Interests
accessible technologies, man-machine interaction, public spaces, cognition, science and technology studies and media studies.
Education
Master of Information Management and Systems. Expected May 2010
School of Information,
University of California, Berkeley
Bachelors of Technology in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). 2007
Dhirubhai Ambani School of ICT, Gujarat, India
Research
Infrastructure to SUPPORT WEB-based Collaboration for
CRoWdsourcing
Software Architecture, Web Services Design, User Interface
Design, Game Design
Microsoft Research India. Research Software Developer, August 2007 - July 2008.
The project builds on recent work in crowdsourcing and human computation. Involved software design and development for tools and frameworks that can handle task workflows and scale for large number of users.
Geographic
Narratives: Community Storytelling through Online Maps
Client-side Web Development (JavaScript, AJAX), User Interface Design,
Web Services
Microsoft Research India. Research Intern, January - August 2007.
Selected amongst one of two interns to represent Microsoft Research, India at the Bill Gates Intern Dinner in June 2007
Development of online map experience technologies for use by communities. The project focused on building infrastructure to support user-created experiences such as travelogues, historical epics or other geographically located stories.
Design
of Auditory Interfaces for the Visually Impaired
Auditory Interface Design, User Research, Ethnography, Embedded
Systems and Ultrasonic sensors
with Prof. R.N. Biswas, DA-IICT. Winning project for Imagine Cup, India and in the top 12 projects worldwide
The solution developed enables the visually disabled to navigate by providing aural feedback of the physical environment using ultrasonic sensors, and a software solution that enabled the blind to explore GUI's using touch and pointing devices. http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/03/stories/2006070303511300.htm
Development
of a game-based tabletop learning device for disabled children
with tabita kurien at the national institute of design in 2006
Worked on the development of hardware interfacing, speech feedback mechanisms and flash-based games for a collaborative learning table-top. The device was designed for use in a school for children with multiple disabilities.
A
Social and Sensual Construction of the iPod
was selected for presentation at the 2007 Conference on New Directions in Humanities.
Publications
Sonic Grid: An Auditory Interface for the Visually Impaired to Navigate GUI-based Environments
2008 international conference on
intelligent user interfaces, canary islands, spain
Modeling an Experience Management Framework for Innovation in Post-Harvest Resource Management
2006 ieee international conference ON management of innovation and technology
Projects
The
Use of Games to Create Better Learning Tools
Learning Game Design, Literature Review, Design Accessible Interfaces
Design and Innovation
Team, Tata Interactive Systems. Summer 2005.
Completed literature review and
created a reference document for the use of games in learning and formal
education. This study on future business opportunities and learning patterns in
games is being used by project managers in Tata Interactive. Developed
prototypes for introducing interactions and flow in Simulation Based Learning
Objects¨ and developed design guidelines for the same.
UNDERSTANDING RURAL LIFE IN
INDIA
Institute for Total Revolution, Vedchhi, Gujarat
The rural internship was an experience in sharing the life and concerns of villages in the Vedchhi district of Gujarat. The highlight of the two-month long stay was daily interactions with Narayan Desai, an eminent Gandhian scholar.
Skills
Interests in Embedded Systems led to an understanding of the ATMEL AVR and Intel 8086 architectures, with development experience in both assembly and C. Worked with RS232, USB, Parallel Port, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interfaces and protocols during various projects. Familiar with the Unix filesystem, device model and shell.
Also proficient with the use of various multimedia authoring tools such as Alias Maya, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premier, Macromedia Flash and various Music Mixing and editing tools.
Proficient in C, C++,
C#, Java, JavaScript. Have worked extensively with Microsoft Technologies
including .NET, Live ID SDK, Windows Communication Foundation, Silverlight,
Windows Mobile SDK, SQL Server and the Internet Information Server. Involved in
the development of various web-based systems which involved working with
Web-services, AJAX, SSL, authentication and security in browser and widgets.
Achievements and Other Activities
Selected to Represent Microsoft Research
India at the Bill Gates Intern BBQ
in June 2007
Winner at Imagine Cup India and amongst the top twelve teams in the world in
August 2006
Joined SRISTI on the 18th Shodhyatra in December 2006 for week
long walk in the search of innovators in rural India
Design of weapons, environments and props for
a 3D game in 2005
Media,
script and stage artwork for a stage play
winning an inter-college event in 2005
Represented DA-IICT at the Doors of Perception conference on
Sustainable Design in 2005 and 2007
Design Project on computer animation in 2004 with Prof. Binita Desai
Conceptualized
and organized live music concert events for the
annual festival Synapse at DA-IICT in 2004-2005
Lead the design
of media and identity of the first annual festival Synapse at DA-IICT in
2004
Appointed the Secretary for Information Technologies in high school from 2000 -
2002
Received the GovernorÕs award for scouts by the New Delhi state government in
2000
Photography by me on http://www.flickr.com/gp/39001804@N00/223g80
References
Shiv Visvanathan
Senior Professor
DA-IICT
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
India
shiv_visvanathan
[at] daiict [dot] ac [dot] in
Binita desai
Associate Professor
DA-IICT
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
India
binita_desai [at] daiict [dot]
ac [dot] in
Joseph joy
Architect
Microsoft Research
Bangalore - 560080
India
josephj [at] microsoft [dot] com