#PHD Projects in Digital Image Processing

[jcmarchi]

Breakthrough to Circular and Emission-Free Building - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/breakthrough-to-circular-and-emission-free-building-technology-org/

Breakthrough to Circular and Emission-Free Building - Technology Org

The building industry faces enormous challenges. By 2050, the built environment must not only be emission-free, but also circular.

Within the NWA programme titled ‘Transition to a circular and emission-free building industry’, UT is contributing to research to facilitate the transition required to meet these challenges. UT researcher Marc van den Berg (Faculty of Engineering Technology) and colleagues are focusing on the digital aspects of supporting material reuse and recycling processes as part of this research.

Building – illustrative photo. Image credit: Pixabay (Free Pixabay license)

Renovation projects are complex challenges characterised by intensive decision-making and organisational activities. Such projects connect a variety of otherwise fragmented disciplines, including designers, builders and demolition companies.

Crucial for fostering more circular renovation practices with lower emissions is the availability of information on reusable materials and design strategies which factor in the preservation of existing value.

Collaborative, Digitised and Integral Processes to Achieve Circular and Emission-Free Renovation (PACER)

The PACER (Collaborative, Digitised and Integral Processes to Achieve Circular and Emission-Free Renovation) project, in which UT is represented, aims to provide collaborative, digitised, integral processes, tools, and legal and economic frameworks to achieve circular and emission-free renovation practices.

Dutch Research Agenda (NWA)

This programme of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) focuses on existing buildings and invites interdisciplinary consortia to investigate how buildings can be renovated in a circular and emission-free manner by studying a concrete case at the street or neighbourhood level. Societal and technical perspectives of circular and emission-free construction are jointly included.

Transition of the construction sector

The aim of the thematic NWA programme titled ‘Transition to a circular and emission-free building industry’ is to achieve breakthroughs and develop action perspectives that contribute to the transition of the building industry, primarily in relation to renovation projects. The NWA programme is organised in association with the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, NWO and the Taskforce for Applied Research SIA.

Within the NWA programme, two broad multidisciplinary consortia will spend the next five years carrying out research to advance the transition to circular and emission-free building, with significant involvement of professional experts in the sector. The total funding awarded under the programme is approximately €2,865,000.

Read also the press release accompanying Marc van den Berg’s PhD research titled: ‘UT provides tools for circular demolition and design of buildings (utwente.nl)’

Source: University of Twente

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[sunaleisocial]

Have a damaged painting? Restore it in just hours with an AI-generated “mask”

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/have-a-damaged-painting-restore-it-in-just-hours-with-an-ai-generated-mask/

Have a damaged painting? Restore it in just hours with an AI-generated “mask”

Art restoration takes steady hands and a discerning eye. For centuries, conservators have restored paintings by identifying areas needing repair, then mixing an exact shade to fill in one area at a time. Often, a painting can have thousands of tiny regions requiring individual attention. Restoring a single painting can take anywhere from a few weeks to over a decade.

In recent years, digital restoration tools have opened a route to creating virtual representations of original, restored works. These tools apply techniques of computer vision, image recognition, and color matching, to generate a “digitally restored” version of a painting relatively quickly.

Still, there has been no way to translate digital restorations directly onto an original work, until now. In a paper appearing today in the journal Nature, Alex Kachkine, a mechanical engineering graduate student at MIT, presents a new method he’s developed to physically apply a digital restoration directly onto an original painting.

The restoration is printed on a very thin polymer film, in the form of a mask that can be aligned and adhered to an original painting. It can also be easily removed. Kachkine says that a digital file of the mask can be stored and referred to by future conservators, to see exactly what changes were made to restore the original painting.

“Because there’s a digital record of what mask was used, in 100 years, the next time someone is working with this, they’ll have an extremely clear understanding of what was done to the painting,” Kachkine says. “And that’s never really been possible in conservation before.”

As a demonstration, he applied the method to a highly damaged 15th century oil painting. The method automatically identified 5,612 separate regions in need of repair, and filled in these regions using 57,314 different colors. The entire process, from start to finish, took 3.5 hours, which he estimates is about 66 times faster than traditional restoration methods.

Kachkine acknowledges that, as with any restoration project, there are ethical issues to consider, in terms of whether a restored version is an appropriate representation of an artist’s original style and intent. Any application of his new method, he says, should be done in consultation with conservators with knowledge of a painting’s history and origins.

“There is a lot of damaged art in storage that might never be seen,” Kachkine says. “Hopefully with this new method, there’s a chance we’ll see more art, which I would be delighted by.”

Digital connections

The new restoration process started as a side project. In 2021, as Kachkine made his way to MIT to start his PhD program in mechanical engineering, he drove up the East Coast and made a point to visit as many art galleries as he could along the way.

“I’ve been into art for a very long time now, since I was a kid,” says Kachkine, who restores paintings as a hobby, using traditional hand-painting techniques. As he toured galleries, he came to realize that the art on the walls is only a fraction of the works that galleries hold. Much of the art that galleries acquire is stored away because the works are aged or damaged, and take time to properly restore.

“Restoring a painting is fun, and it’s great to sit down and infill things and have a nice evening,” Kachkine says. “But that’s a very slow process.”

As he has learned, digital tools can significantly speed up the restoration process. Researchers have developed artificial intelligence algorithms that quickly comb through huge amounts of data. The algorithms learn connections within this visual data, which they apply to generate a digitally restored version of a particular painting, in a way that closely resembles the style of an artist or time period. However, such digital restorations are usually displayed virtually or printed as stand-alone works and cannot be directly applied to retouch original art.

“All this made me think: If we could just restore a painting digitally, and effect the results physically, that would resolve a lot of pain points and drawbacks of a conventional manual process,” Kachkine says.

“Align and restore”

For the new study, Kachkine developed a method to physically apply a digital restoration onto an original painting, using a 15th-century painting that he acquired when he first came to MIT. His new method involves first using traditional techniques to clean a painting and remove any past restoration efforts.

“This painting is almost 600 years old and has gone through conservation many times,” he says. “In this case there was a fair amount of overpainting, all of which has to be cleaned off to see what’s actually there to begin with.”

He scanned the cleaned painting, including the many regions where paint had faded or cracked. He then used existing artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze the scan and create a virtual version of what the painting likely looked like in its original state.

Then, Kachkine developed software that creates a map of regions on the original painting that require infilling, along with the exact colors needed to match the digitally restored version. This map is then translated into a physical, two-layer mask that is printed onto thin polymer-based films. The first layer is printed in color, while the second layer is printed in the exact same pattern, but in white.

“In order to fully reproduce color, you need both white and color ink to get the full spectrum,” Kachkine explains. “If those two layers are misaligned, that’s very easy to see. So I also developed a few computational tools, based on what we know of human color perception, to determine how small of a region we can practically align and restore.”

Kachkine used high-fidelity commercial inkjets to print the mask’s two layers, which he carefully aligned and overlaid by hand onto the original painting and adhered with a thin spray of conventional varnish. The printed films are made from materials that can be easily dissolved with conservation-grade solutions, in case conservators need to reveal the original, damaged work. The digital file of the mask can also be saved as a detailed record of what was restored.

For the painting that Kachkine used, the method was able to fill in thousands of losses in just a few hours. “A few years ago, I was restoring this baroque Italian painting with probably the same order magnitude of losses, and it took me nine months of part-time work,” he recalls. “The more losses there are, the better this method is.”

He estimates that the new method can be orders of magnitude faster than traditional, hand-painted approaches. If the method is adopted widely, he emphasizes that conservators should be involved at every step in the process, to ensure that the final work is in keeping with an artist’s style and intent.

“It will take a lot of deliberation about the ethical challenges involved at every stage in this process to see how can this be applied in a way that’s most consistent with conservation principles,” he says. “We’re setting up a framework for developing further methods. As others work on this, we’ll end up with methods that are more precise.”

