David Koller
Stanford Computer Science Department & Computer Graphics Laboratory

Email: david.koller@cs.stanford.edu
Web: http://graphics.stanford.edu/~dk/
Note: I am not the drummer/vocalist from the Czech rock band.


Research

My research activities are in the areas of computer graphics, visualization, computer vision, and human-computer interaction. I've been particularly interested in the acquisition, analysis, and interactive display of large graphical datasets. Some specific research projects, with links to papers and websites, are included below.


3D Scanning of Large Statues

We developed systems for digitizing the 3D shape and appearance of large cultural heritage objects, and then processing and archiving the resulting immense 3D datasets. This project included a year in Italy, scanning well-known works such as Michelangelo's David.


Computational Archaeology

In another 3D scanning project, we digitized all 1200 of the extant fragments of the Severan Marble Plan. This huge marble map of ancient Rome, dating from the early 3rd century AD, is a primary source of knowledge of the city's topography. Archaeologists have been trying to piece the fragments back together for centuries, and I've been developing computer algorithms to help solve this giant "jigsaw puzzle," yielding a number of exciting new discoveries in the reconstruction of the map.


Protected Interactive 3D Graphics

Computer graphics content such as 3D models represents increasingly valuable intellectual property. In this work, we have developed new digital rights management (DRM) techniques for protecting 3D models from piracy, while still allowing interactive use. Our approaches have been used to share and secure some of the most prominent 3D model archives of cultural heritage works.


Visualization of Large Geospatial Datasets

In this work, we designed new algorithms and built systems for real-time visualization of huge, high-resolution geospatial datasets. As PC graphics capabilities continue to evolve, I've been adapting these data management and rendering techniques for new visualization applications in the engineering and entertainment industries.


User Interfaces for Immersive Virtual Environments

I've been interested in 3D and immersive virtual reality user interfaces for a long time. This work proposed some new interaction techniques for immersive environments, and attempted to evaluate their efficacy via rigorous user studies.


Other Stuff