Avinash Kak

Avinash Kak
Born	Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Alma mater	College of Engineering, Guindy, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
Occupation	Computer Scientist
Known for	Computer vision, SART algorithm, Robotics, Software engineering
Notable credit(s)	Author of "Digital Picture Processing", "Objects Trilogy Project"

Avinash C. Kak (Hindi: अविनाश काक) (also known as Avi Kak, born 1944) is a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University who has done pioneering research in several areas of information processing. His most noteworthy contributions deal with algorithms, languages, and systems related to networks (including sensor networks), robotics, and computer vision. Born in Srinagar, Kashmir, he was educated at College of Engineering, Guindy and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He joined the faculty of Purdue University in 1971.

His brother is the computer scientist Subhash Kak.

His contributions include the 3D-POLY that is the fastest algorithm for recognizing 3D objects in depth maps In 1992, Kosaka and Kak published FINALE, which is considered to be a computationally efficient and highly robust approach to vision-based navigation by indoor mobile robots. In 2003, a group of researchers that included Kak developed a tool for content-based image retrieval that was demonstrated by clinical trials to improve the performance of radiologists. This remains the only clinically evaluated system for content-based image retrieval for radiologists. His book Digital Picture Processing, co-authored with Azriel Rosenfeld, is also considered a classic and has been one of the most widely referenced sources in literature dealing with digital image processing and computer vision.

He is not a believer in Strong AI as evidenced by his provocative/amusing essay Why Robots Will Never Have Sex. This essay a rejoinder to those who believe that robots/computers will someday take over the world.

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