This work was supported, in part, by the John O. and Katherine A. Lutz Memorial Fund. The research was carried out, in part, through the use of equipment and facilities at MIT.Nano, with additional support from the MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratories, the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering, and the MIT Libraries.

[callofdutymobileindia]

Boston Institute of Analytics: A Top Destination for Artificial Intelligence Courses in Dubai

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword — it's a necessity. From smart city infrastructure and healthcare diagnostics to self-driving vehicles and predictive analytics, AI is transforming every industry. And as AI adoption skyrockets in the UAE and globally, the demand for professionals skilled in AI and Machine Learning is growing faster than ever.

Dubai, a global leader in innovation and digital transformation, is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after destinations for tech education. Among the top institutions offering AI training, the Boston Institute of Analytics (BIA) stands out as a premier choice for students and professionals seeking an Artificial Intelligence course in Dubai.

In this article, we’ll explore why BIA is considered one of the top destinations for AI education in Dubai, what makes their courses unique, and how enrolling at BIA can accelerate your career in artificial intelligence.

Why Choose an Artificial Intelligence Course in Dubai?

Before diving into why the Boston Institute of Analytics is a top choice, let’s understand why Dubai is the perfect city to study AI:

Global Tech Hub

Dubai is home to Dubai Future Foundation, Smart Dubai, and many government-led AI initiatives. The city’s focus on becoming a leader in AI and emerging tech has created a thriving ecosystem of innovation.

Career Opportunities

The UAE government’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 aims to make the UAE a global AI leader. This means a massive increase in job opportunities for AI professionals in sectors like finance, healthcare, logistics, aviation, and energy.

International Environment

With professionals and students from all over the world, studying in Dubai offers a multicultural learning environment ideal for global networking.

Why Boston Institute of Analytics?

The Boston Institute of Analytics (BIA) is a globally recognized education provider with a mission to empower the next generation of AI and data science professionals. With training centers across the world and strong industry partnerships, BIA delivers future-focused programs that blend academic depth with practical application.

Here’s what makes BIA one of the top destinations for Artificial Intelligence courses in Dubai:

1. Industry-Aligned Curriculum

BIA’s Artificial Intelligence course is meticulously designed by experts from top companies like Google, IBM, Amazon, and McKinsey. The curriculum is regularly updated to reflect the latest industry trends and real-world applications.

Core Topics Covered:

Python for AI

Machine Learning Algorithms

Deep Learning with TensorFlow and Keras

Computer Vision

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Model Deployment & MLOps

AI Ethics & Bias Mitigation

Whether you're a beginner or looking to upgrade your skills, BIA’s modular learning approach ensures you gain both foundational knowledge and advanced expertise.

2. Hands-On Learning with Real-World Projects

BIA’s AI course emphasizes practical experience, not just theory. Students work on live projects, case studies, and industry datasets to build models, solve problems, and deploy solutions.

Examples of Real-World Projects:

AI-powered fraud detection for banks

NLP-based chatbot development

Image classification for healthcare diagnostics

Predictive analytics for retail and e-commerce

This hands-on exposure ensures students graduate with a portfolio that impresses employers.

3. Expert Faculty and Mentors

At BIA, you're not just learning from academics — you're learning from AI practitioners, data scientists, and industry leaders. Many instructors hold PhDs or have worked with global organizations, bringing deep insights and mentorship to the classroom.

Live sessions, workshops, and 1:1 mentoring opportunities allow students to receive personalized guidance and career advice.

4. Global Certification

Upon successful completion of the course, students receive an internationally recognized certificate from the Boston Institute of Analytics. This certification validates your AI proficiency and is respected by employers across the globe, giving you a competitive edge in the job market.

5. Flexible Learning Options in Dubai

Whether you're a full-time student or a working professional, BIA offers flexible formats to accommodate your schedule:

Weekend Batches for working professionals

Weekday Sessions for full-time students

Hybrid Learning (online + classroom) for maximum convenience

Located in central Dubai, BIA’s campus is accessible, modern, and designed to promote collaboration and innovation.

6. Strong Placement Support

BIA goes beyond education. Their career support services ensure that every learner is job-ready. Services include:

Resume and LinkedIn optimization

Mock interviews and technical assessments

Internship assistance

Job referrals and placement drives

Networking opportunities with hiring managers and alumni

Graduates have been placed in top companies like IBM, Deloitte, PwC, Emirates, Etisalat, and tech startups across the UAE and beyond.

7. Affordable Investment in a Future-Proof Career

Compared to courses in the UK, US, or even central Dubai, BIA offers high-quality AI education at a much more accessible price. Payment plans and EMI options make it even more manageable for students and working professionals.

Given the earning potential of AI professionals, this is a high-ROI investment in your future.

Who Should Enroll?

BIA’s AI course in Dubai is ideal for:

Fresh Graduates looking to enter the AI/ML field

Software Developers and Engineers upskilling into AI roles

Business Analysts or Data Analysts wanting to transition into data science

Managers and Entrepreneurs aiming to build AI-enabled products

Career Switchers from non-tech backgrounds (BIA offers foundational modules too!)

Final Thoughts

If you're serious about building a successful career in AI, choosing the right institute is key. The Boston Institute of Analytics in Dubai offers an ideal blend of:

Cutting-edge curriculum

Hands-on training

Global certification

Expert mentorship

Job-focused outcomes

Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to take your AI expertise to the next level, BIA equips you with the skills, tools, and confidence to succeed in one of the most in-demand tech careers of the future.

[youngscientist96]

Microwave Electronics Laboratory: Future communication & remote sensing systems

Wireless communication and remote sensing play an important role in the modern society and almost everyone is using such systems every day. Typical examples are mobile phones, wireless internet connectivity, radio and TV broadcasting, and wireless networks at home or public areas.

Thanks to the rapid development in the semiconductor technology, driven by the computer industry, such microwave systems can be produced in large quantity at a low cost per unit, making it affordable for most people all over the world.

At the Microwave Electronics Laboratory, we focus on application driven research on high-speed electronic components, circuits and systems for future communication and remote sensing applications. The research spans frequencies from below 1 GHz to 500 GHz. Our main research areas are within wireless high speed digital communication, sensors such as radar systems and radiometers, and microwave heating. We demonstrate innovative microwave components and circuits in our own fabrication lab, the Nanofabrication Laboratory at MC2, or at external cooperation partners/foundries. We characterize our components and circuits in our measurement laboratory.

Most of our work is project oriented together with other universities, companies and institutes, where the Microwave Electronic Laboratory is responsible for hardware research and development. In addition, we contribute to an extensive educational programme including Master of Science and PhD level.

Due to the increasing data traffic in the mobile communication infrastructure, driven by consumer applications such as smartphones and wireless connectivity, new innovative solutions for the backhaul communication are needed.

We design integrated circuits based on silicon, and III-V technologies, for future system applications aiming at high data rate wireless and fiber communication, and remote sensing. Our main projects are circuit design and fabrication for high data rate communication aiming at bitrates well above 10 Gbps utilizing unused spectrum at 70-86, 120, 145 and 220 GHz, and THz imaging systems utilizing highly integrated multipixel sensors. By using the most advanced semiconductor technologies available today we can practically demonstrate circuits with unique functionality aiming at new system applications. High efficiency microwave power amplifiers

Microwave power amplifiers dominate the mobile network overall energy consumption. Our research is therefore focused on different techniques for improving the electrical efficiency of microwave high power amplifiers and transmitters for wireless infrastructure applications. A cross-disciplinary approach is used where fundamental research on high efficiency switched mode power amplifier circuit design is combined with research on novel transmitter architectures incorporating advanced digital signal processing methods and using unique widebandgap components developed at MC2.

This research is performed in close collaboration with researchers at the Department of Electrical Engineering. VLSI Systems

Electronics based on integrated circuits (ICs), also known in popular science as microchips or semiconductors, is an indispensable technology which pervades our society. ICs of today can contain several hundred billion transistors and while this level of integration offers unprecedented levels of (highly desired) system functionality, the integration of that many devices makes the implementation work of the VLSI designers very challenging. Stringent performance targets and strict budgets on power dissipation and development time are examples of different conflicting design goals that VLSI designers often struggle to reconcile.

