biography

Summary

Kaan Akşit is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science department at University College London, where he leads the Computational Light Laboratory. Kaan invents novel optics, hardware, and software for next‑generation computational display and camera technologies. Kaan has more than ten years of experience and specialization in various novel computational display technologies, including auto‑stereoscopic displays, holographic displays and imagers, and near‑eye displays for virtual and augmented reality applications. For more details, please visit his website.

Collaborators

Special thanks! Kaan is forever thankful to his collaborators for enabling his scientific journey. Kaan learned a lot from them. They shape and influence Kaan's scientific journey.

When inviting Kaan to review processes: If you are going to invite Kaan to a review process, it is worth to check Kaan's publications in the last two to three years to make sure to maintain a fair review process as Kaan can not review his co-authors in the review processes. Please also make sure that you understand "Kaan's expertise" before inviting Kaan to a review process. For example, Kaan doesn't know anything about "sea creatures and their natural habitats" or "lifetime of volcanos".

Check active collaborators before inviting Kaan to a review process. For a list of Kaan's active Post-doctoral researchers, Ph.D. students and M.Sc. students visit Computational Light Laboratory's people page. Please also remember that Kaan is conflicted with the people in his affiliated institutions.

General information

Name Kaan
Surname Akşit
Title Associate Professor of Computational Light
Email kaanaksit@kaanaksit.com
Address 169 Euston Road, NW1 2AE, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Web page kaanaksit.com
Github kaanaksit
Linkedin kaanaksit
Twitter kaanaksit
Google scholar FhyBsnQAAAAJ
Orcid 0000-0002-5934-5500

Education

Work experience

  • 2021.01 - Present

    London, United Kingdom

    Associate Professor of Computational Light
    Computer Science Department, University College London
    In this role as an educator and scientist, Kaan established the Computational Light Laboratory with a focus on artificial intelligence-driven computational methods across various fields such as displays, imaging, graphics, optics, fabrication, holography, virtual reality, and augmented reality.
    • Computational Light
    • Computational Displays
    • Perceptual Graphics
    • Optical Computing
    • Computer-Generated Holography
    • Augmented Reality
    • Virtual Reality
  • 2014.07 - 2020.08

    Santa Clara, United States of America

    Senior Research Scientist
    NVIDIA Research
    As NVIDIA's first employee within their newly established New Experiences Group, I am proud to have worked as a Senior Research Scientist and contribute to inventing cutting‑edge Computational displays for virtual reality and augmented reality applications. In this role, I have made significant contributions by establishing laboratory spaces and recruiting new employees with similar or relevant focuses.
    • Near-Eye Displays
    • Gaze-tracking
    • Perceptual Graphics
    • Holography
    • Augmented Reality
    • Virtual Reality
  • 2013.08 - 2013.09

    Uppsala, Sweden

    Visiting Researcher
    Goodbye Kansas (Formerly known as Imagination Studios)
    I visited Imagination Studios as a researcher through a European Union seventh framework funded project. The collaboration between Koç University and Imagination Studios focuses on creating the next generation of stereoscopic displays, allowing actors/actresses to have a more immersive experience in their virtual environment. My role in this project was to develop the necessary hardware components that include optical, electrical, and mechanical parts.
    • Projection Displays
    • Motion Capture
    • 3D Displays
  • 2013.02 - 2013.05

    Zürich, Switzerland

    Research Intern
    Disney Research Zürich
    As a research intern at Disney Research Zürich, I contributed to Visible light communication applications across various hardware systems by focusing on day-to-day tasks such as developing Android and iPhone applications, designing electronics hardware, and creating libraries for Arduino platforms.
    • Visible Light Communications
    • Embedded Systems
    • Smartphones
  • 2010.05 - 2014.06

