João Manuel Castro Afonso

Title: João Manuel Castro Afonso: Innovator in Augmented Reality Technology

Introduction

João Manuel Castro Afonso is a notable inventor based in Lisbon, Portugal. He has made significant contributions to the field of augmented reality, particularly through his innovative patent that enhances user experience with handheld devices. His work is recognized for its technical sophistication and practical applications in modern technology.

Latest Patents

Afonso holds a patent titled "Depth from motion for augmented reality for handheld user devices." This invention involves a handheld user device equipped with a monocular camera that captures images of a local scene. The device's processor selects a keyframe from the image feed and performs stereo matching to generate a sparse disparity map. This map represents the differences between the captured images, allowing the device to create a dense depth map using a bilateral solver algorithm. The resulting depth map is utilized to render occlusions and incorporate virtual objects into the viewfinder image, ultimately generating an augmented reality viewfinder image for display.

Career Highlights

Afonso is currently employed at Google Inc., where he continues to push the boundaries of augmented reality technology. His work at Google has allowed him to collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry, contributing to the advancement of innovative solutions in user interface design and interaction.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Afonso has worked alongside talented colleagues such as Julien Valentin and Onur Gonen Guleryuz. These collaborations have fostered a creative environment that encourages the development of groundbreaking technologies.

Conclusion

João Manuel Castro Afonso is a distinguished inventor whose work in augmented reality is paving the way for future innovations in handheld devices. His patent demonstrates a commitment to enhancing user experiences through technology.