concern about “the possible malicious use of some technologies developed from his research,” such as fake videos (deepfakes). However, he said, he is confident that technology will make it possible to detect and prevent misuse of these applications.

Takeo Kanade, born in Japan in 1945, earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Kyoto University and joined Carnegie Mellon University in 1980, where he has spent most of his career. He holds more than 20 patents and has been an advisor to institutions such as NASA.

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