DAVID PALACIOS PH.D.
Optics & Computer Vision Innovator
BIO
A Focus on Solving Tough Problems
David Palacios, Ph.D., is an expert in computer vision and active optical systems. After his graduate studies, David spent over a decade honing his skills at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. Since 2016 David has focused on the productization of advanced optical technologies in the startup world as Founder and CTO of Augmenteum, an education technology company focusing on augmented reality and as the Head of Research and Development for HyperSpectral APD Inc., A pathogen detection company born out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, David has led several multi-disciplinary teams composed of the best and the brightest scientists and engineers from across the globe. With his knowledge of cutting-edge technologies and his experience leading diverse teams, David continues to innovate and commercialize the next generation of intelligent vision systems.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
From Theory to Reality
AN OPTICAL VORTEX CORONAGRAPH
An optical vortex coronagraph may be constructed by placing a vortex diffractive optical element near the image plane of a telescope. An optical vortex coronagraph opens a dark window in the glare of a distant star so nearby terrestrial sized planets and exozodiacal dust may be detected. An optical vortex coronagraph may hold several advantages over other techniques presently being developed for high contrast imaging, such as lower aberration sensitivity and multi-wavelength operation.
A MIXED REALITY TRAINING PLATFORM
The Augmenteum platform supercharges enterprise collaboration with holographic guides, where virtual objects appear in the real world when viewed through mobile devices and head mounted displays. Enterprise teams and their customers use cloud based, augmented reality guidance for training, expert consultation, design reviews, marketing, and other powerful collaborative activities.
A HYPERSPECTRAL PATHOGEN DETECTION SYSTEM
During a pandemic and its aftermath, it’s vital to identify infected people so that they can be effectively quarantined to reduce the spread of a virus. Current diagnostic testing techniques take too long to return a result to be used as an effective screening method.To solve this problem, I invented a hyperspectral screening technology that combines faint particle detection technologies with machine learning classification techniques to enable detection of a pathogen within seconds by identifying a unique hyperspectral signature.