For a target audience of consumer technology engineers and product developers, live interactive panel sessions will feature some of the Consumer Technology Industry's prominent engineers from leading commercial organizations covering a diverse range of industry stakeholders.
Social intelligence is an ability to understand each other’s relationships and work together. With the advent of the Web 3 era and the evolution of digital communication, the amount of information that can be handled in real and cyber space has increased dramatically due to the progress of IoT and AI. This session will explore new forms of communication by discussing how Social Intelligence is changing with Data, AI and Security technologies. Opening remarks will be given by Dr. Satoshi Imai, Head of Data & Security Laboratory, Fujitsu.
Research Director, Fujitsu Ltd.
Narishige Abe received his M.S. in Information Science from Osaka University(2007). Since 2007, he has worked at Fujitsu Ltd. He was also a visiting scholar at Stanford University (2013 - 2014). He received the OHM Technology Award in 2017. His research interests include image processing, computer vision and machine learning.
Senior Researcher, Fujitsu Ltd.
After completing his MEng in Electronic & Electrical Engineering from UCL, Andikan worked as a systems engineer, focusing on lower layer network design. Andikan joined Fujitsu from the University of Oxford where he undertook a DPhil in Cybersecurity, focusing on DDoS attacks, countermeasures and comensurable evaluation. Andikan’s current research focus is on Robust Localization, although he has many other interests.
Professor, Ritsumeikan University
Dr. Yamamoto received the Ph.D. in 2006. He was a researcher at Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd from 2006 to 2010. Since 2015, he has been a professor at Ritsumeikan University. His research interests include R&D on sensor networks, cloud computing, and delay resistant networks.
Assistant Professor, Purdue University
Dr. Zhang received the Ph.D. from University of Texas at Dallas. He was a postdoc research fellow on AI and IoT at Harvard University. He is now an assistant professor at the Purdue University School of Engineering and Technology.
Director of Research, Fujitsu Research of America
Kanji Uchino, Ph.D. is a Director of Research at Fujitsu Research of America, Inc. He has been engaged and leading “Web2.0 beyond”, “Open Education Solutions” ,“Transparent/Trusted AI” and “Graph XAI” projects for more than 16 years to proceed the innovation field research in US. He is now focusing the AutoML solution application research with ecosystem partners. He received his Ph.D. in Information Technology from University of Tsukuba.
This session presents experts' views about two important topics for the evolution of computing and networking technologies. The first one is the coordination between radio networks and optical networks and the second one is the coordination between computing infrastructures and networks. The session starts with presentations by three panelists representing the optical, radio, and accelerated computing domains, and then dive into discussions around the topics.
IOWN Technology Director, IOWN Development Office, R&D Planning Department, NTT
Masahisa Kawashima is currently leading NTT's R&D of Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) as the IOWN Technology Director. He is also serving as the Chair of the Technology Working Group at IOWN Global Forum. He has been working as a bridge between technologies and businesses since he joined NTT in 1994. His expertise includes high-speed networking, SDN, cloud/edge computing, AI, and data management. Current research includes digital twin applications that leverage the evolution of optical communication and optoelectronics integration technologies.
Sr. Director of Network Technologies, Ciena
Mike Frankel is currently a Ciena Fellow and Senior Director, Network Technologies in Ciena’s CTO office. He is responsible for strategic direction of Ciena’s transmission and switching architectures and systems. Michael also leads design of prototype future generation Data Center and WAN networking systems addressing graceful scaling of dynamic network capacity and reducing overall costs, power, and complexity. He has over 60 publications and over 120 granted and pending patents in various areas.
Sr. Dir., Strategy Optical Networking Business Unit, Nokia
Dir. Ing. Lieven Levrau is a Strategic Technology Consultant with over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications business. He received an M. Sc. degree in Applied Physics and he has studied Avionics. He has actively participated in standards organizations such as the IETF, ITU-T, MEF, authored patents, and published several field publications. Currently, he is a Senior Director of Product Strategy in Nokia's Optical Networking Business Unit (ONBU). His current focus is establishing and implementing Nokia's strategy for the emerging neutral host market, as well as integrating connectivity automation technologies into global ecosystems and the Optical Wireless & Networking Global Forum (IOWN GF).
Global Head of Bus. Dev. Telco Networking, NVIDIA
Elad Blatt is the Global Head BD Telco Networking and Security at NVIDIA. Tech savvy and technology driven, he is an innovative and driven executive, with 17 years of experience leading Sales and Business development teams in domestic and international marketplaces.
Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium redefining the future of live entertainment. A venue where the foremost artists, creators, and technologists create extraordinary, shared experiences that take storytelling to a new level and transport audiences to places both real and imagined – without a VR headset. The first Sphere venue opened in Las Vegas in September 2023, and is already a Las Vegas landmark. On this panel you will hear from a few of the leaders behind the cutting-edge technologies that are powering Sphere – including audio, haptics, video display, 4D effects, and Big Sky camera system – and pushing the industry forward.