    Istanbul, Türkiye

    Research Assistant
    Optical Microsystems Laboratory, Koç University
    The European Commission's seventh framework program (EC-FP7) funded our research on an innovative high efficiency laser based multi user multi modal 3D display project, known as HELIUM3D. We are also grateful for additional support from the Turkish Scientific Council, which has provided further funding for my research on a cutting-edge autostereoscopic super multi-view display device. My Ph.D. thesis culminated these projects by exploring the potential applications of laser based projectors in 3D displays and near-eye display technologies. In addition to my Ph.D. thesis, I also helped building a device that alleviate Parkinson's symptoms in patients.
    • 3D Displays
    • Autostereoscopic Displays
    • Stereoscopic Displays
    • Biomedical Electronics
    • Laser Projectors
  • 2009.06 - 2010.02

    Eindhoven, Netherlands

    Research Intern
    Philips Research
    As an intern at Philips Research, I focused on several projects including the development of a multi-actuator control for unit-injector drives and design responsibilities for a test facility dedicated to fragrance injection. Additionally, I contributed to the creation of a remote heart rate and motion monitoring system.
    • Photoplethysmography
    • Fragrance Injectors
  • 2007.01 - 2008.01

    Aachen, Germany

    Student assistant
    RWTH ISEA
    Troubleshooting of a switched reluctance machine drive circuits designed for MIELE.
    • Flyback DC/DC Converter
    • Electrical Reluctance Machines
  • 2006.01 - 2007.01

    Istanbul, Türkiye

    Student assistant
    Electrical Machines Laboratory, Istanbul Technical University
    During my time as an undergraduate student, I took on leadership roles by helping to lead experiments for third-year undergraduates and contributed to the solar race car team of our university. My focus in the team was on developing telemetry systems.During my time as an undergraduate student, I took on leadership roles by helping to lead experiments for third-year undergraduates and contributed to the solar race car team of our university. My focus in the team was on developing telemetry systems.
    • Electrical Direct Current Machines
    • Electrical Asynchronous Machines
  • 2005.07 - 2005.09

    Istanbul, Türkiye

    Intern
    Turkish Telecommunications Company
    Troubleshooting of failures that was reported in different internet network topologies (i.e., ADSL).
    • Internet connection issues
  • 2005.05 - 2005.07

    Istanbul, Türkiye

    Intern
    Istanbul Transportation Company
    Translated Honda GX240/270/340/390 manuals from English to Turkish.
    • Subway trains

Academic funding

Invited talks and workshops

Teaching

  • *
    This list containts courses starting from 2017, and does not list the previous ones.
  • sample
    Sample Course
    ACM SIGGRAPH
  • Winter 2023
    COMP0088 Introduction to Machine Learning
    University College London
    Introduction to Supervised Learning: Linear models for regression and classification (least squares, logistic regression), Concepts of overfitting and regularisation, L1 and L2 regularisation, Boosting, Decision Trees, Random Forests, Support Vector Machines, Deep Learning: Neural Networks for regression and classification, Convolutional Neural Networks, Recurrent Neural Networks.

    Introduction to Unsupervised Learning: K-means, Principal Components Analysis, Embeddings & Representation Learning, Expectation-Maximisation, Mixture of Gaussians, Hidden Markov Models, Deep Autoencoders, Generative Adversarial Networks.
  • June 2022
    (INVITED) Optimizing Holograms for Standard Holographic Displays
    LIM 2022
    A review of the near-eye display technologies for Augmented and Virtual Reality applications, and introducing future research directions.
  • October 2022
    (INVITED) Guest lecture on display technology
    New York University
    A guest Lecture on next-generation displays (upon invitation of Assistant Professor Qi Sun).
  • Winter 2022
    COMP0160 Perception and Interfaces
    University College London
    Perception and Interfaces course offers students a gateway to get familiar with various aspects of perception and interfaces.

