Keith Waters
Encyclopedia
Keith Waters formerly of LifeFX Networks, Inc., has been involved in facial animation
for the past 20 years. He development of a muscle-based model for facial animation including a physically based skin tissue model as well as a visual text-to-speech system called DECface. He is co-author of "Computer Facial Animation", a guide to facial animation the first edition published in 1995 and a second edition in 2008.
Keith Waters was born in Kent, England. He received his Ph. D from Middlesex University
(UK) in 1988. He is currently the director of engineering device software at Nexage and prior to that a principal architect at Akamai Technologies Inc., and previously a Director of Research at Orange Labs Boston MA, USA. Keith has been active in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and has published scientific papers on novel applications. He has been engaged with the W3C is the development of Web standards for mobile web
technologies.
) at Middlesex University
in 1988 with a Ph. D in computer graphics
, Keith worked for Schlumberger
in Palo Alto and then at their Research Lab for Computer Science Austin Texas where he worked on parallel CM-2
data visualization. In 1991 he joined Digital Equipment's Cambridge Research Lab in Boston MA where he continued to work on user interfaces including DECface the visual equivalent of DECtalk
the text-to-speech engine. Later, he went on to create the FaceWorks product that was used at Comdex. While at Compaq
he invented a variety of user interfaces including the first Smart Kiosk, the invisible mouse and image-based touchscreen
. After a brief time at LifeF/X he worked on film and television high-performance face animation techniques into Web-based technology, he joined Orange in 2001 where he was a senior expert in mobile services developing next-generation mobile Web technologies for high performance open source
devices. Most recently he was a principal architect at Akamai Technologies Inc., assisting them with their mobile strategy.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
for the past 20 years. He development of a muscle-based model for facial animation including a physically based skin tissue model as well as a visual text-to-speech system called DECface. He is co-author of "Computer Facial Animation", a guide to facial animation the first edition published in 1995 and a second edition in 2008.
Keith Waters was born in Kent, England. He received his Ph. D from Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
(UK) in 1988. He is currently the director of engineering device software at Nexage and prior to that a principal architect at Akamai Technologies Inc., and previously a Director of Research at Orange Labs Boston MA, USA. Keith has been active in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and has published scientific papers on novel applications. He has been engaged with the W3C is the development of Web standards for mobile web
Mobile Web
The Mobile Web refers to the use of Internet-connected applications, or browser-based access to the Internet from a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer, connected to a wireless network....
technologies.
Professional career
After graduating from the Centre for Advanced Studies in Computer Aided Art and Design (now the Lansdown Centre for Electronic ArtsLansdown Centre for Electronic Arts
The Lansdown Centre for Electronic Arts is a research centre of Middlesex University in the north of London, United Kingdom. It had a significant role in the early development of computer graphics and has continued to innovate in areas such as interactive media and sonic arts.The Centre undertakes...
) at Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
in 1988 with a Ph. D in computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
, Keith worked for Schlumberger
Schlumberger
Schlumberger Limited is the world's largest oilfield services company. Schlumberger employs over 110,000 people of more than 140 nationalities working in approximately 80 countries...
in Palo Alto and then at their Research Lab for Computer Science Austin Texas where he worked on parallel CM-2
Connection Machine
The Connection Machine was a series of supercomputers that grew out of Danny Hillis' research in the early 1980s at MIT on alternatives to the traditional von Neumann architecture of computation...
data visualization. In 1991 he joined Digital Equipment's Cambridge Research Lab in Boston MA where he continued to work on user interfaces including DECface the visual equivalent of DECtalk
DECtalk
DECtalk was a speech synthesizer and text-to-speech technology developed by Digital Equipment Corporation in the early 1980s, based largely on the work of Dennis Klatt at MIT, whose source-filter algorithm was variously known as KlattTalk or MITalk....
the text-to-speech engine. Later, he went on to create the FaceWorks product that was used at Comdex. While at Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
he invented a variety of user interfaces including the first Smart Kiosk, the invisible mouse and image-based touchscreen
Touchscreen
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand. Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus...
. After a brief time at LifeF/X he worked on film and television high-performance face animation techniques into Web-based technology, he joined Orange in 2001 where he was a senior expert in mobile services developing next-generation mobile Web technologies for high performance open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
devices. Most recently he was a principal architect at Akamai Technologies Inc., assisting them with their mobile strategy.