Lord of the Web

Microsoft Research(MSR) India’s TechVista took place in Chennai, India today and I was amongst the thousand odd participants who gathered at the Chennai Convention Centre for the annual research symposium.

The speakers at TechVista 2008 included Prof. John Hopcroft, IBM Professor of Engineering and Applied Mathematics in Computer Science at Cornell University, Prof. Shafi Goldwasser, RSA Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and of computer science and applied mathematics at Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, Prof. Shree Nayar, T. C. Chang Chaired Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Columbia University amnongst other eminent personalities in the field of Computer Science.

Apart from the illustrious speakers, the other highlight of the event was the India Digital Heritage Project that was unveiled by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Microsoft Research India focusing on the Sri Andal temple in Srivilliputur, Tamilnadu. The temple, dedicated to the poet saint Andal, becomes the first site of the India Digital Heritage (IDH) project with many other heritage sites to be added in the near future

“This is a scientific effort to push the boundaries of what the media delivers today to the end-user, and is a great example of what collaboration between the government, academia and industry can achieve,” Microsoft Research India managing director P. Anandan told.

The research project aims to explore the synergistic use of multiple forms of the media such as photographs, video and voice to create uniquely 2D and 3D user experiences of viewing India’s heritage. The project is based on Microsoft’s PhotoSynth technology. A demo on the IDH and PhotoSynth was showcased at the event and wowed the audience.

TechVista also featured a poster session where the best projects from computer sciences and electrical engineering by PhD students from India’s leading technical institutions were showcased and cash awards to the tune of Rs.2.25 lakhs were given out.

The event really showed Microsoft’s thrust in research and what a wonderful work its doing in many areas of human welfare.