The VLSI Systems group performs research on circuits, architectures and design approaches of IC-based electronic systems with the goal of enabling efficient implementation of communication and computing systems. Our activities mainly target power-efficient digital and mixed-signal CMOS circuits and we use CMOS integrated circuits and advanced FPGA systems to demonstrate our research.

#Linguist, #Criminologist, #ForensicScientist, #Archaeologist, #MuseumCurator, #Archivist, #LibraryScientist, #InformationScientist, #KnowledgeManager, #PatentExaminer, #InnovationManager#ForestryAward, #WildlifeConservationAward, #UrbanPlanningAward, #TransportationAward, #ArchitectureAward, #DesignAward

International Young Scientist Awards Website link: youngscientistawards.com NominationLink:https://youngscientistawards.com/awardnomination/ecategory=Awards&rcategoryrdee Contact Us: support@youngscientistawards.com ___________________________________

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[anniehaeun]

CTS A Week 10- Compulsory Question 01

I used the metaphor of a growing tree to represent critical thinking.The various sessions we’ve completed so far were represented as blossoming leaves, as we believe CTS provides us with a solid foundation like a tree trunk, and each session gains its own life and grows like leaves on the tree. Additionally, we thought of each leaf as representing insights gained from each session, likening the entire concept to a potted plant.

Among the sessions, the one that was particularly helpful for me was Assertion and Conflict Resolution. As the title suggests, this session covered effective ways to resolve conflicts, and a video shown during class highlighted the importance of empathy in conflict resolution. The video emphasized that, to make better decisions in the future, it is essential to step back to prevent emotions from worsening the situation. By taking a moment to organize one’s thoughts and emotions, and clearly defining the situation and desired outcome, one can approach conflicts more effectively.

In this article, Dr. Helen Riess from Harvard University said, 'Empathy is a key part of emotional connection. It allows us to feel with others and understand their experiences more deeply.(Riess)' Through this, I learned that understanding not only my own situation but also others' can help me deal with conflicts more calmly. I realized that I should remember this not just in school but in my life as well.

Group work with friends in school can easily lead to conflicts. Different opinions may clash, but collaborating with team members to solve problems is a big advantage. By considering diverse perspectives, better solutions can be found, leading to outcomes superior to what one could achieve alone. Additionally, team members can point out overlooked details, allowing for quick adjustments and achieving a higher level of quality in the final result.

Among the categories, the part I would most like to improve is Documentation for digital assignment or studio projects, it's important to gather research, images, and references., and use them to develop ideas and create outcomes. However, I realized that I focused more on the final result than the process, which led me to miss out on gathering enough input. Next time, I want to focus more on this aspect and create outcomes with a stronger, more thorough process.

(330word)

Future Work Design. “WE LOVE CONFLICT: Wheel of Mindfulness.” YouTube, 20 May 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_u-7SARzRc.

Nowak, Anita, PhD. Empathy Matters in Healthcare - A Spotlight on Dr. Helen Riess. 14 Feb. 2024, www.linkedin.com/pulse/empathy-matters-healthcare-spotlight-dr-helen-riess-nowak-phd.

[brandonjohnbarnard]

Webs

I have started committing fully to the process of, while I am reading a book or into a topic, creating a web of each element that interests me via Clip Studio.

This formed, like many academic practices, as a solution to a problem. I wanted to see which ideas/people/events were linked to each other, and by making the connection, what new ideas emerged. Sort of like doing chemistry in the dark, I would grab two elements on different sides of the spider diagram, and ask the question ‘how are these connected?’.

Sometimes, there is none, or at least none that do not make me come across as someone rambling to themselves on the bus. Though, when there are, its impossible to un-see the connections.

Originally, this process was done with mostly my (digital) notes, with some multimodal elements such as screenshots.

What stopped me from embracing this type of learning method in the past was 2 primary concerns.

Searchability: with this type of web, there is no ‘ctrl + f’ to quickly find specific words or themes, meaning that for a quick reference it does not do as well as a word document. Though, I have come to learn that this is its strength. By looking at the web, and following its connections, new ideas are continuously forming with each inspection. In a way, it is a living document.

Finite Space: since these files exist as images, there is a limit to how large they can become. This is due to: the time it takes to save an image causing potential corruptions/crashes, what file types it can be saved as becomes reduced as the file size increases, space between connections becomes too compact. Etc.

There are solutions to the finite space problem, such as using an alternative software that is built for spider diagrams, but that always tends to result in some form of freedom-restriction, e.g. dealing with its method of classing/hierarchy, not having certain mediums allowed.

Also, from an authorship standpoint, using these systems felt less me. Less personal. I want to be able to doodle, be silly, or include images of people and concepts on tangentially related without the entire system feeling off.

Then, something happened to me which had not happened before. I realised, that a lot of my works, from lots of separate university modules and projects, had two shared elements — the theme of chance, and the medium of film. As such, I decided to write a PhD proposal looking into a merging or these 2 domains.

With this, I had to write a 6000 word piece in a short time, so I did not have as much time to prep and make a new web like I normally would. So, I instead looked at all of my previous webs I had made in the past. To my surprise, I was making connections between different webs, and a new meta-web formed. This, in effect, pulled the bandage off of worrying about sticking to one shared web with everything.

...

When reading around ‘chance’, I had stumbled upon the nouveau réalisme movement. It sounded interesting, so I did something relatively new to me, and I just started a new document looking into the same topic of ‘chance’, but from a different place. Rather than writing out my ideas first, I copied and pasted multiple Wikipedia articles.

When I read about an artistic work that sounded interesting, I would look it up and paste it in for extended context. Same with locations, publications, etc. It moved more away from word connections, to a type of Dada collage of things.

...

Now, when it comes to reading a book, I do the same thing as the Wikipedia articles.

Read the work

Create Physical Note

Insert both ‘the book’ and ‘the physical note’ into digital web.

Make connections between concepts within web.

Create digital notes around the nature of the connections, as well as include other image elements where appropriate.

...

I’m sure this process will evolve further in the future, but I am having a lot of fun with it.

I hope this maybe gave you some ideas of how to manage theme connections. Let me know if you have any thoughts regarding this!

[agrinextcon]

AgriNext Conference 2024: Announcing Keynote Speaker Mr. Dushyant K Tyagi, CEO of Farmgate

We are thrilled to announce that Mr. Dushyant K Tyagi, the esteemed CEO of Farmgate, will be a keynote speaker at the highly anticipated AgriNext Awards & Conference, taking place in Dubai on November 13-14, 2024. Mr. Tyagi's vast expertise and transformative contributions to the agriculture sector make him an invaluable addition to our speaker lineup.

Mr. Dushyant Kumar Tyagi, hailing from Western UP, India, and coming from a humble farming background, has built an impressive career grounded in academic excellence and practical experience. He holds a Master's Degree in Agriculture Science specialising in Plant Breeding from GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. His academic journey is marked by numerous merit scholarships and significant research contributions in agriculture biotechnology, widely cited in research papers, PhD theses, and academic books. With over three decades of experience in the Food & Agri Business industry, Mr. Tyagi's career spans across the entire value chain from Agri Inputs, Post-Harvest, Marketing, Fresh Food Retail, Food Processing, Start-up Mentoring, and Technology-enabled services in various geographies and cultural settings. His leadership in spearheading the PMO project e-NAM (electronic National Agriculture Market) stands out as a transformative achievement in the agriculture sector. e-NAM, the world's largest Electronic Spot Agri Trading Platform, has facilitated over USD 38 billion in transactions and served more than 17 million farmers.