    Computational light laboratory contributes to COMP0160: Perception and Interfaces by providing two lectures introducing the human visual system, its relation with graphics and displays, and sensing modalities in emerging devices (e.g., near-eye displays for virtual reality and augmented reality). Each of these lectures is two hours long. In addition, we support these lectures with laboratory assignments for the students, which are vital for completing the course.
  • December 2018
    Cutting-Edge VR/AR Display Technologies
    SIGGRAPH ASIA 2018
    A full day workshop on tracking, display, imaging and graphics technologies for Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.
  • March 2018
    Cutting-Edge VR/AR Display Technologies Tutorial
    IEEE VR 2018
    A full day workshop on tracking, display, imaging and graphics technologies for Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
  • Winter 2017
    (INVITED) Current Research in Augmented and Virtual Reality
    TU Wien
    An invited lecture on near-eye display technologies upon invitation of Prof. Dr. Henry Fuchs.

Awards

  • 2024
    Senior Member
    IEEE
  • 2024
    Code XX contribution award
    Graditude certificate from the organizers
    Lecture for 135 high-school students interested in physics and computing.
  • 2024
    Replicability Stamp for Multi-color Holograms work
    Graphics Replicability Stamp Initiative
  • 2024
    Most Downloaded Paper in March 2024
    Nature LSA
  • 2023
    Best Poster Award
    UKRI AI CDT
  • 2021
    Best Paper Nominee
    IEEE VR
    Beaming Displays, only 11 papers nominated from over 300 submissions.
  • 2020
    Senior Member
    Optica
  • 2020
    Outstanding Reviewer Recognition
    Optica
  • 2019
    Emerging Technologies Best in Show Award
    ACM SIGGRAPH 2019
  • 2019
    Best Paper Nominee
    IEEE VR
    Manufacturing Application Driven Foveated Near-Eye Displays, only 11 papers nominated from over 300 submissions.
  • 2018
    Best Paper Award
    IEEE ISMAR
    FocusAR Auto-focus Augmented Reality Eyeglasses, only 11 papers nominated from over 300 submissions.
  • 2018
    Emerging Technologies Best in Show Award
    ACM SIGGRAPH<
    Steerable Application-Adaptive Near Eye Displays
  • 2017
    Emerging Technologies DC EXPO Special Prize
    ACM SIGGRAPH
    Wide Field of View Varifocal Near Eye Displays using See-Through Deformable Membrane Mirrors
  • 2017
    Best Paper Award
    IEEE VR
    Wide Field of View Varifocal Near Eye Displays using See-Through Deformable Membrane Mirrors
  • 2014
    Graduate Studies Excellence Award
    Koç University
    Award received from head of institute, Prof. Tekin Dereli and the dean, Prof. Ümran İnan of Koç (Also affiliated as a professor at Stanford University).
  • 2014
    Student Travel Grant
    SID Display Week
    Student travel grant from SEL (Semiconductor Energy Laboratory), Larry and Jane Weber and Larry and Carol Tannas.
  • 2013
    New Product Award
    International 3D Society
  • 2012
    Merck Young Scientist Award
    Merck KGaA
    Merck Young Scientist Award received from Merck group’s president, Mr. Jürgen König in 2012.
  • 2012
    Best Project Award
    Turkish Health Industry Society
    Kaan has supervised a term project of two undergraduate students, which was recognized as the best project award from Turkish Health Industry Society in 2012.
  • 2012
    Best Project Award
    Yıldız Technical University's IEEE Student Branch
    Best project award from YTÜ’s IEEE student branch among 131 projects; award was given by his excellency, Minister of Science and Technology of Türkiye, 2012.
  • 2007
    Best Place
    TÜBİTAK
    TÜBİTAK Solar Car Races 2007 at Hipodrom at Ankara Solar Car Race-Among the 38 team, Won 4 trophies for 1. and 2.places in Ankara Race Arena, 1. and 3., ANOK Race 1. Place, Best Design Prize, Fastest Run for placement.
  • 2006
    Best Place
    TÜBİTAK
    TÜBİTAK Solar Car Races 2006 at Official F1 Istanbul Racetrack and Arena Izmir Solar Car Race Among the 38 team, Won 9 trophies for 1. and 2. places in Istanbul Park F1 Race Arena, 1. and 3. Places in Izmir Race Arena, Best Design Prize, 1. and 2. Places in Placing Tours.

