Dr. Takeo Kanade, U.A. and Helen Whitaker Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, presents the “Think Like an Amateur, Do As an Expert: Lessons from a Career in Computer Vision” tutorial at the May 2018 Embedded Vision Summit.
In this keynote presentation, Dr. Kanade shares his experiences and lessons learned in developing a vast range of pioneering computer vision systems and autonomous robots, including face recognition, autonomously-driven cars, computer-assisted surgical robots, robot helicopters, biological live cell tracking and a system for sports broadcasts. Most researchers, when asked their fondest desire, respond that they want to do good research. If asked what constitutes “good research,” they often find it difficult to give a clear answer. For Dr. Kanade, good research derives from solving real-world problems, delivering useful results to society.
“Think like an amateur, do as an expert” is Dr. Kanade’s research motto: When conceptualizing a problem and its possible solution, think simply and openly, as a novice in that field, without preconceived notions. When implementing a solution, on the other hand, do so thoroughly, meticulously and with expert skill. In his research projects, Dr. Kanade has met and worked with people from diverse backgrounds, and has encountered many challenges. While exploring the technical side of some of his most important projects, he also describes experiences that highlight the enjoyable aspects of a researcher’s life—those that have occurred accidentally or inevitably as his “Think like an amateur, do as an expert” approach has guided his interactions with problems and people.
