Takeo Kanade, author of ‘virtualized reality’, visits VivaCell-MTS to meet with ICT community of Armenia

The 2019 Laureate of the Global IT Award, the founder of “Origami World” theory, and the author of the ‘virtualized reality’, Japanese professor at the Carnegie Mellon University Takeo Kanade was hosted today at VivaCell-MTS head office.

Dr. Kanade, VivaCell-MTS General Manager, member of the award committee Mr. Ralph Yirikian, Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industries of Armenia Mr. Armen Abroyan, Executive Director of “Synopsis Armenia”, Award Organizational Committee Coordinator mr. Hovik Musayelyan, and Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Japan Mr. Hrant Poghosyan, spoke at the press conference.

Dr. Kanade expressed gratitude for the state award of the Republic of Armenia, calling it a motivation inspiring him to stay committed in his undertakings. With a clear vision in mind, Dr. Kanade has been a role model for younger generation making the first steps in robotics. According to Dr. Kanade robotics is one of those disciplines that have no boundaries and give endless opportunities to discover new horizons and to understand deeper the place of human interactions with robots in everyday lives.

“It is a great honor for me to become the 2019 Laureate of the Global IT Award of the Republic of Armenia. I have learned the commitment to develop high-tech in Armenia is more than just a slogan. I am happy indeed to know that, and feel honored to be awarded by a country with such a vision,” Dr. Kanade underlined.

“Supporting the promotion of high-tech development in Armenia, VivaCell-MTS is honored to be side by side with this initiative for ten years now; the positive impact of this initiative becomes increasingly tangible in our country each year. Armenia’s position as a country with significant perspectives in ICT grows steadily. I believe the legends like Mr. Kanade visiting our country inspire the young people in their professional life,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.

“Mr. Kanade is a lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University, who is the inventor and introducer of the concept of virtualized reality. Contributions of people like Mr. Kanade are very important in global perspective. I would like to stress the importance of this award, which allows mapping Armenia as a regional hub,” said RA Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry Armen Abroyan.

“We mark the ten years of the award this year. We are proud that the initiative, which was once taken with a grain of salt, has proven its right to exist. There is a good reason Armenia has an award for global contribution. Those contributions have been life-changers for the humanity at large. We are proud the world legends visiting Armenia every year add to the image and renown of our country,” Award Organizational Committee Coordinator Hovik Musayelyan said.

Mr. Kanade’s findings in computer-assisted surgery systems, face-recognition and tridimensional recording technologies have gained him the name of one of the foremost specialists in the sphere. In 2008 Dr. Kanade received the Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science.

Dr. Takeo Kanade is also the author of the concept of ‘virtualized reality’; according to this concept multiple cameras capture reality from different angles combining into a single system model allowing for the virtualized recreation of that image from every angle.

Dr. Kanade has been behind the establishment of the Doctoral Program in Robotics opened at the Carnegie Mellon University in 1989, and later also the establishment of the Master’s Program in the same discipline. Dr. Kanade has around 300 academic publications and holds 20 patents.

Dr. Takeo Kanade is the tenth to receive the Global Award of the Republic of Armenia for Outstanding Contribution to Humanity through IT (Global IT Award).

The winners of recent years were: former CEO of “Intel Corporation” Craig Barrett, the Co-Founder of “Apple Inc.” Steve Wozniak, Chairman Emeritus of “Synaptics, Inc.” and President of “Federico and Elvia Faggin” Foundation Federico Faggin, former CEO of “Hitachi” Tsugio Makimoto, Chief Development Officer of “Sysco Systems” Mario Mazzola, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of “Kaspersky Lab” Eugene Kaspersky, one of the founding fathers of Internet and CEO at “Open-Root” Louis Pouzin and the founder of “Nest labs”, the creator of iPod Tony Fadell, and the founder of the company “National Instruments” James Truchard.

In 2009 VivaCell-MTS invested AMD 20 million for the organization of the award. Overall, in the period between 2010 and 2019 the Company’s contribution to the award has exceeded AMD 200 million.