Mr. Tyagi is also the strategic partner behind India’s only farmgate Agri Trading platform eFarmarket, connecting farmers directly to buyers across the country. His professional journey includes significant roles in leading companies such as Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd, Reliance Retail, Aditya Birla Retail, and Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetables Pvt Ltd. Currently, he is engaged in establishing Farmgate Technologies Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Fertis India Pvt Ltd, and plays a pivotal role in nurturing AgriTech startups focusing on AI Image Analytics and UAV technology. In addition to his professional endeavours, Mr. Tyagi is the National Convenor of the ‘India Digital Agriculture Council’ of the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA), Co-chairs the National Council for Agriculture at Assocham, and is a member of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Gems of Digital India 2018 and the Platinum Award under Digital India Awards 2022 for ‘e-NAM’. His thought leadership is regularly featured in prestigious publications such as India Today, Forbes India, and Fortune India. The AgriNext Awards & Conference is a premier event dedicated to the advancement and innovation in the agriculture sector. It brings together industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, and stakeholders to discuss and explore the future of agriculture. The conference aims to address the critical challenges facing the industry and to highlight the latest technological advancements and best practices. Mr. Tyagi's session at the AgriNext Conference will focus on leveraging technology to bridge information gaps, enhance transparency, and drive value creation in Indian agriculture. His insights and experiences will provide attendees with valuable knowledge and inspiration, particularly those aspiring to drive innovation in the agriculture sector.

[podiumproject]

Podium: A Reflective Commentary

Rosannagh Maddock, 2024

Abstract: ‘Podium’ is a series of collages made with the goal of enacting graphic fashion theory, working in a feedback loop with fashion practice, at the coalface of cultural production. These triptychs are intended to enmesh with the playful mundane, like a mirror or a map, producing an alternate perspective on sportswear and competitive activity in the embodied actions of the user, becoming a tool that the user can take with them as they make fashionable choices about how to be.

Background: Fashion, sports and technology intersect in many ways and varied strengths lie in different disciplinary responses. This project was developed over three years as a practice-based PhD in collections management, with a remit to develop opportunities for public engagement with under-studied fashion and textile collections and to expand sportswear history’s interdisciplinary potential.

Aims: The subject aligns with cultural trends concerned with the role that technology, fashion, speed, and competition (both formalised and spontaneous) play in contemporary society. By looking at the ways embodied time and speed have been networked together in competition, the project aims to expand conceptions of experimental fashion theory and design.

Findings: A triptych of triptychs, ‘Podium’ blends ephemeral digital collections and historic sporting, film and fashion imagery in a collage process that highlights the vast potential of fashion’s popular vernacular of the ‘moodboard’ in forward-thinking research. Each panel explores a facet of success, spanning the highs and lows of achieving a celebratory podium. The result is akin to a bar graph.

Discussion: Developing moodboards in complexity and utilising them in research can elaborate their potential as fields of play. Operating through automatic practices of everyday life, fashion collage is an active zone for experimentation.

Conclusion: Ultimately, ‘Podium’ posits experimental fashion with graphic outputs as an exploratory practice, with the ability to anticipate cultural shifts through its dynamic, layered forms.

Summary:

Speed and fashionability in sports culture are networked together and under-researched

‘Podium’ provides a creative, visuals-rich research outcome in the form of nine collages

Visual/verbal collages can be a viable rapid-response format in cross-disciplinary work

Keywords: collage; fashion; sports; sportswear; technology; history; design; generative; process.

Disclaimer

If the purpose of a moodboard, as a distinct form of collage, is to produce ideas (or, more accurately, inspiration, or vibes), the ideas produced may be assessed and utilised at will. Quantitative or qualitative assessments of these ideas may be applied in different ways, coming to different conclusions, but ultimately some of these ideas may be bad ideas. The author accepts no liability for the application of said bad ideas, or any other downsides of emergent networked phenomena that arise from the work.

As the author understands fashion to be ironic in form, it is hoped that the formal and tonal experimentation in the work is understood not as parody, but as a pastiche, meant with all the affection that the term shares with collage. Certain images, concepts and forms are brought together and in the sincere incorporation of fashionable imitation, a funhouse mirroring, with the lightness and breezy remixing that such ideas entail, new possibilities are iterated.

Description

This project is the culmination of three years of in-depth interdisciplinary research. It began with an identified need to develop the field of sportswear history through the medium of visual archival research. Funding from Techne, the doctoral training partnership, was awarded in order to produce a body of work, developed out of under-utilised object- and image-based collections in museums, with a particular focus on textiles. A range of methodologies and processes were utilised over the three-year period, with graphic artworks, essays, discographies and poetry forming a portfolio of creative markers. The need for a concluding summative statement was established and ‘Podium’ is the result. A triptych of triptychs, it blends ephemeral digital collections, historic sporting imagery, film stills and fashion imagery in a collage process that highlights the vast potential of fashion’s popular vernacular of the ‘moodboard’ to contribute to complex, forward-thinking research.

The images that constitute the raw data have been gathered through an extensive trawl of varied collections: from digitised collections held by major museums, uncatalogued archives, national library collections and stock photograph databases, to personal ephemera collections, deep-dive google searches, and movie screen grabs. Each panel is A2 in size and explores a facet of success, spanning the highs and lows of achieving the celebratory podium of many classic sports. Each panel is stacked, thematically and/or physically, vertically, one atop the other, to form a roughly six-foot block of three images. They can be presented staggered in the form of a podium, with silver, lower, on the right side of gold, and bronze, on the ‘first step’ on its left. The result is akin to a bar graph, and its statistical, data-heavy effect is an intrinsic result of rigorous processes of selection.

By taking imagery and information that would normally be consumed in linear fashion, in readily comprehensible context, and piling it upon itself, the hope is to achieve a sense of the vitality of embodied human competitive endeavour - its density and messiness. Each ‘medal’ or ‘position’ of three images was sorted according to an open-ended logic: the upper panel features triumphant themes, the centre panel technical, process-based themes, and the lower panel what can be considered the ‘downside’ of each position. As such, it forms a disrupted x-y axis of sorts, a flowing grid of perspectives and data points. Each medal is accompanied by a caption, gleaned from the written record, which highlights a story or set of data that offers a textual approach to this visually-rich collage-based research outcome.

Usage

Option A: Print and cut up the pages as you deem appropriate, shuffle and distribute the pieces while on a run, as if you were a school boy on a paperchase.

Option B: Turn a print-out into confetti. Trespass an academic seminar and decorate the room whenever someone stops talking.

Option C: Lay a panel on the floor, in the countryside. Ask your local fairy gang (nicely) to play a game of Twister, using dungeons and dragons’ dice and the colours of the sunset/sunrise as prompts. Make the winner your king.

Option D: Make it into a hat. If you do not have a head, don’t worry. Photoshop the hat onto pictures of celebrities instead.

Option E: Read each panel very literally as containing data points on a graph. The centre is the core of the axis and negative and positive data are above and below. What conclusions can you draw from the data-set? Does the study have any flaws?

Option F: Find Nietzsche.

Option G: Choose a character from among the panels. An athlete, model, or animal. They can change appearance throughout. Zoom in at various points, travelling randomly throughout the panels, back and forth. Tell a story about what is happening the character, based on what is happening around them. For example, in the gold panel, Lisa Simpson threatens to kill Homer Simpson. Homer then wakes up in the real world, shocked to be among the icons of Mount Rushmore. His head is then turned into the FIFA World Cup trophy. What happens to Homer next? Will Lisa pay for her crime?

Option H: Save a copy of your preferred panel to your hard drive. Email it as an attachment instead of calling in sick to work. They’ll learn what you mean eventually.

