Visual Computing – A New Powerhouse for Creativity

Abstract

As the saying goes, "seeing is believing", people are often more willing to believe what they see in their daily life. However, with the advent of the information age and the popularization of the Internet, is the visualized information you see really "what you see is what you get"?
Visual computing stands at the crossroads of an expansive and interdisciplinary domain, engaging with the intricate processing, analysis, and manipulation of visual information through the pipelines of computing. This field is a testament to the rich history of human endeavor, weaving together our historical fascination with shapes and colors, and the cutting-edge science and technology focused on analyzing and utilizing light as a form of energy. Professor Xu patiently illustrates the dynamic interplay between the realms of visual art and the scientific and technological advancements that underpin our modern understanding of the world around us.
With the recent surge in AI developments, we have witnessed remarkable progress in Natural Language Processing applications driven by Large Language Models, alongside significant strides in Large Visual Models and Artificial General Intelligence research. These advancements are revolutionizing the way we create, modify, and interpret visual content, pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable beyond the limits of human vision. Visual computing finds its relevance in a myriad of sectors—ranging from entertainment and healthcare to automotive and education—highlighting its pivotal role in reshaping our interactions and interpretations of the world through technology.
Spanning across engineering, computer science, human biology, and cognitive psychology, visual computing fuses diverse disciplines. This talk is designed for anyone with a curiosity about how we consume, generate, and interact with visual content. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an enthusiastic novice in the field, you’re invited to explore the fascinating world of visual computing with Professor Xu.

Bio

Dr. Zhijie Xu has been serving as the Head of the Department of Computing and Professor at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University since September 2024. He previously held the position of Tenured Professor at the University of Huddersfield’s School of Computing and Engineering, where he was also the Director of the Centre for Visual and Immersive Computing and the Director of the Graduate School. Since beginning his teaching career in 1999, he has supervised 18 PhD students and completed more than twenty academic and engineering projects. Dr. Xu’s primary research interests include computer graphics and imaging, visual systems, digital twins, edge computing, and information visualization technologies. Since 1996, he has published over 200 papers, authored 5 books, and held 11 patents. Dr. Xu has served as the Chairman of the Chinese Automation and Computing Society in the UK and is an editorial board member and invited reviewer for numerous academic journals. He is also a senior member of several prestigious academic organizations, such as IEEE, IET, BCS, and HEA. In addition, he led the 2018 Ministry of Education Chunhui Plan UK Expert Group to China and served as an expert judge for the Manchester area of the Chunhui Cup Chinese Exchange Students Entrepreneurship Competition from 2017 to 2019. Through long-term scientific research cooperation with universities in China, he was selected for the Sichuan Province Thousand Talents Plan in 2017 and received the Second Prize of Sichuan Province Science and Technology Progress Award in 2021.

视觉计算 – 创造性的新动力源

摘要

都说“百闻不如一见”，在日常生活中，人们往往更愿意相信自己见到的。然而，随时信息时代的到来，网络的普及，你所看到的可视化信息，是否真的是“所见即所得”呢？

通过计算机软，硬件与网络技术对视觉信号与信息的处理、分析和应用,视觉计算研究正置身与快速发展的跨学科领域交叉点。从研究人类发展早期对形状和颜色的尝试到专注于分析和利用光能的前沿科学技术，视觉研究是对人类探索自身与外部世界努力的一种历史见证。许教授将展示视觉艺术与科学技术之间的动态关系。这些人类智慧的进步构造了我们对周遭现代世界理解的基础。

随着近期人工智能的迅猛发展，我们见证了由大型语言模型推动的自然语言处理应用取得的显著成就，以及在大型视觉模型和人工通用智能研究方面的重大进展。这些进步正在革命性地改变我们理解，创建、和使用视觉内容的方式，将未来应用的边界推进到超越人类视觉所能达到的范围。视觉计算已在多个行业中发挥着重要作用，包括娱乐、医疗、自动驾驶和教育培训等领域，突显了它在通过技术重塑我们与世界互动方式中的核心地位。

视觉计算跨越工程、计算机科学、人类生物学和认知心理学等多个学科，将不同领域融为一体。这次讲座面向所有对如何使用、创作和与视觉内容互动感兴趣的人。无论您是该领域的经验丰富的专业人士还是充满热情的初学者，都欢迎您加入许教授的探索视觉计算奇妙世界之旅。

人物简介

许志杰博士, 2024年九月起任西交利物浦大学计算机系主任，教授。曾任英国哈德斯菲尔德大学（University of Huddersfield）工程与计算机学院终生教授，视觉与虚拟计算研究中心主任，研究生院主任。自1999年任教以来，培养了18名博士研究生，并于其间完成了二十余项学术及工程项目。许教授的主要研究方向包括计算机图形图像，视觉系统，数字孪生，边缘计算及信息可视化技术。自1996年起至今，已发表论文200余篇，著作5部，专利11项。许教授曾担任旅英中国自动化及计算机协会主席，同时是众多学术期刊的编委及特约审稿人，也是众多知名学术机构，如IEEE, IET, BCS, 以及HEA的资深会员。他同时是2018教育部春晖计划英国专家赴华交流团领队，2017到2019年春晖杯留学生创新创业大赛大曼彻斯特地区专家评委。在与国内高校长期科研合作中，他曾于2017年入选四川省千人计划，2021年度获得四川省科技进步二等奖。