The Intel® Nervana™ AI Academy for Students program was created to work collaboratively with students at innovative schools and universities doing great work in the Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence space. Intel® Student Ambassador Suprabhat Das took the time to share his philosophies on life and how he wants to use technologies like deep learning to improve our environments and lives.
Tell us about your background.
I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Technology under the Computer Science & Engineering program at Amity University Kolkata. I have been a constant worker and over the last two years I’ve had more than 35 internships under many well-renowned organizations including Central Drug Research India (CSIR), National Institute for Industrial Training, Entrepreneurship Development & Research Council of India, Microsoft, and HackerEarth among others.
As an ardent helper-for-all by nature, I have also been generous with providing my services as a graphics designer to innumerable non-governmental organizations in India like Sapne, a Delhi-based foundation and Eride, where I worked as a Digital Marketing intern. A thought I preach is: “Think global, act local.” And my personal mantra for success is: “Be a trend-setter rather than being a trend-follower.”
What got you started in technology?
At school I was elected as Vice-President of the IT Club, and being a part of that allowed me to really delve into technology and its uses in various domains. After that, when I joined University, I started getting intensely involved in technology because of my participation in various workshops, seminars, and conferences. I had a love for computers since childhood, but the inclination to do and learn more with technology really started after reaching university where I began learning about technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, etc. Dr. Anirban Das, Head of Department for Computer Science and Engineering, has supported and guided me in this regard despite his busy schedule. We’ve had many discussions after classes on the latest IT trends and technological advancements and I am indebted to him for his ongoing mentorship, cooperation, and blessings.
What projects are you working on now?
I am part of two laboratories here at Amity University Kolkata, the Innovation Lab and the Programming Lab. I have done a project entitled “External Device Tracker” that uses Java technology. I’ve also worked on several web development projects, which eventually led to my involvement in a leading application security company, TeamCognito, as Chief Operating Officer.
I have also published a paper entitled “Neuro-Linguistic Programming” (NLP) in International Journal of Engineering Science Technology and Research which focused on the basics of NLP like its origin, pillars, basic assumptions and implementations. I also published “Review Paper for Wireless Power Transmission for Charging Mobile Devices” in the International Journal of Engineering and Computer Science. The working model of the review paper is in the process of being made and I am excited to complete this as soon as possible.
Tell us about a technology challenge you’ve had to overcome in a project.
I didn’t have much prior knowledge in electronic and electrical domains when I started getting into wireless power transmission, so that was hard for me. I had to learn most of the things from scratch, but I found it rewarding at the end to be able to frame a review paper. As for the making of the working model, it is taking a lot of time. I believe the most challenging task to perform is to be able to make the system portable and cost-effective.
What trends do you see happening in technology?
Personally, I’m amazed at the technology we have available to us. In the near future, the trends I can see are in IoT, augmented reality, virtual reality, machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science, automation, big data, etc. and where these technologies can take us.
How are you planning to leverage artificial intelligence or deep learning technologies in your work?
Currently, I am beginning to work on new innovation project: Carbon Footprint Analysis for a Better Tomorrow. We want to design software for an individual car-owner to get a detailed analysis of emissions at the end of the day and based on that report, the quality check, and vehicle pollution check can determine their carbon footprint for the day. This way environmental pollution can be reduced efficiently and with eco-friendly tools. This can be widely accepted at both a local and global scale, is highly sustainable, and will have high market value due to its dependency.
There are several facets of the project that we are working on. We need a sensor that can measure the emissions and provide real-time data to the server for carbon footprint analysis. We need to have certain benchmark values to check against and if the value is higher, the respective owner will be notified via their mobile. Based on specified criteria, the user can be notified to get regular pollution checks of their vehicle as well. In this way, the tool will not only prevent the car from permanent damage but also prevent environmental degradation. The tools required are quite easily available, but we need to discuss this more with environmentalists that are involved in analyzing carbon footprints and carbon data analytics.
The second part of the project is the collection and analyzation of data. I believe that we will deeply rely on deep learning for this more enhanced part of the project. I created the idea and abstract on my own and now that the project has been accepted in the poster section of the New Frontiers in Engineering, Science & Technology (NFEST-2018), I am getting university students that are interested to join me. The next step is research to take us from the idea stage where we are now, to the prototype phase.
What are you looking forward to doing as an Intel® Student Ambassador?
I am looking forward to gaining more experience with real-world applications that Intel is working on and exchanging knowledge and opinions among other Student Ambassadors. I believe that working as a team provides different perspectives and approaches to the solution. I’m also excited to publish and share the progress I am making with my work. Having the opportunity to get access to an Intel® Xeon Phi™ cluster is amazing. Also, having contact with engineers that work there is a great resource to have.
How can Intel help students like you succeed?
Intel is one of the companies leading the world with innovations and ideas. Intel has always been passionate about technology. This student developer program, led by Intel, offers information and state-of-the –art approaches that are currently being used which I believe will help me to continue my research efficiently.
What impact on the world do you see AI having? And do you see yourself as part of it?
Artificial intelligence is already transforming the world of work, but the future is hard to predict. Some people are saying that it will replace employees, while some are saying that it will only increase work efficiency thereby reducing the workload on humans and saving time. From self-driving cars to automated systems, all are prevalent now. I hope to make my living in solving problems and contributing to research, like in my focus on carbon footprint analysis.
Outside of technology, what sort of hobbies do you enjoy?
To finally talk about some of my fun activities! I am a voracious reader and a diehard Agatha Christie fan. I also enjoy brainstorming on Jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, Rubik’s Cube, and crosswords. I am an athlete and enjoy swimming. I love football and Lionel Messi is my golden player of all time. I’m also a sketcher and I even own a repository of doodles and kohl sketches. Under Creative Image Box, I have also been an active content writer.
Despite having a long list of goals to achieve academically, I am a proud universal citizen. I am an expert in negotiating time to allocate enough for sustaining my personal, professional, and spiritual lives. My modus operandi for functioning includes spending time with my family, friends, and science journals on a regular basis in order to fulfil my target of dreaming big and making it bigger.
I am also a big believer in volunteering. I was a Campaign Volunteer at HelpAge India where I received a Certificate of Social Service for creating awareness and assistance in raising funds for the care of the elderly, irrespective of race, religion, caste or creed. I received a Certificate of Appreciation for my work as a Campaign Volunteer at SOS Children’s Villages of India for my participation in the work for the children in need. I am registered with DATRI as a potential blood stem cell donor; something I am very proud to be associated with. I’m an ongoing community volunteer work at SillyCon India and I also am a contributing author, writing inspirational stories for the Good News Newspaper.
Want to learn more? Check out our Student Developer Zone, join Intel® Developer Mesh, or learn more about becoming a Student Ambassador
Interested in more information? Contact Niven Singh