ABSTRACT

In this presentation Prof. Jason Valentine will discuss how with the proliferation of networked sensors and artificial intelligence, there is an increasing need for edge computing where data is processed at the sensor level to reduce bandwidth and latency while still preserving energy efficiency. In this talk, he will discuss how meta-optics can be used to implement computation for optical edge sensors, serving to off-load computationally expensive convolutional operations from the digital platform, reducing both latency and power consumption. Meta-optics can also take advantage of additional information channels, such as polarization, spectral composition, and angle of incidence, to process information not recorded on conventional cameras. He will discuss how this increased freedom in design allows meta-optics to augment, or replace, conventional imaging optics in achieving parallel optical processing across multiple independent channels.

He will also discuss how the meta-optic frontend is demonstrated to enable segmenting and classifying objects with minimal computational resources as well as allow for spectral discrimination in classifying objects based on their emission characteristics.

BIOGRAPHY

Professor Valentine received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Purdue University
in 2004 and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley in 2010. At Vanderbilt he is
currently a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and the Deputy Director of the Vanderbilt
Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE). Prof. Valentine researches the optical
Young Investigator Award, and a Chancellor’s Award for Research.