Mentorship

*For more, please visit this link.
Abubakar Sharif, 2022, Next: -
Ahmet Hamdi Güzel, 2022-2024, Next: Ph.D. Student at University College London
Amirhossein Ghanbari Niaki, 2013-2014, Next: Ph.D. student at Johns Hopkins University
Chengkun Lii, 2021, Next: Ph.D. student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Daniel Andersen, 2016, Next: Research Scientist at Meta Reality Labs
David Dunn, 2016-2017, Next: Senior Engineer at Qualcomm XR Research
David Robert Walton, 2021-2022, Next: Lecturer at Birmingham City University
Debosmit Neogi 2022, Next: Master of Science at University of Buffalo
Doğa Doğan, 2020-2021, Next: Instructor at Boğaziçi University
Doğa Yılmaz, 2023-2025, Next: Ph.D. Student at University College London
Eric Whitmire, 2018, Next: Research Scientist at Meta Reality Labs
Eugene Hong, 2016-2017, Next: Bachelor of Science at Binghamton University
Gbemisola Akinola-Alli, 2022, Next: Senior Engineer at MBDA
Jeanne Beyazian, 2022, Next: Computer Vision Developer at Glimpse Analytics
Josh Kaizer, 2022, Next: -
Kerem Eroğlu, 2022, Next: MEng at University College London
Kishore Rathinavel, 2017, Next: Visiting Student at Stanford University
Koray Kavaklı, 2021-..., Next: Ph.D. Student at Koç University
Kylee Krzanich, 2018, Next: Research Assistant at Stanford University
Nerea Sainz De La Maza, 2022, Next: Bachelor of Science at University College London
Oliver Kingshott, 2021, Next: Ph.D. Student at University College London
Osman Eldeş, 2010-2014, Next: Product Manager at Augmency
Praneeth Chakravathula, 2017-2018, Next: Postdoctoral Research at Princeton University
Pengze Li, 2024, Next: -
Richard Li, 2018-2020, Next: Ph.D. student at the University of Washington
Rohan Kumar, 2016-2017, Next: Bachelor of Science at University of Maryland
Serhat Aksoy, 2022, Next: Bachelor Student at Istanbul Technical University
Weijie Xie, 2024, Next: Research intern at University College London
Yichen Zou, 2022, Next: Graduate Student at McGill Univesity
Yuze Yang, 2021, Next: -
Yilin Qu, 2022, Next: Machine Learning Software Engineer at Qualcomm Incorporated
Zhiren Zan, 2024, Next: -
Ziyang Chen, 2023-..., Next: Ph.D. student at University College London

Outreach

2024
- Kaan organizes weekly seminars at University College London, hosting internal and external expert speakers on various topics.
- Kaan organizes an online discussion group on rendering, perception, displays and cameras with +250 members across globe.
2023
- Kaan organizes weekly seminars at University College London, hosting internal and external expert speakers on various topics.
- Kaan organizes an online discussion group on rendering, perception, displays and cameras with +250 members across globe.
- Kaan helped organizing Optica's Frontiers in Optics Virtual Reality and Augmented Vision theme.
- Kaan helped organizing Optica's incubator, Optical Waveguides, A Key to Socially Acceptable Augmented Reality Glasses?.
2022
- Kaan organizes weekly seminars at University College London, hosting internal and external expert speakers on various topics.
- Kaan organizes an online discussion group on rendering, perception, displays and cameras with +250 members across globe.
- Kaan helped organizing Virtual and Augmented Reality theme at Frontiers in Optics of Optica.
- Kaan helped organizing Optica's Could Deep Learning Improve Visual Quality in Holographic Displays? event.
2021
- Kaan hepled organizing Optica’s Incubator on Perception in Immersive Technologies.
- Kaan organizes an online discussion group on rendering, perception, displays and cameras with +250 members across globe.
- Kaan helped organizing Virtual and Augmented Reality theme at Frontiers in Optics of Optica.
- Kaan organizes weekly seminars at University College London, hosting internal and external expert speakers on various topics.
2017-2018-2019
- Kaan held public demonstrations at ACM SIGGRAPH 2019. The entire exhibit is holding more than ten thousand visitors.
- Kaan held public demonstrations at ACM SIGGRAPH 2018. The entire exhibit is holding more than ten thousand visitors.
- Kaan held public demonstrations at ACM SIGGRAPH 2017. The entire exhibit is holding more than ten thousand visitors.
2005-2007
- Kaan helped forming a solar race car team during his undergraduate studies at Istanbul Technical University.

