The last five months were productive and intense. Being a visiting student was one of the coolest experiences in my life! I came to MIT from Skoltech with a goal to prepare my master’s thesis. I worked with Achuta Kadambi on projects related to 3D scanning and depth sensors. From the very first day in the Camera Culture Group I knew I was in the right place. It was my second time at MIT and I was already familiar with the Institute and Boston. I was not very familiar with the Media Lab, however, and it was a revelation for me. Above all else the Media Lab is a unique place. It is also alive 24 hours a day and it was absolutely normal to leave the lab in the middle of the night after a long day of work.
I participated in three 3D scanning related projects during my time at MIT. Some of them were successful and some – not yet. The most exciting project was submitted to SIGGRAPH. It focused on ways to enhance depth sensing quality using polarization of light. Not only was I able to productively work on a cool idea, I also learned my limits, and I learned how to be effective and efficient. It was a great experience for me not only from scientific standpoint but also for my personal development.
I am planning to continue my research in computational imaging and in particular in 3D scanning. I believe that it will be an important in many exciting future applications, such as robotics and augmented reality. These fields will be huge in the future and I hope to make an impact on the field. I am sure that this wonderful time in the Camera Culture Group took me closer to my goal.
Vahe’s experiment set up
Vahe and friends on a group outing to Salem, MA.
