On 29 June, the sixth Kyoto University–Inamori Foundation Joint Kyoto Prize Symposium (KUIP) took place at the Nikkei Hall in Tokyo. A total of 450 students, researchers, and members of the general public were in attendance. The annual event was inaugurated in 2014, and held four times at KyotoU before being moved to Tokyo last year.
The sixth KUIP was themed "Computer Vision — Broad, Fun and Useful Leading Edge Technology", and featured four speakers, who discussed their research achievements and cutting-edge topics in their fields: Dr Takeo Kanade, UA and Helen Whitaker University professor at Carnegie Mellon University, who received the 2016 Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology (Information Science); Dr Hironobu Fujiyoshi, professor at the Chubu University College of Engineering; Dr Ko Nishino, professor at the KyotoU Graduate School of Informatics; and Dr Shree K Nayar, TC Chang Chaired professor at Columbia University.
The speakers then took part in a panel discussion, moderated by Professor Yuichi Nakamura from the KyotoU Academic Center for Computing and Media Studies. With the University's President Juichi Yamagiwa also joining, the panelists began by detailing what had attracted them to their respective fields, and what the future may hold for their research. Next, based on audience questions submitted in advance, they discussed the relationship between technology and humans, in what turned out to be a highly thought-provoking exchange on computer vision.
Audience feedback included: "It was fascinating to listen to a discussion among researchers taking different approaches to computer vision"; "I learned a lot about computer sensing, including various important lessons and the current reality of the technology"; and "I have come to feel that the relationship between technology and humans is something we need to continuously examine in our daily lives."
From left: Professors Kanade, Fujiyoshi, Nishino, and Nayar
Panel discussion
Presenters with KyotoU and Inamori officials
