VGTC Virtual Reality Best Dissertation Award

Abstract

The 2023 VGTC Virtual Reality Best Dissertation Award goes to Praneeth Kumar Chakravarthula, a 2021 graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for his dissertation entitled “Towards Everyday-use Augmented Reality Eyeglasses”, under the supervision of Prof. Henry Fuchs. Praneeth Chakravarthula is currently a research fellow at Princeton University and a Research Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests lie at the intersection of optics, graphics, perception, optimization and machine learning. Dr. Chakravarthula obtained his Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill under the supervision of Prof. Henry Fuchs. His Ph.D. dissertation makes progress “towards everyday-use augmented reality eyeglasses” and makes significant advances in three distinct areas: 1) holographic displays and advanced algorithms for generating high-quality true 3D holographic images, 2) hardware and software for robust and comprehensive 3D eye tracking via Purkinje images and 3) automatic focus adjusting AR display eyeglasses for well-focused virtual and real imagery, towards potentially achieving 20/20 vision for users of all ages. Since the eyes cannot focus at very near distances, existing AR/VR head mounted displays use bulky lenses to virtually project the display panel at a long distance that the eyes can comfortably focus. However, this results in not only uncomfortably increasing the bulk of the display but also results in severely affecting the natural functioning of the human visual system by causing