KAUST professor David Ketcheson uses mathematical modeling to understand COVID-19 transmission. He applies differential equations to explain the progression of SARS-CoV-2, utilizing the SIR model to predict the spread. Ketcheson's analysis suggests that the reproduction number for COVID-19 could be as high as 5, emphasizing the need for social distancing. Why it matters: This highlights the role of mathematical modeling and data analysis in understanding and predicting the spread of infectious diseases, particularly in the context of pandemic response.
Researchers created a cross-cultural corpus of annotated verbal and nonverbal behaviors in receptionist interactions. The corpus includes native speakers of American English and Arabic role-playing scenarios at university reception desks in Doha, Qatar, and Pittsburgh, USA. The manually annotated nonverbal behaviors include gaze direction, hand gestures, torso positions, and facial expressions. Why it matters: This resource can be valuable for the human-robot interaction community, especially for building culturally aware AI systems.
KAUST welcomed 284 new students from 38 countries at its fifth annual academic Convocation. President Chameau highlighted KAUST's international DNA and the opportunities for students to contribute, learn, and discover. Student speaker Mitchell Morton and Prof. Mohamed Eddaoudi also addressed the audience on research and community. Why it matters: Showcases KAUST's ongoing role as a hub for international talent and research within Saudi Arabia.
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A proposed recognition system aims to identify missing persons, deceased individuals, and lost objects during the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia. The system intends to leverage facial recognition and object identification to manage the large crowds expected in the coming decade, estimated to reach 20 million pilgrims. It will be integrated into the CrowdSensing system for crowd estimation, management, and safety.
The KAUST booth at the 2017 American Chemical Society conference in San Francisco attracted potential students and staff. Justin Mynar, Director of the KAUST Core Labs, engaged with attendees. KAUST staff also interacted with visitors to provide information about the university's offerings. Why it matters: This type of outreach helps KAUST attract international talent and build its reputation within the global scientific community.
Ekaterina Radionova from Smarter AI (formerly Samsung AI Center) presented an approach to generating lifelike real-time avatars. The work focuses on generating high-quality video with authentic facial features to support online generation. Radionova's master's degree is from Skoltech on Data Science program and Bachelor degree at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology on Applied Math. Why it matters: Achieving realistic real-time avatars is critical for applications in online communication, entertainment, and virtual reality within the region.
A public talk announcement features Professor Anil K. Jain from Michigan State University discussing biometric recognition. The talk will cover automated recognition of individuals based on biological and behavioral traits. It will also address challenges, research opportunities, and ongoing projects in Jain's lab related to biometrics. Why it matters: As biometric technologies become increasingly integrated into daily life across the Middle East, understanding their limitations and ethical implications is crucial for responsible development and deployment.