SVP, Advanced Engineering, Sphere Entertainment
Dr. Stuart Elby is Senior Vice President, Advanced Engineering at MSG Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sphere Entertainment Co. focused on developing advanced technologies for live entertainment. In this role, he is responsible for the development of new media and entertainment technologies spanning visual, audio, haptic, and sensory, including those that have been deployed at Sphere in Las Vegas, such as the venue’s immersive sound system, immersive seating, and 4D effects. Prior to joining MSG Ventures, Stu served as Senior Vice President, Cloud Strategy and Network Technology at Infinera Corporation where he was responsible for the P&L of their data center networking product portfolio targeted at cloud and data center operators. He also led R&D activities in packet-optical optimization. Prior to Infinera, Stu served as Vice President and Chief Technologist of Verizon Labs and Verizon Digital Media Service. During his tenure at Verizon, Stu had significant influence in both the architecture and development of Verizon's networks and services platforms, including the migration to packet voice, the adoption of MPLS, introduction of wavelength switching/ROADM platforms, the first live Carrier 100G long haul circuit, and automated digital media distribution services. Stu serves on several university and industry advisory boards. He holds a B.S. in Optical Engineering from the University of Rochester and an MSEE and PhD from Columbia University.
Principal, Big Sky Technology, Sphere Entertainment
Deanan DaSilva is a camera and media technology product development specialist. At Sphere Entertainment, he is the principal architect behind Big Sky, an ultra-high-resolution camera system and custom content creation tool. Big Sky, which features an 18K sensor that is the largest single sensor in commercial use, was developed in-house to capture detailed, large-format images and video for the LED display plane at Sphere, a next-generation entertainment medium. In addition to Big Sky, Deanan has previously worked on camera development and product strategy for a wide range of innovative technology companies including RED, IMAX, Google, and Dalsa. Deanan graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where he received his B.A. and M.A., studying Design, Photography, and Film.
Senior Fellow, Sphere Entertainment
As Senior Fellow at Sphere Entertainment Co., Erik Hockman leads the audio and acoustics teams developing immersive experiences and creating groundbreaking technologies for the recently opened Sphere in Las Vegas. With over 30 years of professional experience working across the themed entertainment, special venue, and leisure industries, Erik has held numerous leadership roles spanning live and studio content creation, broadcast engineering, theatre audio and show control design, film sound, live entertainment production, and engineering/construction management. Prior to Sphere, Erik has worked for clients including Disney, Panasonic, Anheuser-Busch, David Bowie, Yanni, and Luther Vandross. Notably, Erik also led the Audio/Visual systems design at Universal Studios Japan for virtually every attraction from the park’s conception and throughout its first 20 years of operation. Erik is a multi-national award-winning creative media producer. He holds a BFA from California Institute of the Arts in Sound Design for Theater, Music Composition, and Production Management.
SVP, Show Systems Technology, Sphere Entertainment
As Senior Vice President of Show Systems Technology at Sphere Entertainment Co., Alex Luthwaite oversees the show technologies and show control systems at Sphere. This includes the Las Vegas venue’s LED exterior – the Exosphere – as well as inside the main venue bowl and Sphere’s interior LED display plane. In addition, he is responsible for the immersive technology experiences featured in the venue’s Atrium. Alex’s career has spanned various areas of entertainment technology and production, where he has been part of creating groundbreaking live experiences for some of the world’s leading artists, brands, performing arts spaces, and venues. Prior to joining Sphere Entertainment, Alex’s experience includes as a project manager at TAIT, a global live experiences company, as well as NEG Earth, a leading entertainment and lighting company in the UK. Alex graduated from The University of Salford with a degree in Popular Music and Recording.
Principal Effects Engineer, Sphere Entertainment
Mike Rives is the Principal Effects Engineer, Advanced Engineering, at MSG Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sphere Entertainment Co. focused on developing advanced technologies for live entertainment. In this role, Mike develops novel technical solutions from concept through commissioning, including for Sphere in Las Vegas. With more than 50 years of experience in the entertainment industry, including at theme parks, location-based entertainment, industrials, E-ticket attractions, opera, live theatre, dance, theme parties, live touring and production shows, Mike has authored numerous fully-produced lighting designs, engineered audio system design/builds, planned control system designs including protocols and programming and produced dozens of unique fully operational special effects. He holds six patents for different effects systems. His experience also includes ground-up technical direction for a production theatre and show in Thailand, a complete 4D theatre outside London and a fully operational theme park in Japan. He has also designed systems, shows and effects for Disney, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Busch Gardens and Sea World and Las Vegas Hotel-Casinos MGM Grand, Bally’s, The Landmark, The Stardust and the Aladdin. Mike holds Bachelor degrees in Theatre Design & Technology, Sociology and Secondary Education.
CTSoc Administrator Charlotte Kobert charlotte.kobert@ieee.org
