Citation

The Winners of the Okawa Prize 2022

For the invention of innovative imaging techniques and their widespread use indigital photography and computer vision

Dr. Shree K. Nayar
Positions and Organizations :T. C. Chang Professor of Computer Science, Columbia University
Director, Columbia Imaging and Vision Laboratory
Degree : Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering(Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), 1991)
Date of Birth : January 15, 1963
Brief Biography :1984 B.S., Electrical Engineering, Birla Institute ofTechnology
1986 M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, North
Carolina State Univ.
1986 Graduate Research Assistant, The Robotics Institute, CMU
1989 Visiting Research Scientist, Hitachi, Ltd., Yokohama
1990 Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, The
Robotics Institute, CMU
1991 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Computer Science,Columbia Univ.
1995 Associate Professor, Dept. of Computer Science,Columbia Univ.
1996 Professor, Dept. of Computer Science, Columbia Univ.
2002 T. C. Chang Endowed Chair Professor, Dept.of
Computer Science, Columbia Univ.
2009 Department Chair, Computer Science, Columbia Univ.
2018 Director, NYC Research, Snap Inc.
Main Awards and Honors:
1990 David Marr Prize
1991 NSF National Young Investigator Award
1992 David and Lucile Packard Fellowship1994 NTT Distinguished Scientiﬁc Achievement Award
1995 David Marr Prize
1995 Keck Engineering Teaching Excellence Award
2006 Great Teacher Award, Columbia Univ.
2009 Alumni Achievement Award, CMU
2014 Appreciation Honor for Contributions toComputational Imaging, SONY
2019 Helmholtz Prize, Computer Vision Foundation
2019 IEEE PAMI Distinguished Researcher Award, IEEE
Computer Society
2021 Funai Achievement Award, Information Processing
Society of Japan
2021 SPIE Luminary, The International Society of Optics
and Photonics
Others:Member of National Academy of Engineering, American
Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Inventors,
Indian National Academy of Engineering

Main Achievements :Conventional cameras use a lens and an image sensor ̶ ﬁlm
in the past, and now CCD and CMOS sensors ̶ to record
images. Professor Nayar has redeﬁned the camera and its
capabilities through his innovative and pioneering work inthe ﬁeld of computational imaging, which uses optical coding

followed by computational decoding to produce new forms ofvisual information. Over the last three decades, he hasdeveloped computational cameras for wide angle, highdynamic range, extended depth of ﬁeld, multispectral,ultra-high resolution (gigapixel) and depth (3D) imaging. This
new class of cameras have not only empowered computer
vision systems but also impacted the way humans
communicate with each other. Professor Nayarʼs
contributions are described in over 300 scholarly publications
and 100 patents.
His work on “shape from focus” has led to a new line of products
for digital 3D microscopy. His omnidirectional (360 degree) cameras
are being used for both communication and security applications.
His “assorted pixel” technology, which enables a compact camera
module to capture photos with unprecedented dynamic range is
now incorporated into the most advanced image sensors. These
image sensors are used in many of todayʼs popular mobile devices.
It is estimated that there are over 1 billion users of Nayarʼsassorted pixel technology.
There are many other examples of Professor Nayarʼs work,
such as an imaging technique that can “see” beneath thesurfaces of objects, enabling vision systems to distinguishbetween man-made and natural materials. More recently, hehas focused on the creation of futuristic cameras, such as
self-powered cameras that do not require a power supply but
instead use energy that is harvested from the light received
from the scene that is being photographed, as well as ﬂexible
cameras that can be bent freely.
For his outstanding track record in both academic researchand practical applications, Professor Nayar has received
many awards including the IEEE PAMI Distinguished
Researcher Award, the most prestigious award in the ﬁeld ofcomputer vision. He was elected to the National Academy ofEngineering, the highest honor for an engineer in the UnitedStates, at the young age of just 45 years. He has also been
elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, theNational Academy of Inventors and the Indian National
Academy of Engineering.
Professor Nayar also designed an educational camera for
inspiring students to learn a wide range of science andengineering concepts. The camera, called “Bigshot,” comes asa kit that is assembled in several stages, giving students
hands-on exposure. Once assembled, the camera is used toteach students photography. Bigshot has been used by over
100,000 children around the world, including students in India,Vietnam, Japan and the U.S. Several school systems andnon-proﬁt organizations have launched educational programs
based on Bigshot to inspire children in under-served
communities. For his exceptional talents as an educator,
Professor Nayar received the prestigious Great TeacherAward from Columbia University.
Professor Shree Nayar, has made remarkable contributions
through the invention of novel imaging systems and theirwidespread use in digital photography and computer vision.
In recognition of these contributions, he is hereby awarded
the Okawa Prize.
6