Option I: Invent another way through. Devise new rules.

more: rosannaghmaddock.co.uk/podium

[moremedtech]

GE HealthCare Launches CardioVisio for Atrial Fibrillation, a Digital, Patient-Centric Clinical Decision Support Tool

GE HealthCare Launches CardioVisio for Atrial Fibrillation, a Digital, Patient-Centric Clinical Decision Support Tool to Enable Precision Care. Integrating and analyzing data over time and across various data sources, CardioVisio for Atrial Fibrillation helps visualize the history of the patient’s heart and provides guideline-directed insights to healthcare providers. Aug 24, 2023, Chicago - Today, GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC) announces the launch of CardioVisio for Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), a digital tool designed to assist clinicians in visualizing longitudinal data relevant for disease progression from multiple data sources, and driving evidence based clinical decision support directed by up-to-date AFib guidelines. The new technology will be showcased at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2023, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, August 25-28. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, with more than 60% of these deaths being preventable and premature. Within the umbrella of cardiovascular disease, AFib is the most common arrhythmia diagnosed in clinical practice, affecting millions of people worldwide - projections indicate that the prevalence of AFib could reach 15.9 million people in the United States by 2050 and 17.9 million in Europe by 2060.iii Additionally, AFib is often misdiagnosed or not treated appropriately, with up to 30 percent of cases missed in routine clinical practice. It is critical that progress is made in driving precision care for the management of patients suffering from AFib as people living with the condition are five times more likely to experience a stroke and AFib is a common cause of hospitalization. “Existing diagnosis and treatment care models for AFib have been shown to be complex, time consuming and disconnected with disparate guidelines and poor guideline adherence,” said Eigil Samset, PhD, general manager, Cardiology Solutions, GE HealthCare. “With CardioVisio for AFib, we’re providing cardiologists with a powerful tool that streamlines clinician image interpretation and provides a view of the history of the patient’s heart as well as their healthcare journey, including previous diagnoses, prescribed medications, interventions, and comorbidities.” CardioVisio for AFib assists the clinician in visualizing longitudinal data relevant for disease progression from multiple data sources, saving time and aiding clinical decision making by offering guideline-directed therapy recommendations. Each automated step includes explain ability and traceability, allowing the healthcare provider to audit and edit the process and output with the goal of better meeting the needs of each unique AFib patient. “Our busy clinicians face a multitude of disparate patient data generated from years of diagnostic exams, medications, medical appointments, and interventions,” said Dr. Kenneth Civello, Electrophysiologist and Cardiologist with Louisiana Cardiology Associates at Our Lady of the Lake Physician Groupvii. “CardioVisio for AFib incorporates algorithms that intake available relevant data as triggers for industry-published guidelines which can help ease the burden of data overload on our staff and will enable us as healthcare providers to provide timelier, personalized and evidence-based care to our patients.” CardioVisio for Atrial Fibrillation is now commercially available in the U.S. The company plans to expand availability in the coming months incorporating additional regional guidelines. To learn more about GE HealthCare and it’s suite of Cardiology solutions, please visit https://www.gehealthcare.com/specialties/cardiology or visit the GE HealthCare’s Booth #H500 at the ESC Congress 2023. GE HealthCare is a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and digital solutions innovator, dedicated to providing integrated solutions, services, and data analytics to make hospitals more efficient, clinicians more effective, therapies more precise, and patients healthier and happier. Serving patients and providers for more than 100 years, GE HealthCare is advancing personalized, connected, and compassionate care, while simplifying the patient’s journey across the care pathway. GE's Imaging, Ultrasound, Patient Care Solutions, and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics businesses help improve patient care. Read the full article

[imgexhaust]

Image "Cloaking" for Personal Privacy

The SAND Lab at University of Chicago has developed Fawkes1, an algorithm and software tool (running locally on your computer) that gives individuals the ability to limit how their own images can be used to track them. At a high level, Fawkes takes your personal images and makes tiny, pixel-level changes that are invisible to the human eye, in a process we call image cloaking. You can then use these "cloaked" photos as you normally would, sharing them on social media, sending them to friends, printing them or displaying them on digital devices, the same way you would any other photo. The difference, however, is that if and when someone tries to use these photos to build a facial recognition model, "cloaked" images will teach the model an highly distorted version of what makes you look like you. The cloak effect is not easily detectable by humans or machines and will not cause errors in model training. However, when someone tries to identify you by presenting an unaltered, "uncloaked" image of you (e.g. a photo taken in public) to the model, the model will fail to recognize you.

Fawkes has been tested extensively and proven effective in a variety of environments and is 100% effective against state-of-the-art facial recognition models (Microsoft Azure Face API, Amazon Rekognition, and Face++). We are in the process of adding more material here to explain how and why Fawkes works. For now, please see the link below to our technical paper, which will be presented at the upcoming USENIX Security Symposium, to be held on August 12 to 14.

The Fawkes project is led by two PhD students at SAND Lab, Emily Wenger and Shawn Shan, with important contributions from Jiayun Zhang (SAND Lab visitor and current PhD student at UC San Diego) and Huiying Li, also a SAND Lab PhD student. The faculty advisors are SAND Lab co-directors and Neubauer Professors Ben Zhao and Heather Zheng.

Source: https://gizmodo.com/this-algorithm-might-make-facial-recognition-obsolete-1844591686

[derbysilkmill]

The Interlace Project - What is it and meet the volunteers

On the 15th of February this year I sat in on a workshop held at the Museum and Art Gallery as part of the Interlace Project. With the buzz of Pangolin Day happening in the World Collections gallery, I got to see a small group of museum volunteers getting to grips with the weaving work they were undertaking as part of the project, which will eventually form an art installation to go into the new Museum of Making. This was being led by artist Toni Buckby and museum volunteer Ruth Winterbottom. Scroll further down to find out more about the wonderful volunteers involved.

More recently I had the pleasure of talking again with Toni, and asked her some more in-depth questions about Interlace.

Please introduce yourself.

“My name is Toni Buckby and I'm an artist and PhD researcher based in Sheffield. My work spans the seemingly diverse but oddly related fields of textiles, electronics and computer art. I specialise in hand embroidery, with a particular focus on the 16th Century technique of blackwork, and the creation of experimental interactive electronics. I also spin, weave, draw, code, laser cut, 3D print... I spend most of my time attempting to get impractical ideas to function! I love to collaborate, so I often work with other artists on projects, as well as running public workshops and making a lot of my work available online for others to use. I see a parallel between the making of textiles and the making of digital work – both are logical processes of building complex structures through simple components. There is certainly a conceptual similarity, but I also create hybrid works, like embedding electronics into fabric or creating computer simulations based on textile techniques. I’m quite playful in my approach to my work – I take great delight in mashing (often disparate) materials and ideas together to see what happens - it’s why I like to collaborate so much. There's joy in the attempt to get something working (or not!).”

Image: Toni introducing museum volunteers to the bare cocoon bodies they will be weaving onto

Image: The wooden structures are modelled on silk moth cocoons, these being intrinsic to the silk weaving that took place at the Museum of Making site during the 18th Century. ©Toni Buckby

What is the Interlace Project?

“The Interlace Project began in 2017, when I was invited by Derby Museums to design and produce simple weaving looms that could be manufactured in the maker space at The Silk Mill. All the loom designs and instructions for how to use them were made available for free online (click here), and I've also run many public workshops in the basics of weaving using the looms. Inspired by the building's history as a silk spinning mill, I have now designed a large interactive textile sculpture, which is being made in collaboration with museum volunteers. The sculpture consists of nine woven silk moth cocoon shapes that have fibre optic light strands running through them; all being made by museum volunteer Ruth Winterbottom and her team of amazingly skilled volunteer weavers. The pattern of the lights will be programmed by visitors using punch cards (similar to the ones that were used to create weaving patterns on Jacquard looms in the 19th Century), and the colours will be controlled by touching small woven panels, a mixture of different fibres plus rows of conductive metal thread, that have been made by over 100 volunteers during several group workshops.”

Image: An early cardboard mock-up gives an indication of what the installation will look like. ©Toni Buckby

Image: An example of the fabric and metal touch panels that will form the interactive controls for the installation. ©Toni Buckby

What drew you towards wanting to work with Derby Museums and the Museum of Making?

“Two of my key interests as an artist are showing and sharing the processes of making. I love the fact that Derby’s Museum of Making will celebrate manufacturing processes as well as getting people involved through its events, workshops, volunteer programme and maker space. I've met so many brilliant, enthusiastic people over the course of developing The Interlace Project and it's been a real pleasure working with an organisation that has such similar interests.”