Reviewing service

Editor/Chair duty
- Associate Editor of ACM TOG (2024 - ...)
- Chair of OPTICA Display Technology Group (2025-...)
- Executive Committee Member of OPTICA Display Technology Group (2020-2024)
Reviewer duty
- Kaan acts as a reviewer to many Optica, ACM, Nature and IEEE publications.
Technical Committee
- ACM SIGGRAPH ASIA 2020, 2021
- IEEE ISMAR 2020, 2021, 2023
- IEEE VR 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- IMID 2023, 2024
- SPIE AR/VR MR 2025
- SPIE DOT 2025
Award Committee
- IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 2023 LifeTime Achievement Award
- IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 2023 Technical Achievement Award
- IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 2023 Best Dissertation Award
- IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 2022 LifeTime Achievement Award
- IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics 2022 Technical Achievement Award
- 2020 AR/VR/MR Student Optical Design Challenge Referee
Grant Commitees
- EPSRC 2021
Ph.D. Thesis Examiner/Viva Duty
- Aaron Demolder, Bouremouth University, United Kingdom
- Animesh Karnewar, University College London, United Kingdom
- Ege Keskin, Koç University, Türkiye
- Fan Yang, Cambridge University, United Kingdom
- Klara Brandstätter, University College London, United Kingdom
- Michael Fischer, University College London, United Kingdom
- Sanjeev Mk, University College London, United Kingdom
- Skanda Koppula, University College London, Google Deepmind, United Kingdom
- Zak Morgan, University College London, United Kingdom
M.Sc. Thesis Examiner Duty
- Koray Kavaklı, Koç University, Türkiye

Media coverage

2024
- TV100, Daha az enerji ile daha fazla verim alınabilecek
- TV100 Esra Öz'ün haberi, elektrik yerini ışığa mı bırakıyor?
- Phys.org News, Image denoising using a diffractive material
2023
- Communications of the ACM, ACM News, The Promise of Holographic Displays
2022
- MIT News, Invisible machine-readable labels that identify and track objects
- Invisible 3D-Printed Machine-Readable Labels that Identify and Track Objects
- 3D Natives InfraredTags, Invisible Barcodes Embedded in 3D Printed Objects
2021
- Vision Spectra, Laser Cutter Differentiates Among Materials
- The Next Bytes’ podcast on our sensicut project
- MIT’s new machine learning tool makes laser-cutting safer
- IT Media’s article on our beaming displays
- Koç University's news about Kaan's new post
2019
- Upload VR article on our varifocal displays
- Businesswire, Computer Graphics Community Arrives in Los Angeles, Reports Record Numbers at SIGGRAPH 2019
- Shootonline, Marvel’s Victoria Talks SIGGRAPH Diversity
2018
- inpark, SIGGRAPH 2018 concludes with more than 16,000 in attendance
- AWN, SIGGRAPH 2018 celebrates Generations in Vancouver
2017
- UploadVR interview, a short interview at SIGGRAPH 2017 with UploadVR.
- An article by Leiphone on our varifocal displays
- RoadToVR article on our varifocal displays
- Forbes article on our varifocal displays
- NVIDIA blog on our varifocal displays
- UPLOADVR article on our varifocal displays