Maiden program of TechForward Research Seminar Series held

This is a technology futures series, bringing together academia and industry, to deliberate on emerging technologies. The first seminar edition was organised on ‘AI on the Edge’. Rajeev Kurundkar of Qualcomm chaired it.

Each seminar edition comprises Research Insights- Presenting the latest research from leading academic institutions; Industry Reflections- Showcasing real-world applications and business innovations; Networking- Facilitating collaboration and idea exchange amongst professionals and leaders. Targeting mid to senior-level techies and leaders from the industry, academia from various research institutions and startups.

The series will also be followed by a branded newsletter, TechForward Dispatch, as a monthly update on research trends in Computer Science & AI. Bringing in a nice treatise from research and industry; featuring the two distinguished talks and a few related research works compiled into a research ‘dispatch’. One theme at a time.

AI is getting mainstream, converging the physical and cyber worlds.  Videos, voice, sensors, signals and more are now entering the realm of AI solutions on the edge.

Rajesh Narayanan, VP of Engineering, Qualcomm and Anoop M. Namboodiri, Professor IIIT–H spoke on the occasion. Rajesh spoke about enabling AI at the edge and gave an overview of it, AI-based case uses, benefits, what Qualcomm was doing, AI research to increase power efficiency, Qualcomm AI Hub and Generative AI Trends and Challenges.  We are advancing AI research to make on-device AI ubiquitous.  We are creating AI platform innovations that are fundamental to scaling AI across the industry, he said.

Prof Anoop spoke about the Vision on the AI Edge.  He spoke about computer vision pushing the edge of AI(CNNs, GenAI, FMs, AG); Innovations in Vision allowing AI on the edge and Improvements in AI pushing computer vision to the edge.

P. J. Narayanan, Director of the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad who graced the occasion said it’s a community initiative anchored by IIIT Hyderabad. Probably the first time in India an educational institution has embarked on such an initiative. It is a very unique attempt, he said.    IIIT Hyderabad is located amidst many IT companies in the city.  It will also be equally good for both academia and industry to connect .  This is a series of monthly events on current technologies.  It is also a unique attempt to approach the same subject from an academic as well as industry point of view.  Today’s host is Qualcomm. Many of IIITH’s alumni work in Qualcomm, he added 

Shashi Reddy, VP of Engineering, Qualcomm India said  that they were proud to host the opening talk of the TechForward.  Technology is changing so fast. A lot is happening on that front.  It is very challenging to keep abreast of the developments. The TechForward, an industry and academia connect initiative is the need of the hour, he said.

Rajeev Kurundkar of Qualcomm said the opening talk focusing on AI on Edge would give participants insights into where we stand on the subject and would offer Industry and academic perspectives.