Are there any thoughts or feelings you would like Interlace to provoke?

“I think, firstly, I hope visitors to the museum will be delighted by the piece - it's very playful! Secondly, I hope that people will take the time to appreciate the effort and skill of the volunteers who have made the work. I've been genuinely blown away by the quality and creativity of all those who have contributed so far - both the experienced weavers and those who had never woven before getting involved in the project. Everyone should be immensely proud of their work!”

Image: One of the cocoons approaching completion, fibre-optic and organic threads interspersed

Image: An example cocoon with the fibres illuminated. ©Toni Buckby

How will people be able to get involved with the project?

“Visitors to the museum will be able to interact with the sculptural installation by programming the light patterns and colours. Additionally, the online resources (designs and instructions) are available on the projects Instructables site, if people would like to have a go at weaving themselves. Finally, as the interactive woven panels are going to need to be replaced every few months, we are also (hopefully) going to have more workshops in future where people can have a go at weaving their own panel, which will then become (temporally) part of the installation”.

It will be very exciting to see this artwork in action when it takes its place in the Museum of Making, and to see how it will very physically link the first use of Derby’s Silk Mill as a factory with it’s new iteration as the Museum of Making, showcasing our regions industrial heritage and innovative future.

Check back for more posts from Oliver!

Interlace Volunteer Responses

We asked some of our wonderful volunteers about their experience on the Interlace project and here’s what they had to say.

Ruth

We asked Ruth why she decided to start volunteering with Derby Museums: 

‘I enjoy art, heritage and involvement with people and always relished my visits to the Museum.  When we moved into an apartment next to the Silk Mill, it was a no-brainer!’

What about Ruth’s involvement on the Interlace project?:

‘I’ve been working with Toni Buckby to help realise, with a team of local skilled craftspeople, her vision for a textile installation in the new Museum of Making. Toni references the silk cocoon and weaving in her computer-controlled light display.’

Ruth shared what she has got from being involved in the Interlace project:

‘It has been a pleasure and rare privilege to be part of such a professional textile project!  I’ve revisited old skills, learned new ones and interacted with lovely people, not least Toni herself.  She is a wonderful artist and generous person. It’s humbling to be part of the start of a new Museum’s journey.’

Barbara

Barbara responded to a Derby Museums call out asking for volunteers for a weaving project; she said:

‘Weaving sounded right up my street! I love designing and making things particularly with textiles of all types.’

Just before the lockdown Barbara was able to take home a piece of the project to work on:

‘It took many hours of peaceful meditative activity which was marvellous occupation in the circumstances that was very good for me; also providing a topic of conversation with friends and family that was positive and different from the constant Covid coverage and shared anxious feelings of being separated from much loved and familiar people and activities’.

Hazel

Hazel met volunteer project coordinator Ruth at a Derbyshire Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers meeting where Ruth presented Toni Buckby’s concept:

‘I jumped at the chance [to be involved] - what a great idea and to be part of the museum redevelopment.’

Hazel has been weaving one of the cocoons:

‘This was something new for me and a bit of a challenge, but after over 60 hours of weaving I’m really pleased with the results [and have got] a huge sense of satisfaction from the weaving process and immense pride in what I’ve achieved. I can’t wait to see it installed.’

Sandra

Sandra joined as a volunteer through the Derbyshire Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers and has woven one of the cocoons:

‘As the silk mill was an important, past Derby industry I felt it was relevant, as a member of The Derbyshire Guild, to represent the group by using my weaving skills on a piece of the installation. It has been a great opportunity to work on a creative form using materials, especially the lighting, which I wouldn’t normally have used.’

Bibi

Bibi explains why she got involved with the project:

‘The idea of weaving a cocoon was irresistible to me. I am also excited about the development of the Museum of Making and what it is going to offer to the community.’

However it wasn’t without its challenges:

‘This cocoon was a challenge. The design is so good and the whole exercise was very rewarding in its outcome. I am delighted to be part of the project as a group effort. I am looking forward to seeing them all illuminated.’

Joan

Joan, as a weaver, was interested in helping with this project:

‘[I have] never undertaken a project of this sort before. I certainly found this an interesting challenge with the optical fibre being a difficult addition and always at the back of my mind the fact that my work was going to be on public display.’

Thank you to all of our volunteers who are helping to make the Museum of Making, we really wouldn’t be able to do it without you!

[eminentstechnologies-blog]

Digital Image Processing is to perform Image Processing on images with the help of Algorithms. Now a day's Image processing technique

[sunaleisocial]

Controlled diffusion model can change material properties in images

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/controlled-diffusion-model-can-change-material-properties-in-images/

Controlled diffusion model can change material properties in images

Researchers from the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Google Research may have just performed digital sorcery — in the form of a diffusion model that can change the material properties of objects in images.

Dubbed Alchemist, the system allows users to alter four attributes of both real and AI-generated pictures: roughness, metallicity, albedo (an object’s initial base color), and transparency. As an image-to-image diffusion model, one can input any photo and then adjust each property within a continuous scale of -1 to 1 to create a new visual. These photo editing capabilities could potentially extend to improving the models in video games, expanding the capabilities of AI in visual effects, and enriching robotic training data.

The magic behind Alchemist starts with a denoising diffusion model: In practice, researchers used Stable Diffusion 1.5, which is a text-to-image model lauded for its photorealistic results and editing capabilities. Previous work built on the popular model to enable users to make higher-level changes, like swapping objects or altering the depth of images. In contrast, CSAIL and Google Research’s method applies this model to focus on low-level attributes, revising the finer details of an object’s material properties with a unique, slider-based interface that outperforms its counterparts.

While prior diffusion systems could pull a proverbial rabbit out of a hat for an image, Alchemist could transform that same animal to look translucent. The system could also make a rubber duck appear metallic, remove the golden hue from a goldfish, and shine an old shoe. Programs like Photoshop have similar capabilities, but this model can change material properties in a more straightforward way. For instance, modifying the metallic look of a photo requires several steps in the widely used application.

“When you look at an image you’ve created, often the result is not exactly what you have in mind,” says Prafull Sharma, MIT PhD student in electrical engineering and computer science, CSAIL affiliate, and lead author on a new paper describing the work. “You want to control the picture while editing it, but the existing controls in image editors are not able to change the materials. With Alchemist, we capitalize on the photorealism of outputs from text-to-image models and tease out a slider control that allows us to modify a specific property after the initial picture is provided.”

Precise control

“Text-to-image generative models have empowered everyday users to generate images as effortlessly as writing a sentence. However, controlling these models can be challenging,” says Carnegie Mellon University Assistant Professor Jun-Yan Zhu, who was not involved in the paper. “While generating a vase is simple, synthesizing a vase with specific material properties such as transparency and roughness requires users to spend hours trying different text prompts and random seeds. This can be frustrating, especially for professional users who require precision in their work. Alchemist presents a practical solution to this challenge by enabling precise control over the materials of an input image while harnessing the data-driven priors of large-scale diffusion models, inspiring future works to seamlessly incorporate generative models into the existing interfaces of commonly used content creation software.”

Alchemist’s design capabilities could help tweak the appearance of different models in video games. Applying such a diffusion model in this domain could help creators speed up their design process, refining textures to fit the gameplay of a level. Moreover, Sharma and his team’s project could assist with altering graphic design elements, videos, and movie effects to enhance photorealism and achieve the desired material appearance with precision.

The method could also refine robotic training data for tasks like manipulation. By introducing the machines to more textures, they can better understand the diverse items they’ll grasp in the real world. Alchemist can even potentially help with image classification, analyzing where a neural network fails to recognize the material changes of an image.

Sharma and his team’s work exceeded similar models at faithfully editing only the requested object of interest. For example, when a user prompted different models to tweak a dolphin to max transparency, only Alchemist achieved this feat while leaving the ocean backdrop unedited. When the researchers trained comparable diffusion model InstructPix2Pix on the same data as their method for comparison, they found that Alchemist achieved superior accuracy scores. Likewise, a user study revealed that the MIT model was preferred and seen as more photorealistic than its counterpart.

