Abstract

Computer Vision is the empowering methodology in a multitude of installed industrial systems with a wide range of different application domains. Human and industrial vision systems have quite distinct and often complementary strengths admitting intriguing domain specific applications on one side and leading to inspiring and challenging vision research topics on the other. The generalization of domain specific applications to functionality classes and the grouping of smaller research topics into overarching Computer Vision themes are necessary steps to a coherent R&D strategy.

The first part of the talk presents the basic philosophy followed at the Computer Vision Laboratory of ETH Zurich. The second part is devoted to developments in “Computer Assisted and Image Guided Medical Interventions”; the Laboratory is leading house of a  Swiss National Center of Competence in Research  with this denomination ( http://co-me.ch ).

We will outline the major research topics for NCCR-CO-ME, sketch clinical application domains, explain the mission and refer to the underlying technologies. Examples of applications and methodological developments as well as illustrations of current results conclude the presentation.

Biography

Olaf Kübler received an education in theoretical physics at TH Karlsruhe, ETH Zurich (degree, 1967), and the University of Heidelberg (PhD, 1970). In 1972 he joined the Institute for Cell Biology of the ETH Zurich to set-up digital processing of electron microscope images of biological structures at molecular resolution. In 1979 he became Professor of Image Sciences in the Department of Electrical Engineering and founded a Computer Vision Laboratory, working on the computer-based interpretation of 2D and 3D image data sets from conventional and non-conventional image sources. Core activities of the Computer Vision Laboratory have been: analysis of 2D and 3D medical image data, modelling and visualization of minimally invasive surgery, 3-D vision and robotics, knowledge based interpretation of remote sensing imagery. His former laboratory has initiated and is responsible for a Swiss National Competence Centre for Research in Computer Aided and Image Guided Medical Interventions.

Olaf Kübler has been engaged in science management for two decades: he chaired the Swiss National Science Foundation's National Research Program 23 “Artificial Intelligence and Robotics” (1987?95), served as Dean of the EE Faculty (1990?92), and served as international representative in a comprehensive evaluation of EE-curricula in Sweden. He became Vice President for Research in 1996, and President of ETH Zurich in December 1997, serving two terms until November 2005. These were marked by a generation change and general faculty renewal, determined internationalization, and a comprehensive campus expansion and renovation program. Two thirds of the present faculty are appointments during his tenure, the curricular format was completely converted from the traditional continental European to the international ? Bologna - standard, and English is now the teaching language. In quantitative terms he made 237 - predominantly international ? faculty appointments, 70 of which at the Tenure Track Assistant Professor level, officially introduced in 2000. During his presidency, Olaf Kübler chaired various advisory boards and evaluation committees in Switzerland as well as in Germany

Since 2006, he is director of Society in Science, an experiment in research and learning dedicated to exploring new avenues in the relationship between science and society, and supporting outstanding young scientists by Branco Weiss Fellowships for up to five years. Amongst other committees, he serves on the Senate of the Max Planck Society, Germany, the Board of Directors of Siemens Switzerland, and on the Board of Trustees of National University of Singapore.