Takeo Kanade, a 78-year-old from Japan, has dedicated over 40 years to artificial vision, a scientific discipline that allows us to see the world from different perspectives. His fundamental algorithms, developed alongside Bruce Lucas in the Lucas-Kanade method, help computers and robots understand moving images. Kanade’s work has contributed to advancements in robotic surgery, autonomous driving, and facial recognition and he has been recognized with the Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Information and Communication Technologies category by the BBVA Foundation.
Kanade received his doctorate in Electrical Engineering from Kyoto University in 1974. His passion for engineering was discovered at the age of 5 when he went fishing and made his own hook. He is currently a professor of Computer Science and Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA, and was the founder of the Technology Center for Quality of Life, which he directed from 2006 to 2012.
In a recent interview, Kanade discussed the future of robotic vision and emphasized that there is potential for robots to surpass human capabilities in certain areas. He explained that while driving may become fully autonomous within the next decade, human intuition and understanding still play a crucial role in avoiding accidents. Kanade also highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the field of artificial vision such as virtualized reality and prevention of malicious use deepfakes.
When asked about improving quality of life for people with disabilities, Kanade emphasized developing technology that increases independence rather than replacing it entirely. He also discussed how his work has contributed surgical precision enabling robot surgeons to use advanced sensors for tasks such as tumor detection and image-guided surgery.
Despite advancements in artificial vision, Kanade stressed ethical considerations are important when using technology. He acknowledged potential risks associated with deepfakes