Keeping it real with synthetic data

According to the researchers, collecting real data was impractical. Instead, they trained their model on a synthetic dataset, randomly editing the material attributes of 1,200 materials applied to 100 publicly available, unique 3D objects in Blender, a popular computer graphics design tool.

“The control of generative AI image synthesis has so far been constrained by what text can describe,” says Frédo Durand, the Amar Bose Professor of Computing in the MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and CSAIL member, who is a senior author on the paper. “This work opens new and finer-grain control for visual attributes inherited from decades of computer-graphics research.”

“Alchemist is the kind of technique that’s needed to make machine learning and diffusion models practical and useful to the CGI community and graphic designers,” adds Google Research senior software engineer and co-author Mark Matthews. “Without it, you’re stuck with this kind of uncontrollable stochasticity. It’s maybe fun for a while, but at some point, you need to get real work done and have it obey a creative vision.”

Sharma’s latest project comes a year after he led research on Materialistic, a machine-learning method that can identify similar materials in an image. This previous work demonstrated how AI models can refine their material understanding skills, and like Alchemist, was fine-tuned on a synthetic dataset of 3D models from Blender.

Still, Alchemist has a few limitations at the moment. The model struggles to correctly infer illumination, so it occasionally fails to follow a user’s input. Sharma notes that this method sometimes generates physically implausible transparencies, too. Picture a hand partially inside a cereal box, for example — at Alchemist’s maximum setting for this attribute, you’d see a clear container without the fingers reaching in.

The researchers would like to expand on how such a model could improve 3D assets for graphics at scene level. Also, Alchemist could help infer material properties from images. According to Sharma, this type of work could unlock links between objects’ visual and mechanical traits in the future.

MIT EECS professor and CSAIL member William T. Freeman is also a senior author, joining Varun Jampani, and Google Research scientists Yuanzhen Li PhD ’09, Xuhui Jia, and Dmitry Lagun. The work was supported, in part, by a National Science Foundation grant and gifts from Google and Amazon. The group’s work will be highlighted at CVPR in June.

[callofdutymobileindia]

Career Opportunities After Completing an Artificial Intelligence Course in Chicago

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforms industries globally, cities like Chicago are emerging as thriving centres for AI innovation and talent. Whether you’re a student, a working professional, or someone seeking a career switch, completing an Artificial Intelligence course in Chicago can unlock a wide range of job opportunities in 2025 and beyond.

In this blog, we explore the career paths available after completing an AI course in Chicago, why this city is an ideal location for AI education, and how enrolling in the right program can fast-track your career in tech.

Why Chicago for Artificial Intelligence?

Chicago is known for more than just architecture and deep-dish pizza—it's becoming a hub for technology, innovation, and digital transformation. From Fortune 500 companies to fast-growing startups, businesses across finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics are adopting AI to optimize performance, automate operations, and enhance customer experiences.

The city’s growing investment in smart technologies and AI-focused research has made it an ideal place for AI enthusiasts to gain skills and build rewarding careers.

Top Career Paths After Completing an Artificial Intelligence Course in Chicago

Once you complete an AI course in Chicago, a wide variety of job roles become available. Here are some of the most promising:

1. Artificial Intelligence Engineer

AI Engineers design and build AI-powered systems and applications. In Chicago, industries such as healthcare and finance are hiring AI engineers to implement smart automation, fraud detection systems, and intelligent recommendation engines.

Skills Required: Machine learning, deep learning, Python, TensorFlow, neural networks Average Salary in Chicago: $125,000 – $165,000 annually

2. Data Scientist

Data Scientists use machine learning and statistical methods to derive insights from large datasets. In a data-driven city like Chicago, they're crucial to sectors like logistics, public policy, marketing, and fintech.

Skills Required: Data visualization, statistics, Python/R, SQL, model building Average Salary in Chicago: $110,000 – $150,000 annually

3. Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Engineers focus on building, deploying, and maintaining scalable machine learning systems. They're in high demand in Chicago’s insurance, transportation, and e-commerce sectors.

Skills Required: Supervised/unsupervised learning, model tuning, deployment tools Average Salary in Chicago: $120,000 – $160,000 annually

4. AI Research Scientist

For those interested in academic and experimental approaches, AI Research Scientists work on cutting-edge projects in natural language processing, reinforcement learning, and more.

Skills Required: Research methodologies, PhD/Master’s-level understanding, algorithm design Average Salary in Chicago: $130,000 – $180,000 annually

5. Computer Vision Engineer

From smart city infrastructure to security and medical imaging, computer vision is transforming how machines interpret the world. Chicago's public safety and healthcare sectors are particularly active in this domain.

Skills Required: OpenCV, deep learning, object detection, image processing Average Salary in Chicago: $115,000 – $155,000 annually

6. NLP (Natural Language Processing) Specialist

With the rise of chatbots, sentiment analysis, and voice-activated assistants, NLP Specialists are in demand across Chicago’s tech startups and customer-facing enterprises.

Skills Required: spaCy, NLTK, LLMs, tokenization, sentiment analysis Average Salary in Chicago: $110,000 – $145,000 annually

7. AI Product Manager

AI Product Managers blend technical knowledge with business strategy to lead AI-based product development. In Chicago’s enterprise tech ecosystem, this role is vital for innovation teams.

Skills Required: Agile development, stakeholder management, AI fundamentals Average Salary in Chicago: $125,000 – $170,000 annually

8. AI Consultant

AI Consultants work with organizations to identify opportunities where AI can deliver value. Consulting firms in Chicago are increasingly hiring AI experts to help companies transition into intelligent enterprises.

Skills Required: AI solution design, business analysis, communication Average Salary in Chicago: $120,000 – $165,000 annually

Key Industries Hiring AI Talent in Chicago

Completing an Artificial Intelligence course in Chicago doesn’t limit you to the tech sector alone. The city’s diversified economy offers AI career prospects in a range of industries:

Healthcare & Life Sciences

Hospitals, research institutions, and health tech start-ups are using AI for diagnostics, patient care, drug discovery, and robotic surgery.

Finance & Insurance

Chicago is home to major financial institutions that utilize AI for fraud prevention, algorithmic trading, credit risk analysis, and customer service automation.

Manufacturing & Industrial Automation

The city's strong manufacturing base is embracing AI for predictive maintenance, supply chain optimization, and robotics.

Logistics & Supply Chain

As a major transportation and logistics hub, Chicago offers AI opportunities in route planning, fleet management, and warehouse automation.

Smart Cities & Public Sector

From intelligent traffic systems to surveillance analytics, AI is helping Chicago’s government bodies build a smarter, safer city.

Retail & E-Commerce

AI is revolutionizing retail by driving personalization, customer segmentation, and inventory prediction—all crucial for Chicago-based companies.

Why an AI Course in Chicago is a Smart Career Move?

Here are the top reasons why studying Artificial Intelligence in Chicago can give your career a boost:

Proximity to Industry Leaders

Chicago is home to influential organizations like Boeing, AbbVie, McDonald’s, United Airlines, and many innovative startups. Many AI courses collaborate with such firms, offering internships and placement support.

Access to Real-World Projects

AI courses in Chicago often integrate hands-on learning through capstone projects that solve real business problems using AI technologies.

Networking and Career Events

From Chicago AI Week to local meetups and hackathons, the city’s tech community provides students with ample networking and learning opportunities.

Multicultural Talent Ecosystem

Chicago attracts talent from around the world. Learning in such a diverse and inclusive environment prepares you to work on global AI challenges.

Choosing the Right AI Course in Chicago

Not all AI courses are created equal. A high-quality AI program should offer:

In-depth training in Python, machine learning, deep learning, and Generative AI

Practical exposure to tools like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and cloud platforms

Real-world datasets and industry-aligned projects

Career mentorship, job placement assistance, and certification

Flexible learning modes (online, weekend, or hybrid)

A Leading Choice for AI Education in Chicago

One standout institute offering an industry-focused Artificial Intelligence course in Chicago is the Boston Institute of Analytics.

With a strong global presence and a reputation for delivering practical, job-ready AI training, the institute offers:

Project-based curriculum designed by top data scientists

Training on the latest technologies including Generative AI and Agentic AI

Mentorship from industry professionals

Placement support with leading companies in the U.S. and abroad

Multiple delivery formats to suit working professionals and students alike

Graduates of this program have landed roles in top organizations across tech, finance, healthcare, and consulting, making it one of the most trusted names in AI education.

Final Thoughts

The demand for AI professionals is skyrocketing—and Chicago is at the centre of this transformation in the Midwest. Whether you're looking to become a machine learning engineer, data scientist, or AI consultant, completing anArtificial Intelligence Classroom Course in Chicago is your gateway to a high-growth, high-impact career.

When you choose the right program—especially one that emphasizes real-world application, cutting-edge tools, and career support—you don't just learn AI; you position yourself as a future-ready professional.

The Boston Institute of Analytics, with its globally respected curriculum and strong industry connections, provides everything you need to succeed in the AI space. If you're ready to take your first step into the world of Artificial Intelligence, there’s no better place to begin than in Chicago.

[evoldir]

Fwd: Postdoc: ImperialCollege_UK.EarlyVertebratePalaeontology

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Postdoc: ImperialCollege_UK.EarlyVertebratePalaeontology > Date: 24 March 2023 at 05:58:17 GMT > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > > > > Job Advertisement Title: Research Associate in Early Vertebrate > Palaeontology > > Salary: �43,093-50,834 > > Location: Silwood Park > > Job Summary > > We seek a vertebrate palaeontologist or evolutionary biologist to > collaborate on a NERC-funded project investigating the origin of > vertebrate fins and girdles for up to 35 months. The origin of paired > appendages is one of the 'holy grails' of vertebrate evolution but is a > persistent evolutionary mystery. This project will use high-resolution > tomography and 3D imaging to test theories about the anatomical origins > of the pectoral girdle. The project will use comparative analyses of > exceptionally preserved jawless and jawed fishes that demonstrate the > earliest stages in the evolution of paired appendages. > > The project is a NERC-funded collaboration between Dr Martin Brazeau > (Imperial College), Dr Zerina Johanson (The Natural History Museum, > UK), and Prof Matt Friedman (University of Michigan). A large body of > tomographic data has already been generated to support this project and > the candidate will form the basis for a series of detailed anatomical > investigations, comparative specimen-based analyses, and phylogenetic > studies. > > This project represents an exciting opportunity to unify disparate strands > of evidence from palaeontology, comparative anatomy, and comparative > development, and will appeal to candidates with experience in any of > these areas. The position will offer opportunities for research travel, > support for conference attendance, and international collaboration, > as well as career development. > > Duties and responsibilities > > You will be responsible for undertaking novel comparative anatomical > and palaeontological study of exceptionally preserved early vertebrate > fossils. You will be processing, visualising, and archiving these data > and preparing imagery, figures, and interpretations which will result in > collaborative development of new scientific publications and conference > presentations. You will collaborate with the PI in the operation of the > lab and will have opportunity to supervise students who are directly > supporting your research objectives. > > Essential requirements > > .       Hold a PhD (or equivalent) in vertebrate palaeontology or >        related field or a closely related discipline. > .       Prior work with computed tomography and segmentation software >        (e.g., Mimics, Avizo, VG Studio) > .       Have undertaken comparative morphological investigation > .       Have conducted prior work with collections-based material > .       Understanding of phylogenetic methods and their practical >        implementation > > Desirable skills > .       Expertise in early (Palaeozoic) vertebrates > .       Ability to use graphical software (e.g., Adobe CC) > .       Specimen illustration and/or digital modelling > > Further Information > > The post is funded by NERC. > > The contract is full-time, up to 35 months. > > Interested candidates should apply online here: Imperial website: > https://ift.tt/eLdXC9n > Jobs.ac link: > https://ift.tt/gSLQ3by > > Closing date: 20 April 2023 > > To apply, visit www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs and search by the job reference > NAT01411. > > > "Iskakova, Laura"

[themakersmovement]

The economics and tradeoffs of ad-funded smart city tech In order to have innovative smart city applications, cities first need to build out the connected infrastructure, which can be a costly, lengthy, and politicized process. Third-parties are helping build infrastructure at no cost to cities by paying for projects entirely through advertising placements on the new equipment. I try to dig into the economics of ad-funded smart city projects to better understand what types of infrastructure can be built under an ad-funded model, the benefits the strategy provides to cities, and the non-obvious costs cities have to consider. Consider this an ongoing discussion about Urban Tech, its intersection with regulation, issues of public service, and other complexities that people have full PHDs on. I’m just a bitter, born-and-bred New Yorker trying to figure out why I’ve been stuck in between subway stops for the last 15 minutes, so please reach out with your take on any of these thoughts: +*****. Using ads to fund smart city infrastructure at no cost to cities When we talk about “Smart Cities”, we tend to focus on these long-term utopian visions of perfectly clean, efficient, IoT-connected cities that adjust to our environment, our movements, and our every desire. Anyone who spent hours waiting for transit the last time the weather turned south can tell you that we’ve got a long way to go. But before cities can have the snazzy applications that do things like adjust infrastructure based on real-time conditions, cities first need to build out the platform and technology-base that applications can be built on, as McKinsey’s Global Institute explained in an in-depth report released earlier this summer. This means building out the network of sensors, connected devices and infrastructure needed to track city data.  However, reaching the technological base needed for data gathering and smart communication means building out hard physical infrastructure, which can cost cities a ton and can take forever when dealing with politics and government processes. Many cities are also dealing with well-documented infrastructure crises. And with limited budgets, local governments need to spend public funds on important things like roads, schools, healthcare and nonsensical sports stadiums which are pretty much never profitable for cities (I’m a huge fan of baseball but I’m not a fan of how we fund stadiums here in the states). As city infrastructure has become increasingly tech-enabled and digitized, an interesting financing solution has opened up in which smart city infrastructure projects are built by third-parties at no cost to the city and are instead paid for entirely through digital advertising placed on the new infrastructure.  I know – the idea of a city built on ad-revenue brings back soul-sucking Orwellian images of corporate overlords and logo-paved streets straight out of Blade Runner or Wall-E. Luckily for us, based on our discussions with developers of ad-funded smart city projects, it seems clear that the economics of an ad-funded model only really work for certain types of hard infrastructure with specific attributes – meaning we may be spared from fire hydrants brought to us by Mountain Dew. While many factors influence the viability of a project, smart infrastructure projects seem to need two attributes in particular for an ad-funded model to make sense. First, the infrastructure has to be something that citizens will engage – and engage a lot – with. You can’t throw a screen onto any object and expect that people will interact with it for more than 3 seconds or that brands will be willing to pay to throw their taglines on it. The infrastructure has to support effective advertising.   Second, the investment has to be cost-effective, meaning the infrastructure can only cost so much. A third-party that’s willing to build the infrastructure has to believe they have a realistic chance of generating enough ad-revenue to cover the costs of the projects, and likely an amount above that which could lead to a reasonable return. For example, it seems unlikely you’d find someone willing to build a new bridge, front all the costs, and try to fund it through ad-revenue. When is ad-funding feasible? A case study on kiosks and LinkNYC A LinkNYC kiosk enabling access to the internet in New York on Saturday, February 20, 2016. Over 7500 kiosks are to be installed replacing stand alone pay phone kiosks providing free wi-fi, internet access via a touch screen, phone charging and free phone calls. The system is to be supported by advertising running on the sides of the kiosks. ( Richard B. Levine) (Photo by Richard Levine/Corbis via Getty Images) To get a better understanding of the types of smart city hardware that might actually make sense for an ad-funded model, we can look at the engagement levels and cost structures of smart kiosks, and in particular, the LinkNYC pro…

The economics and tradeoffs of ad-funded smart city tech – TechCrunch